Cork primary school’s viral rap video wins European award

Even when the Eurovision is cancelled in the middle of a pandemic, Ireland finds a way to enter a song and win - just ask pupils at the tiny Cappabue National School in rural Cork.

As the world is immersed in the Covid-19 outbreak, 23 rapping primary school pupils whose hip hop video One Small Change scooped the top prize have helped remind everyone of the threat posed by global warming.

This week their online production surpassed 100,000 views and proved popular enough with the European Schoolvision network to win the lion’s share of votes on Thursday.

"[The pupils] are just over the moon," said principal Norma Healy. "A few things didn't follow through [because of] Covid and all of that and this has kind of generated interest again."

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Ms Healy was referring to the children's invitation to appear on the Good Morning America TV show to mark Earth Day last month and to meet Taoiseach Leo Varadkar in May, both of which were scuppered by the outbreak.

Standout entry

Instead it was a familiar European platform that would bring a renewed sense of achievement - Schoolvision is a network of schools across the continent who enter songs annually. Although there are normally about 30 participants, circumstances this year pared that back to just 10.

Even still, the One Small Change video was a standout entry - its high production value, hip hop take on environmental awareness saw pupils in the parish of Bantry rap about how to get back to green basics.

“It would be wonderful just to make people aware,” said Ms Healy. “We are hearing a lot about disposal of PPE [personal protective equipment] and plastic gloves now which has to happen. It [environmental concerns] is not going to go away and it will always be an issue.”