Erasmus+ – Storyteller Visit

     Fantastic                                                                                     Interesting

Hilarious                                                          Brilliant

Entertaining                   Energetic

    Funny

These were just some of the words used to describe yesterday’s experience with storyteller, Niall De Burca. But these words don’t go far enough; it really was one of the best days of the Erasmus+ Project to date.

From morning to evening, Niall had the pupils (and teachers!) mesmerised by his talents. He pitched his stories perfectly for each grouping, from Fionn and the Giant for the Infants session to Banshees for the Senior classes. His delivery of each story was entertaining and captivating, he had each of his audiences in the palm of his hands.

Niall began the day with Junior and Senior Infants. He told them his own unique version of the legend of Fionn and the Giant. He had all his audience goo-goo gaa-gaaing along with him, while he told how Fionn’s wife dressed Fionn as a baby to trick the giant from Scotland.

Following this, First and Second class were inspired to become their own legend makers. They were treated to a modern day version of The Salmon of Knowledge. Third and Fourth class heard about an array of Irish mythical characters from Shape shifters to Leprechauns and Banshees.

For the Fifth and Sixth class, Niall began with the Story of Creation and invited the children to provide the names of countries to which he awarded gifts- reliable cars for Germany,  Christiano Ronaldo for Portugal and oil for Kazakhstan! He then proceeded onto scarier myths of Banshees and had the audience screaming and laughing all at once.

After school, Niall gave a short workshop on the art of storytelling for the teachers. He provided sources for other myths, legends and folklore. He also gifted the school some CDs of the myths and legends he told during the day.

Niall’s entertaining, yet educational and informative, style was the perfect addition to this activity of the project. He praised the work done on the project to date and encouraged all in Le Chéile to become storytellers in our own right.