Telling tales in Celbridge

You couldn’t find much richer soil for an international storytelling competition than St Patrick’s Primary School in Celbridge, County Kildare. This week iBbY Ireland launched its ‘Once Upon a Folk Tale’ contest to celebrate the tenth anniversary of this wonderfully multicultural school that has sixteen nationalities represented in sixth class alone. During the launch, young competitors watched master storytellers from South Africa, the USA and of course the land of the seanchai.
 Over the next six weeks, pupils will team up with their 'compatriots' to recreate and rehearse a traditional tale from their families' original country. Using mime and rhyme, food and music, props, costumes and any other creative tools, each country group will spin its yarn before an audience of schoolmates, teachers and parents at the competition in early December, to be judged by iBbY and local community members.