It is definitely becoming tangible now with the arrival of my ‘set’ – a pop up banner to take us into the woods with the wives of Fionn McCoull – two stories, Sadhbh – first love between the worlds of the fianna and the fey, and Grainne – the great Gaelic love triangle between the older Fionn and his finest lieutenant Diarmid.

I have a run of twelve 45 minute shows, to do each story on alternate days on the PBH free fringe in August – what a fabulous organisation it is. I have been gathering material for over a year, but now begins the great whittling down to coherent tales! I have the songs at least, although the gaelic pronunciation needs a bit of help (shout out to Lothian Gaelic Choir and Marcas Mac an Tuairneir whom I hope to rope in to guide me!) and I am hugely looking forward to working with David Morden and Phil Okwedy at the Ty Newydd summer school in Wales in June when I hope to pick their brains about Sadhbh, the heroine of the deer.

Meantime, today is a day for Grainne: energetic, quick-thinking, impulsive – sometimes downright tiresome – I love her!