Directory of members
Olwyn Coughlin
Olwyn Coughlin – Storyteller
Olwyn Coughlin is a master storyteller, born in Belfast and raised in Banbridge, County Down. She spent her early years in the countryside where flax once grew in nearby fields, and linen was woven and bleached along the mystical River Bann — a landscape rich in memory and myth.
Her love of story began in those days, listening to her father and aunties tell tales of the heroes Finn McCumhail and Oisín, and of fairies dancing in the chestnut glen near their home.
Olwyn later journeyed to Canada, finishing high school at Riverside before studying English and Dramatic Arts at the University of Windsor. She performed with the University Players and took to the stage in summer theatre across the United States.
Later in life, she was ordained as a Presbyterian minister, and continued to share stories — blending folklore and scripture at retreats and conferences, speaking to the soul through both word and wisdom.
She brings the skills of a seasoned performer to every tale — shaping story with voice, silence, and a glint in the eye.
Olwyn is a proud member of the Guild of Sacred Storytellers and Storytellers of Canada / Conteurs du Canada. Today, she continues to enchant audiences with folk tales from Ireland and beyond, and with stories drawn from the histories of her adopted home. She is currently developing a series on the women of Essex County, as well as an upcoming cycle titled The Wise Crone.
As Olwyn likes to say:
"All stories are true; some of them actually happened."