Shane is a modern day Oral Storyteller.

Shane first heard traditional stories as a child from his father and often repeated them to his siblings and eventually his own three children. In 1997 Shane went to Canada and while he was there, he was invitated to meet with the indidgenous Metis people and be part of their Ceremonies and a Story Healing Circle, an immense privalage. This experience not only rekindled Shane’s storytelling spark, it also provided a profound shift in his thinking as he began to use ‘Applied Storytelling’ as a Social Worker and then as a Counselling Therapist. His life long storytelling journey continued, with fresh insight.

In more recent years, Shane has been an invited to; the ‘Inaugural Marrakesh International Storytelling Festival’, in Morroco; the Scottish International Storytelling Festival; ‘Kenya in the Park’, (“The largest African festival in Europe”); the Glens of Antrim International Storytelling Festival and the Listowel International Storytelling Festival.  

Shane has told stories in Canada, Ireland numerous times, Morocco, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Holland, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Special Permission: Shane was asked by a school to come along and tell some First Nation Indigenous (Australian) stories as part of a ‘Diversity Day’. Shane found a very special story online from an Australian University. Realising that the story appeared significant, Shane contacted and liased with a member of the D’harawal People, who was also a lecturer at the University. Shane explained that he would like to tell the story and was asking for permission. Shane was told that it was one of the D’harawal peoples more sacred stories and it would be ‘unlikely that he would get permissin to tell it’. However after a deep conversation, Shane was told that the request would be put before the 12 Elders, but to expect a “no”, as it only needed one of the Elders to say “no”. A few weeks past and to everyones surprise, all 12 Elders agreed that Shane could tell their sacred story. This was down to Shane’s sensitivity, understanding, respect and commitment to the honouring of the story, that the 12 Elders all agreed that he could tell the story, but only once and to not use any of the D’harawal peoples names for the animals, but rather use the ‘common known names’, that are in every day language. When Shane told the story he introduced it by explaining to the young people how out of cultural sensitivty and respect he had gone to some length to get permission.

A sought-after storyteller, Shane regularly performs at numerous Festivals across the UK and Ireland. Shane has told stories in places as diverse as; Schools in UK & Ireland, Libraries, Universities, Theatres, Wildlife settings, environmental settings, Mental health settings, alternative education settings, for Mencap, in residential homes, in an HMP prison family waiting room, with visually impaired groups, in a children’s Hospice, men’s groups, numerous Bush camp settings in the UK and also in Sweden, at storytelling clubs in UK & Ireland, and much more.