Imagine a business that captures and preserves local stories from all over Ireland. StoryTracks does this and its ambitions are huge.
The telling of stories has always been integral to Irish life and it’s this rich vein of talent that Fergal Nealon’s, StoryTracks app aims to preserve. Collecting and recalling authentic stories of a locality can spawn that sense of belonging and connection for both native and visitor alike. In 2016, the Sligo man began researching the market and outlines below, his hopes and aspirations for StoryTracks, a new storytelling audio-guide.
Capturing stories
The first real exposure, I had to collect tales, was during my time back home in Sligo, when my parents needed caring. At that time, I worked alongside my late father, Ted Nealon on the compilation and editing of ‘Tales from the Dail Bar’, his collection of yarns and anecdotes, from his career in broadcasting and politics. When he passed away four years ago, so many great tales went with him. Such is the case, multiplied across the country, where stories lay dormant, gathering dust, perhaps lost to local memory forever. This was the initial inspiration behind StoryTracks, a user-friendly means to capture older generations’ stories in an engaging digital platform.
“Fáilte Ireland recently announced a €1.25 million fund for ‘Storytelling in Ireland’s Ancient East’.”
It was time for something more sensible
My background and training were in visual storytelling, working in the TV and film industries. After my parents became unwell, I decided to leave the industry and moved back to Sligo 10 years ago, to care for them. During my free time, I discovered the game of poker and was fascinated by the strategy and game theory involved. I threw myself into studying the game, and within two years I was playing at the highest levels in both online as well
