I seem to be surrounded by history at the moment. This year’s National Famine Commemoration was held in Newry – the first time this important event was held in Northern Ireland.

I took part in a large event organised for schools held in St Dallan’s Primary School in Warrenpoint, where children from over 30 schools came along to find out about the Famine. In the afternoon we did a live video conference with almost 90 schools and also linking with Pittsburgh in the USA, where former US ambassador to Ireland, Dan Rooney, talked about his own family having to emigrate from the port at Warrenpoint during the time of the Famine.

As part of the Dublin Festival of History I talked to a lovely group in Dublin Castle. What a wonderful setting to talk, as it is steeped in centuries of Irish history.

The Dublin Festival of History runs until 10th October with lots more events in Dublin Castle and in libraries around the city.

I travelled up to Bagenal’s Castle, which is home to the Newry and Mourne Museum, to talk to a lovely group from the local schools about writing and the Great Irish Famine.

Earlier on, as part of the Museum’s ‘Living History’ initiative, the group had been shown how to make stirabout and to use yellow meal. They were also introduced to the strict rules and regulations of the Workhouse as they sat at long trestle tables in the Museum’s re-created workhouse dining hall.

A lovely trip and then back to Dublin and finishing my new book…