Mary McGlynn , Marita and Irene Doody                 Ann O Dwyer and Marita

There was great excitement and fun in the stunning Atrium in Mount Anville School at the launch of ‘A Home from Home,’ a book about the wonderful Sophie Barat Residence

The book celebrates 25 years of this very special residence which was the brain child of Irene Doody of Mount Anville’s Past Pupils Union.  Irene saw there was need for secure accommodation that would provide independent living for past pupils of Ireland’s Sacred Heart schools who for various reasons found they were priced out of the Dublin property market or returned from living abroad, or simply wanted to live within a small caring community following changes in their lives.

With the blessing of Sister Deirdre Doyle, Mount Anville, generously donated a perfect site, which was part of the school’s old farm.  Irene and her amazing committee which included   Ann O Dwyer, Rosemary Wilson, Barbara Duffy set to work to design  the perfect  scheme of low rise bungalows with a  central  building which would house a  dining room and library and a large sitting/ meeting room . The scheme was a unique initiative and once they got planning permission they went about the huge task of raising funds to build it.

Past pupil President Mary Robinson opened The Sophie Barat Residence twenty five years ago.

I was very honoured and delighted to be able to help Irene and the Committee bring this book together to show the work and dedication and care that has gone into not only opening The Sophie Bart Residence  but  in continuing to run it so successfully .

Sophie Barat with its sunny bright bungalows and pretty plant filled landscaped garden and spaces is a joy to visit. It was lovely also to get to meet some of its residents.

Designer Helen Cody did the honours, launching ‘A Home from Home’ in front of a large crowd, many delighted to meet up and reminisce about their own  happy school  days .

Muriel McAuley and Marita               Helen, Marita , Perdita and Eve

Marita , Niamh O’Sullivan and Christine Kinealy  

It is hard to believe that it is over a year since Quinnipiac University’s ‘ Ireland’s Great Hunger Museum’ in Connecticut  kindly agreed to let a large part of its magnificent Great Hunger Art Collection travel to Ireland.

The ‘Coming Home’ Exhibition opened in March 2018 Dublin Castle to great acclaim as the public flocked to see this rich and varied art and sculpture collection, which both reflected on and reminded us on Ireland’s Great Famine.

During the summer the exhibition  moved  to The West Cork Arts Centre in Skibbereen, which was  one of the worst affected parts  during the famine, and in early 2019 the exhibition transferred to Culturlann Ui Chanain in Derry.

I was very privileged to take part in a few events and talks organised around the exhibition which had a rich and varied programme of drama, film, academic seminars, talks, art and workshops.

At the Legacy Dinner held at 25 Fitzwilliam Place Vice President of Quinnipiac University, Lynn Bushnell told us of us the University’s delight that the exhibition had drawn over 120,000 visitors and had generated such an interest among all ages.

The ‘Coming Home’ Art collection has now returned to its home at Ireland’s Great Hunger Museum home in Quinnipiac.

‘The shame is that Ireland hasn’t created its own Great Hunger Art Collection to remember and reflect on Ireland’s Great Famine. We have the artists and all we need is the vision to find a proper space to house such an important collection of art works.’

Sarah Webb, Marita and Martina Devlin

It was lovely to get the chance to join so many writer friends at this year’s Irish Pen Award Dinner in The Royal St George Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire. Irish Pen Chairperson Vanessa O ‘Loughlin warmly welcomed everyone and we were reminded of the ‘Empty Chair ‘at the Dinner which symbolises writers who are imprisoned or unable to write freely in their own country.

This year winner of the Irish Pen Award for her contribution to Irish Literature is writer Catherine Dunne, a very worthy winner.  The award was presented by The Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Josepha Madigan who spoke of the importance of Irish writers like Catherine whose work is recognised both at home and overseas.

Catherine talked about her writing life and how vital it and words are to her.

Writer Lia Mills gave a lovely tribute to Catherine talking about her work, loyalty and friendship and her dedication to teaching writing and encouraging others to write.

There was lots of book talk, library talk and publishing talk and having just finished my own  book it was  great to relax and over a lovely meal  and to get to meet so many PEN friends.