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W ho is Jane McDaniel?
Born November 30, 1945 in Limerick City, Ireland, Jane McDaniel spent her childhood years with a brother and sister in a workman's cottage alongside the main road between Limerick and Tipperary. Her father was a cobbler, and her mother a dressmaker.
The area around the cottage was a maze of small fields, boreens (small lanes), hedges that harbored a rich assortment of birdlife, and the occasional hawthorn tree. She started to write and retell stories at an early age (8 years old), thanks in part to excellent Irish and English teachers at the Presentation and Salesian convent schools. To a certain extent, she lived between two cultures because her father was English and Protestant and her mother was from Belfast and Catholic.
"I worked as a business journalist for almost 20 years before moving to the USA in 1993. Thanks to a personal passion for history and a delight in sewing, I now spend a lot of time telling stories and making Irish dolls of the 19th century," she said.
"I strongly believe that a culture draws simultaneously from both the past and the future to survive. The inherently rich Celtic culture of the Irish has crafted an island character which is curious about the new, protective and critical of the past and present; funny, subversive, and devious. The English language, as spoken by the Irish today, is full of trapfalls, hidey holes and shortcuts, and witness to the centuries in which the Irish have lived with and against English occupation. It is also a mirror of the richness of the Irish culture, the shortcomings of its people, their depth, and their capability to see themselves as part of a worldwide whole," she added.
Storytelling
I've been telling tales since I was eight years old (most parents would say, "yeah, right, so've mine!"). I was lucky to grow up in a culture which fostered storytelling and, also, which did not get TV until the early 1960s. Although I tell tales from the ancient, epic telllings of the Celtic culture, from my own experiences of growing up in the 1950s, as well as wonder-tales, i.e. tales of magic and change from all over the world - my focus is on building a bridge between the old and the new. My audiences range in age from 5 to 95 years old. There's magic is so much of life's experience.
I tell at folklife festivals, birthdays, family and corporate events, schools, at the San Antonio Rodeo, at the monthly storytelling sessions held by the San Antonio guild of the Texas Storytellers Association, and have held the title of (US) National Irish Storytelling Champion
from 2004 to 2007. I am a member of the San Antonio Storytellers Association, the Tejas Storytelling Association, and the (USA) National Storytelling Network.
I travel annually to Achill Island to collect and
tell stories with an old seanchai (storyteller)
there.
Our Company
Jane’s Irish offers the highest quality of heritage dolls, Christmas tree skirts and reversible table runners on the market today. Since its inception in 1992, the focus of our initiative has been on providing authentic, well-made dolls, teddy bears and home decor items, tailored to the individual needs of our customers. Insights gained from 30 years of doll-making experience, and a commitment to excellent workmanship, coupled with a ten-year guarantee on all our items have earned us a reputation for value amongst both customers and our peers in the arts and crafts industry.
Our Values
Leadership: At Jane's Irish, you receive the kind of quality and service you expect from a committed business owner. Our company is steadily evolving as the needs or our customers change and as new opportunities are created in the market. You can rest assured that, working with Jane's Irish, although you will enjoy the latest services, technology and developments in the industry, we will make sure that we remain a personal, small business. When you call Jane's Irish, the person answering the phone will be Jane McDaniel.
Teamwork: We make it our responsibility to listen. We work closely with you to ensure that the solutions we provide are tailored to meet your unique needs and challenges. We are committed to your enjoyment of what we make.
Customer Relations: At Jane's Irish, we have two priorities - satisfied customers, and joy in doing what we do. Superior customer service is the hallmark of Jane's Irish, and we are proud to serve you, and grateful for the opportunity to get to know you and your family, and to pass on our beloved Irish culture.
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