Continuing on from her recent Scór success in Ardglass, Béibhinn Watson now takes the County title in aithriseoireacht/scealaiocht (recitation/story telling). We caught up with Dad, Declan earlier today to ask a few questions.
Declan, thanks for taking the call and explaining that Béibhinn was off today to enjoy some water activities along with Mum. Can you give us some background into how Béibhinn started in recitation?
“Well, my wife Clare is a primary school teacher and has a qualification in, I guess you would call it elocution. Clare has encouraged Béibhinn down the years to read and recite and to be honest, picked it up with some enthusiasm. Then at some point her teachers in Ballygalget primary school, Angela and Emma I believe, suggested that she should try her luck in the Scór competition a few years back and then went on to win the competition.”
How does Béibhinn prepare for these competitions and how does she handle the occassion?
“Actually, I don’t know! Béibhinn and her mum go into a room and it all happens but I don’t know the details if I’m honest. Clare and Béibhinn practice extracts from Brian Freils ‘Winners’. What I do know is that she has a degree of confidence in preparing and then just a small amount of side stage nerves but once she’s on the stage, it all flows smoothly.”
“Incidentally” Declan adds, “with the fada over the é, Béibhinn is pronounced like ‘Bave-inn, it sounds like brave without the r.”
Béibhinn now moves on to represent the County in the Ulster semi finals on Sunday 20th March in Banbridge and we wish her all the very best.
Down Chairperson Jack Devaney Béibhinn and County Cultural Officer Donal McNally (SD – 1)
(SD – 2)
Most of us will know Béibhinn as a member of the U14 Camogie team (SD – 3)
Seamus Ennis enjoys Béibhinn’s win on his 50th anniversary of winning at Scór along with team mates Thomas Brown and Brendan Mullan in the quiz section in 1972 (SD – 4)
