HOHENFELS, Germany -- The Blarney Stone in Ireland is said to grant "the gift of gab" to those who kiss its surface, and if that's true then Irish storyteller Niall de Burca must have planted a dozen or so on it before he visited Hohenfels Elementary School, April 21.
With boundless energy and multiple voices, De Burca held the children mesmerized with tales of wild wolves, big brother bullies, and ancient heroes. He got the children into the act, mimicking his facial expression, singing songs, and creating sound effects for his stories.
"The response of the children has been one of enthusiasm and that natural sense of fun that kids have," De Burca said. "I'm leaving with a big smile on my face."
One of Ireland's finest traditional storytellers, De Burca tours internationally and also holds workshops in countries as diverse as Iran, Argentina, Italy and The Netherlands. He first visited Hohenfels in 2013.
Sixth-grader Avery Stone, president of the HES Student Council, said she saw De Burca then, and thought he was the best performer the school had ever had.
"This is the Month of the Military Child, and the student council decided we should raise some money and spend it on something the whole school would enjoy," she said, adding that they knew De Burca would fit the bill.
"I enjoyed it so much the last time, I was over the moon when they asked me back," he said. "It was a chance to come in to the school and be a part of the culture and enrichment and language arts programs, which is to fire up the kids with a love of language and reading."
De Burca is passionate about literature and urges parents to read to their children at home as often as possible.
"Just 10-15 minutes a day really enhances their vocabulary," he said. "The time you spend reading with your kids, it pays off in triplicate."
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