What's the Scéal? - Storytelling with Niall de Búrca at the Museum

We’re delighted to welcome back to the Museum one of Ireland's premier traditional storytellers, Niall de Búrca. Niall’s storytelling will captivate and enthrall audiences of all ages. Taking inspiration from the Museum’s collections, Niall draws from his wealth of knowledge of Irish myths and legends, in this special telling of tales celebrating St. Patrick and the rich tradition of storytelling in Ireland. Explore the Museum after this session and see if you can weave any stories of your own? Share these with us using the hashtag #SPFMuseumStories. This event will take place in the Storytime Yurt, located in Pearse Square. Walk-in event. No booking necessary.

About Niall de Búrca

Niall de Búrca is a scéalaí; a traditional storyteller from western Ireland. Raised on the rocky Atlantic coast; a region steeped in myth and legend. Like many of his generation Niall emigrated at a young age. His adventures led him to Aotearoa New Zealand where he married into a large Maori whānau (family) and lived for many years. Nowadays Niall is based in Ireland and travels the land sharing tales.

A featured storyteller in theatre, on television and at festivals on six continents; Niall has shared the Irish tradition in countries as diverse as Vietnam and Argentina.

He has been a featured international teller at the US National Storytelling Festival and twice performed a residency at the ISC in Jonesborough Tennessee.

On many occasions he has toured for the University of Hawaii cultural extension program; performing in prisons, concert halls, libraries and schools throughout the Hawaiian islands.

In 2013 and 2015 Niall featured at the Hans Christian Andersen Centre in Odense, Denmark. He has also featured in Kronberg Castle, where Shakespeare set Hamlet, and at the Roskilde Viking Ship Museum on board the Sea Stallion. This is an exact replica of a dragon ship built in Dublin 1000 years ago.

He has also performed voiceover on abridged digital editions of many classic stories including CS Lewis’ 'Narnia', Ronald Dahl’s 'Danny The Champion Of The World' and 'Holes' by Louis Sacher.

In 2016, 2017 and 2019 Niall shared tales and was MC for the official Lighting of the Christmas tree ceremony at the Áras, the home of the President of Ireland.

In winter 2018 -2019 he explored similarities between the Gaelic and Polynesian hero traditions with a tour through Samoa and Aotearoa New Zealand.

Art gallery exhibitions are another aspect of his work. These include shows on: World War One, Sophie Scholl and The White Rose, the works of Max Ernst, kinetic sculptor Len Lye and architect Antoni Gaudi.

In 2020 Niall received a traditional arts Award Bursary from the Arts Council of Ireland to research and tour Wild Atlantic Tales. A bilingual show honouring celebrated Irish storytellers of earlier generations. This toured theatres on the wild Atlantic coast, in the Autumn of 2021.

“His ability to evoke a wide range of emotions from his rapt audiences enables him to bewitch people with his stories and make listening to him as well as watching him an unforgettable experience ” - Vienna Review of Books.

Niall’s credo is the ancient proverb:

Níor bhris focal maith fiacail riamh... A good word never broke a tooth.