Yearly Archives: 2023

Hinterland Festival of Arts and Literature -Kells

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Meeting some of my wonderful readers!

It was lovely to get such a warm welcome taking part in the ‘Hinterland Festival’ in Kells, which had a range of great speakers and events over a few days. It was my first time at the festival and I really enjoyed it.  I was talking at Eureka House to a fabulous crowd of readers not just young but all ages who have enjoyed my books. It was heartening to meet so many fans and to get time to chat afterwards as we signed books, bookmarks and an autograph book (Just like the one I had when I was a kid).

It’s a beautiful country town full of history with an ancient Irish High Cross and lots to see. I was lucky to be able to go and see my friend Cristin Leach who was talking and reading from her book ‘Negative Spaces’ in the old Courthouse. Afterwards we were well looked after by Penny and Heather and the rest of the festival crew in the town’s Book Mark Cafe. Thanks to everyone involved for organising  a great festival.

‘Hunger and Hope’ Book Launch in Epic

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Jason King, Marita Conlon McKenna and Jim Callery of Strokestown Park House, Roscommon.

What a perfect summer’s evening to be on the Dublin quays overlooking the river Liffey for the launch of ‘Hunger and Hope’, a book all about the Irish Famine Migration from Strokestown Roscommon in 1847, which was written by Christine Kinealy, Jason King and Mark McGowan.

It is a comprehensive and fascinating study of the 1,490 tenants who were evicted from Strokestown Park House and Estate and accepted paid passage to Canada.  Mostly women and children many of them unfortunately lost their lives on the journey or died of fever on Grosse Isle, but others began new lives and in time settled in Canada and North America.   

 It was lovely to meet up with old friends and get to see Jim Callery and his wife Adeline who have done so much to contribute to the ongoing huge interest and research into the Great Irish Famine with Strokestown Park House and the National Famine Museum.

Caroilin Callery helped to launch the book. There was a special treat as singer and musician Grainne Hunt  performed a few songs from the new musical ‘In the Midst of Plenty ‘, written by Amy Day and directed by Anne –Marie O Sullivan, and produced by Enchanted Croi Theatre. The musical is based on the events in Stokestown during the famine. The show is currently on tour around Ireland until 28 July. I had the good fortune to see it in Mullingar only a few weeks ago.  

 Grainne Hunt, Amy Day and Anne Marie O Sullivan

Jason King, Christine Kinealy and Mark McGowan

It’s Festival Time Dalkey and Hinterland

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David McWilliams

It’s Festival time! Last weekend I was lucky to get tickets to see Tom Hanks at The Dalkey Book Festival. One of Hollywood’s good guys Hanks is a brilliant storyteller who regaled us with his life in the movies and told us about his novel ‘The Making of Another Motion Picture Masterpiece’. The book, no doubt, was inspired by his career.

Tom Hanks is a consummate professional is always on time and not only makes sure that he knows his lines but has created a back story for every role he plays. The church in Dalkey was packed out and we could have stayed listening to him all night.   Afterwards had a great dinner in Nova and then joined the throngs in Finnegan’s.

We were back in sunny Dalkey on Sunday for two great discussions ‘The World in 2025’  chaired by David McWilliams with Pamela Reeves, Carolina Alves, Lea Ypi, and Linda Yuen and then on to the town hall to ‘The Return of America’ with Andrea Catherwood chairing a though provoking discussion on what lies ahead for America with Terence Ward, Jeffrey Goldberg and Masha Gessen.

This weekend I am talking on Sunday 25th of July at the Hinterland Festival of Literature and Arts in Kells, in the Eureka at 2pm.  Hopefully lots of readers will come along to meet me.   There is a fantastic line up of speakers over the three days, including John Boyne, Liz Nugent and Cristin Leach.

Dalkey Crowds Sian Smyth, Bono, Andrea Catherwood, Tom Hanks.

A sunny Saturday in ‘Halfway up the Stairs’ bookshop in Greystones

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It was wonderful to be back in Greystones in my favourite children’s bookshop Halfway up the Stairs again to celebrate the lovely new edition of my book Safe Harbour with its great new cover by Philip Cullen.   On a sunny day passing all the little boats out sailing, people in swimming in the cove, with a man playing the bagpipes in the stilly sea air was sheer joy and then to find such huge  crowd of amazing young  readers and bookworms  coming along to meet me . It was brilliant as we chatted all about Safe Harbour and why and how I wrote it and about Fairy Hill too. There were lots of books to sign and questions to be answered. Thank you so much to Trish Hennessy and Sarah Webb for organising such a special afternoon and to all my young readers for coming along.

 In Safe Harbour, Sophie and her younger brother Hugh are caught up in the Blitz, with London being pounded night after night by German bombers during World War 11.  When their house and street gets hit their mum is badly injured. As their Dad is away fighting with the British Army Sophie and Hugh are evacuated to Ireland to stay with their Grandfather, a man they have never met and no one ever talks about.  He lives in Greystones in a big old house overlooking the sea. They don’t want to be away from home and their mum and he makes it very clear that he doesn’t want them staying with him either. Soon Sophie is caught up in another war but with her grumpy cross grandfather as the dangers of war begin to edge closer.

I spent so much of my childhood in Greystones, that I knew that it was the perfect place to bring Sophie and Hugh after all they had seen and witnessed. To have them run and play and swim on the beach and cove and harbour and enjoy a freedom that they would never have in London and also to experience the magic of Greystones which never changes. ..

Safe Harbour and Greystones

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It’s exciting as Safe Harbour my book about World War 11 has another lovely new edition with a great cover by artist Philip Cullen coming out this week.

The book is about Sophie and Hugh who live in London during the blitz. Their dad is a soldier away fighting in the war. When their home gets bombed their mum is badly injured, they are evacuated to Ireland to stay with their grandfather, in a big old house overlooking the sea in Greystones, Co Wicklow.

However their grandfather is a man they know little about and have never met.  He is crusty and difficult and doesn’t really want the two children foisted on him. It seems to Sophie she is caught up in another war ….

I spent so much of my own childhood in Greystones I knew it was the perfect place to bring Sophie and her younger brother Hugh who are scared, upset and lonely at having to leave their mother and home.

I will be visiting Greystones and Halfway up the Stairs, my favourite children’s book shop, on Saturday 13th May at 4.00 pm to talk about Safe Harbour and meet young readers and sign books. Please come along as I love meeting young readers. 

There is also a big Zoom with about 80 schools on Thursday 11 May at 11.30 am with the amazing Hannah Gold author of The Last Bear and I with author Sarah Webb, also organised by Halfway up the Stairs bookshop.