Yearly Archives: 2026

‘Under the Hawthorn Tree’Exhibition opens in the Ulster American Folk Park

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Marita with Victoria Millar, Ivan O’Brien and Kathryn Thomson at the opening.

I am so excited as after all the hard work and planning the big ‘Under the Hawthorn Tree’ Exhibition in The Ulster American Folk Park in Omagh in Northern Ireland has just opened.  

 I was a little nervous as to how it would look but once I stepped inside the Exhibition I was blown away by the huge illustrations showing Eily, Michael and Peggy and scenes from the book which has been brought to life artist Cat Finney by the amazing design and craft work team from Ulster Museums.There are also historical and relevant pieces from the time of the Great Irish Famine on display from the National Museum’s N.I collection.

You can listen to the story as you go around and also try out the interactive displays and even dress up in costumes of the period.  The highlight is the giant hawthorn crafted from willow by Bob Johnson at the heart of the exhibition which is magical.

It was a wonderful opening with many of the team present including the incredible Victoria Millar, Senior Curator from National Museums, Northern Ireland, who brought the whole exhibition together from the initial concept and the brilliant designer Stefan McKee and his team.  Northern Ireland Museum head Kathryn Thomson opened the exhibition.  St Eithne’s School were invited along for the opening and I just loved watching their reaction to it. 

Most of my family and grandchildren came along from Dublin as did my publisher Ivan O’Brien from O’Brien Press. We all had a great time with everyone exploring the park which brings history to life afterwards

I first visited the Ulster American Folk Park around 1990 when I was researching my book ‘Wildflower Girl’ as I heard they had built a replica ship there.  I remember being so excited going around the park and then spending most of my the time sitting on a tiny bunk in the ship’s steerage section imagining that I was Peggy and was sailing across the Atlantic Ocean to America. Little did I think, that all these years later that the park would be hosting an exhibition based on one of my books.

‘The Under the Hawthorn Tree Exhibition’ will run for the next two to three years.  The park is open every day except Mondays and is a brilliant place to come and explore with its cottages and cabins, school house and Victorian street with shops, and the ship as it brings so much of our history to life.

Marita with pupils from St Eithne’s School and with Exhibition Designer Stefan McKee.

Sitting under the beautiful Hawthorn Tree

‘Happy World Book Day to Everyone.’

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This is such a special fun day for readers young and old everywhere as we celebrate books and reading and stories. In schools and libraries across Ireland everyone is dressing up as their favourite book character, or designing a new book cover or poster, taking part in a book quiz or book treasure hunt.  I always love seeing the different versions of my covers and am so impressed by readers who seem to know my books better that I do.  There are authors and illustrators visiting schools across the country and a Mega author online event being held in the National Library of Ireland today.

Words and books are incredibly important and are a big part of who we are, and who we become.  Life is busy for all of us but making time to read is one of the best things we can do to make us happy and relax and use our imaginations. Special thanks to all the teachers and schools that are taking part. Some of my grandchildren have dressed up for school and Montessori as Where’s Wally, Mr Strong, Luke Skywalker, Angelina Ballerina, and Mr Biff the Boxer.

Children’s Book’s Ireland and An Post are doing something amazing and distibuting 40,000 free books to kids in Hospitals, Direct Provision Centres, Family Centres and In Care on this World Book Day so that everyone gets to own and read a book.

Most of you will receive a special World Book Day token either in school or if you visit your local book shop which can be used to get one of the specially published World Book Day Books, there are some really brilliant Irish books on the list, or tokens can even be used to go towards another book you want to buy.  So use your token and remember the important thing is to keep reading…….

An Post Delivering Books

Getting ready for the ‘Under the Hawthorn Tree’ Exhibition in The Ulster American Folk Park in Omagh.

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I am getting very excited as the time gets nearer for the opening of the ‘Under the Hawthorn Tree’ exhibition in The Ulster American Folk Park in Omagh in Northern Ireland in a few weeks’ time.

I have been working with Victoria Miller and the wonderful team from Northern Ireland Museums on this big project over the past year and a half as they build and bring this Exhibition to life

It is a totally new experience for me getting involved with listening to young actors, musicians helping to choose illustrators and designers and seeing the detailed craft work done for an exhibition like this. I never realised the hard work and dedication mounting such an exhibition takes.   I am learning so much and it is great fun as I can see things begin to come together.

 I was back up in Omagh a few weeks ago to film with a group of wonderful students from the Sacred Heart School , Tattyreagh..They were  in great form and full of questions and chat despite the awful rainy wet weather

It is hard for me to believe that it is over thirty – five years ago since I first visited thre park to do some research for my book ‘Wildflower Girl,’ . Little did I dream that all these years later an exhibition based around  my book ‘Under the Hawthorn Tree ‘would  be opening there.

As the time gets closer there is so much work going on with Stefan McKee designing and creating the exhibition and talented heritage maker Bob Johnson working in the Ulster Museum Folk site using willow to create the most incredible hawthorn tree for the centre of the exhibition and Matthew Walton creating birds that will sit in the tree. I cannot wait to go back up to Omagh and to see the tree in situ.

The exhibition will be open at the end of March, just in time for the Easter Holidays.