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Traditional storyteller, Niall de Búrca, inspires the next generation in Armagh

16th March, 2026

The City Chapter recently hosted a series of storytelling sessions for young school pupils with traditional storyteller, Niall de Búrca at the Market Place Theatre in Armagh. The event was supported by Arts Council of Northern Ireland through the New Small Grants Programme, a scheme funded by the Department for Communities, which facilitates greater participation in the arts across every section of society and brings the arts right into the heart of communities.

2 The City Chapter
Pictured standing from left are City Chapter and theatre representatives, Cathy Donnelly for Armagh City Library, Roddy Hegarty for the Cardinal O Fiaich Library, Paul Williams for the Market Place Theatre, Catherine Gartland for the Cultural Heritage Service Library and Carol Conlin for Armagh Robinson Library. Some of the seventy plus pupils represented the Armstrong Primary School and St Patrick's Primary School Armagh with the storyteller Niall de Burca. Photo credit: Ian Maginess.

The City Chapter is a project involving the four libraries in Armagh working together to promote the spoken and written word including, Armagh City Library, Cardinal O Fiaich Library, the Cultural Heritage Service Library and the Armagh Robinson Library. The event was organised by the City Chapter to celebrate its 25th anniversary.

Pupils from local schools including, Armstrong Primary School, St Patrick's Primary School Armagh, and Armagh Christian Brothers' Primary School were among those who took part in the event with storyteller Niall de Búrca. This wasn’t the artist’s first visit to Armagh and over the years Niall has accepted several invitations from the City Chapter to give storytelling sessions to primary and post primary school audiences. His skill as a storyteller is known throughout the island of Ireland and beyond.

Gilly Campbell, Director of Arts Development, Arts Council of Northern Ireland, commented, “The Arts Council of Northern Ireland is delighted to support this important project from the City Chapter through our New Small Grants Programme, a scheme which increases access to and participation in the arts. Participating in the arts, and coming together as communities, can make a vital contribution to improving health and wellbeing, building confidence, and integrating communities, and we wish the City Chapter every success with this terrific project. Well done to all involved!

Pictured is Niall de Burca with pupils and teachers from Armagh Christian Brothers' Primary School. Featured with some of the pupils are representatives from the City Chapter, Market Place Theatre and the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, including standing from left Cathy Donnelly from Armagh City Library, Paul Williams for the Market Place Theatre and Catherine Gartland from the Cultural Heritage Service Library. Seated were Carol Conlin for Armagh Robinson Library, storyteller Niall de Burca and Gilly Campbell, Director of Arts Development, Arts Council of Northern Ireland. Photo credit: Ian Maginess.
A spokesperson for the City Chapter added, “The partnership of the City Library is made up of Armagh City Library, Armagh Robinson Library, Cardinal Ó Fiaich Library and the Cultural Heritage Service Library. While we normally take turns to host a City Chapter event in one of the Armagh libraries, we knew that the interest in Niall’s storytelling events would be so great, none of the libraries could have held the audiences. We are most grateful to the Arts Council of Northern Ireland for their financial support for the City Chapter in this twenty-fifth anniversary year. We also want to thank the Market Place Theatre for their support in hosting these storytelling events.”
Pictured are a group of Primary 5 pupils and their teachers from Armagh Christian Brothers' Primary School with representatives of the City Chapter and the Arts Council of Northern Ireland. Photo credit: Ian Maginess.

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