This event will be facilitated by the Sowing the Seed project, with support on the day from
the Seán Corcoran Series. www.sowingtheseedproject.com

About:
Sowing the Seed is in its fifth year now and the bones of this project formed in January
2020 when Edwina Guckian and Fionnuala Maxwell were investigating the strawing
traditions in the calendar year of old Ireland and the Mummers tradition.
Because of Covid, they developed the Modern Day Mummers where, together with musician
Brian Mostyn, they visited elderly people across Leitrim bringing a song, step and tune to their doorsteps during the lock downs. It gained huge traction across Ireland and abroad with many others looking to replicate it in their own areas. The resurrection of interest in oat growing and strawing traditions in Leitrim grew legs fast. With support from Creative Ireland and Leitrim County Council the lead artists have since been distributing organic oat seed to communities across Leitrim and further afield with a community of growers growing and harvesting their own oats.

The produce is put to good
use with various straw-making workshops organised each year, in particular mummers hats workshops in the lead up to Christmas where participants learn how to make their own straw hat and are encouraged to don the hat and head out mumming in their neighbourhood over Christmas.

Fionnuala and Ailíse Maxwell
Fionnuala Maxwell is an award-winning traditional singer, composer, researcher, and educator. She has spent years researching traditional singing and co-ordinates The Leitrim Larks Project which seeks to rediscover and revive the forgotten songs, singers, ballad writers, folklore and hidden history of Leitrim and its surrounding counties. As well as tutoring at music summer schools, directing Carrick Trad Music School and collaborative performances with other artists, Fionnuala works in a socially engaged capacity with various groups.

Sean-nós and set-dancer, Ailíse Maxwell, who is also an award-winning traditional singer,
lilter and musician, has been involved in the arts from an early age. She has danced with
Áirc Damhsa for over ten years and has performed on various stages and has more recently
been involved as facilitator of dance and singing workshops.

Both have been working with Sowing the Seed Project since its inception and have been
passing on the technique of straw-hat making as well as their knowledge of the folklore and traditions linked with straw and the mummers over the past number of years.