World Book Day at the Ulster American Folk Park in Omagh, Northern Ireland.
I had a wonderful day up at ‘The Folk Park’ meeting lots of young readers and talking about what else but books and reading and writing!
Joining in the celebrations and the big interview with David Huntley was Northern Ireland Minister for Education John O’Dowd, illustrator Oisin McGann and publisher Ivan O’Brien. So much talk about books made me want to just curl up and read one!
Thanks to schools all over Northern Ireland and the rest of Ireland that joined in the busy live video conference where I got to talk to so many of you and try to answer your questions. Special thanks to everyone at the Ulster American Folk Park especially Eamon and Peter and all the film crew and their big truck for making it happen!
I was delighted to be at the Irish PEN Dinner where this year’s Irish PEN Award for contribution to Irish Literature went to renowned playwright and author, Frank McGuinness. Fellow playwright Sebastian Barry made the presentation at the annual Irish PEN Dinner which was held at The Royal St. George Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire, Dublin.
A host of Frank’s friends and theatre folk including Abbey Theatre director Fiach Mac Conghail and actress Rosaleen Linehan, publisher Michael O’Brien and his editor Ide Ni Laoghaire joined in the celebrations at the dinner. What a lovely night to acknowledge the massive contribution Frank has made to Irish Literature. This past year alone has brought Frank’s adaptation of The Dead and his new play The Hanging Gardens to the Abbey and also the publication of his novel Arimathea.
Great to hear about ‘The International Book Club’ who are busy reading my book Wildflower Girl on both sides of the Atlantic. ‘The International Book Club’ was set up by Patrica Nolan in Ferrybank Library in Kilkenny and involves pupils from Our Lady of Good Counsel in Kilkenny, Ireland and TYWLS (The Young Women’s Leadership School), The Bronx, New York. The students Skype and blog about the book they are both reading and it is certainly a great way to talk about books and literature! So I am very pleased that they have chosen my book!
In Wildflower Girl Peggy O’Driscoll makes that awful journey across the Atlantic Ocean from Ireland to America in the steerage hold of a ship packed with people trying to escape poverty and devastation after The Great Irish Famine. Arriving in America, Peggy soon discovers how tough life in a new country can be as she struggles to survive and works as a maid. It is the story of so many people and the courage and spirit needed by all those who put foot on American soil for that first time and decided to work and build a new life there and become Americans.
I really enjoyed writing and researching the book and hope everyone will also enjoy reading it!
Marita Conlon-McKenna 