West Cork locals share tales with 5-year-old interviewer

A series of heart-warming videos, in which a five-year-old girl interviews elderly West Cork residents — some of them in their mid-90s — will be launched on YouTube, and other social media platforms, later this month.

The three-part series, ‘A Few Simple Questions’, is the brainchild of Drimoleague farmer Alan Kingston, owner of the Glenilen Farm company.

During the series, five-year-old Julie Galvin interviews 95-year-old Betty Levis, of Durrus, who worked as a farmhand in Skibbereen in the 1930s, and Sean O’Brien, also 95, who still lives in the house in Drimoleague where he was born.

Sean’s mother ran a grocery shop there, which he converted to a butcher’s shop that he ran from 1956 to 1992.

Julie also interviews 75-year-old Donal O’Donovan, from the village of Leap, who worked in the Drinagh Coop and Creamery, until he retired in 2009.

Mr Kingston said: “Drimoleague and West Cork is steeped in agricultural history. My wife, Val, and I were keen to preserve some of the human stories of our locality and, more importantly, to have them told by the community directly.

“We recorded some fabulous stories about butter-making in Drinagh co-op and milk intake in the same creamery, as well market day in Drimoleague.

When we started planning these interviews, it was important to us to ensure they were relevant to all audiences and not just the West Cork community, and so we recruited the very sweet Julie Galvin, aged five, to ask the ‘Few Simple Questions’.

Interwoven through the interviews is fascinating footage of butter production and market day in the 1960s.

“There is something innocent about a child being curious, and seeing the interaction between a five-year-old and a 95-year-old, for example, leaves you with a lovely, warm, fuzzy feeling,” adds Glenilen marketing manager, Avril Twomey.

‘A Few Simple Questions’ will be launched on the company’s social media platforms on Wednesday, September 11. It was directed, produced, and edited by West Cork video production company, Storicreative.

www.glenilenfarm.com

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