by David Redmond
I dont mean to be stereotypical, but for whatever reason Blind and visually
impaired people seem to love audio. Maybe its the fact that its a medium
we can enjoy equally, or maybe we can better appreciate the importance of
little detail in sound, but whatever the reason, we seem to have a special
appreciation for the creative use of noise.
A short while ago I got a message from a friend on WhatsApp sharing a phone
number with me. This was a number for Dial a Seanchaí, a service letting you
hear the stories and songs of yesterday, told and sung by the voices of
today.
When you call, you hear a bit about the project and are then presented with
6 options. Its simple storytelling on a phone line from County Clare.
Stories include tails of fairy hurling matches, dances with the dead, and a
cow with an unlimited supply of milk. Its so simple, yet so cool. Stories
are pre-recorded and beautifully produced. Its like listening to short
audio stories just via the phone.
Sure, its a novelty, and its not something that youd be calling
regularly, but for a one-off experience, its certainly really something I
can really appreciate.
Often in Tech On Tap, we cover the latest in tech, but sometimes creative
use of old technologies can spark new ideas. Many of the readers of this
article will be subscribers to the likes of Audible. Audible is a fantastic
tool, but its not for everyone. Even when you simplify it down to just
using a smart speaker, some less tech-savvy folks just wont want to deal
with it. For these people, a phone line with stories can be really cool.
We asked the artist behind the project (John Lilis) if he had considered
Visually Impaired and blind people when creating the phone line.
Yes. My mum has been visually impaired for 22 years and the phone is such a
vital lifeline for her. Shes not a fan of folklore, Im afraid, so the dial
a seanchaí phoneline wouldnt be her cup of tea exactly but it definitely
played a role in influencing the project. I think the phone has so much
potential for visually impaired people, but also as a way for some of
Irelands older generation to feel connected. There is an intimacy that
comes with one person telling a story and another person listening. Its an
exchange in the sense that one person is sharing their voice and the other
is sharing their ear. I feel like theres something special in that.
John is right, storytelling is important, and having it on an accessible
medium like this is great to see. Dial a Seanchaí in its current form is
only available until the end of November, so its very much an experience
that exists for a moment in time. This is an art piece, more than an
audiobook over-the-phone service.
With that said, the phone line did also have a temporary runback in 2021.
Asked about the future, John said.
I guess the future of the project is something that really depends on
whether we can get funding to continue to develop the project further. I
would love to see it continue, but I think it will most likely remain in its
current form. Its a project that seems suited for this time of year, as the
cold dark nights approach. I also kind of like the way it is momentary and
limited. Without this, Im not so sure people would call if they knew it was
going to be archived indefinitely online. There are so many benefits to the
internet and the fact that we have access to so much information and
knowledge, but I wonder do we give art, culture, stories, etc the attention
and love they deserve when its all accessible at the touch of a button.
Sometimes making things a little more difficult to acquire will push someone
to cherish more when they receive it.
On that note, Id certainly recommend giving the line a call before the end
of November. As I said above its a novelty in a way, but there is something
beautiful and creative about it. Its rare you hear creativity on phone
lines these days, but its great to see.
To access the Dial A Seanchaí phoneline from Ireland, you can dial (065) 672
3466. To access the Dial A Seanchaí phoneline from the UK, use 020 8079
1720.
And to access the Dial A Seanchaí phone line from the States, the number you
need is (833) 611-2230 (Toll-Free).
Well done to everyone involved. A great project and a unique idea.
Have your say.
Whats your all-time favorite phone line experience? Were you a user of the
now-deceased speaking Clock? Or were you a fan of phone line trivia and
adventure games? Share your thoughts with us using our new email address:
content@xxxxx <mailto:content@xxxxx>
Vision Ireland Technology News.
