‘Drawn to Nature’ Book Launch

Posted on 12/11/2024 by fionaconlonmckenna

Marita with artist and writer Don Conroy

Crowds of friends and family gathered in Hodges Figgis bookshop on Dublin’s Dawson Street, for the launch of my good friend artist and naturalist Don Conroy’s stunning new book ‘Drawn to Nature’.

It is truly beautiful with Don’s incredible wildlife illustrations of all kinds of birds and animals that can be encountered during walks and strolls in Irish landscapes with Don urging us all to take time to observe nature and enjoy and marvel at it and allow our senses to awaken and look with fresh and creative eyes at the natural world around us.

Don who has dedicated so much of his life to protecting and promoting wildlife and nature, has created a unique joy filled art work with his illustrations and beautiful paintings that will resonate with so many readers and nature lovers of all ages.

Don and I have been friends for such a long time and it was lovely to meet up with all the talented Conroy family again.

‘Drawn to Nature’ by Don Conroy is published by Gill Books

Ballymena Bound to Visit Slemish College

Posted on 28/10/2024 by fionaconlonmckenna

Marita with Librarian Paula Agnew and English Teachers from Slemish College

October is always a busy month for Children’s Writers and I found myself Ballymena bound to visit Slemish College Secondary School. Hearing all about its marvellous library which has become the heart of the school I really felt I had to come and visit it.

Librarian Paula Agnew has made the library a very special place for all the students, who told me how much they use it and go there even during lunch breaks. I’m not surprised as its array and display of books would put many a bookshop to shame.

I met all the lovely teachers from the English Department and talked to groups of students, many of them brilliant readers with some really keen to write and create their own books.

The fact we were in the large library made it extra special as libraries are one of my favourite places.

Traveling back to Dublin on the train I was a tired but happy writer and was absolutely thrilled with the beautiful gift of a hawthorn print that the school presented me with.

The students of Slemish College, Ballymena Marita with librarian Paula Agnew

Jim Callery marks his 90th Birthday by walking The National Famine Way

Posted on 16/10/2024 by fionaconlonmckenna

Founder of the National Famine Museum Jim Callery On Dublin’s Custom House Quay after Walking the 165 kilometre National Famine Way on his 90th birthday

Jim Callery founder of The National Famine Museum in Strokestown marked his 90^th Birthday by walking the National Famine Way from Strokestown all along the Royal Canal to Dublin. He set off on 25^th September walking the 165km, which commemorates the journey of 1,490 tenants of Major Denis Mahon that were evicted from Strokestown Park House Estate in May 1847 and had to walk along the canal to Dublin to board ships to Liverpool during Ireland’s Great Famine.

From Liverpool’s over- crowded and disease ridden port the tenants then sailed on ships to Canada and Quebec. Many would lose their lives on the ill-fated sea journey, some buried at sea or dying in the quarantine sheds of Grosse Isle or in Quebec’s Marine Hospital .Those that survived the harrowing conditions working hard to make new lives in Canada.

The incredible Jim Callery arrived into final stage of his long walk to Customs House Quay and the Famine Statues near the Epic Museum on Tuesday 15^th October …his actual 90^th birthday to be greeted by his proud family and friends celebrating the long life of this incredible man. Along the way he has raised over Euros 50,000 for charities to help Immigrants and talked about all those who have are still forced to immigrate and leave their home place behind and how little has been learned by mankind in over 200 years of history.

Jim Callery is an inspiration to all of us who have the good fortune to know him and has made a huge contribution to Ireland and preserving our history. So instead of a big birthday party he decided that walking the National Famine Way to commemorate the Great Irish Famine and retrace the footsteps of the Strokestown Tenants was what he wanted to do. What an achievement to celebrate his 90^th birthday!

Details about walking the National Famine Way are on: https://nationalfamineway.ie 

Bronze shoes that mark the National Famine Way Jim Callery on canal with friends and family

‘THE MAGIC OF STORIES FESTIVAL’ AT SWORDS CASTLE

Posted on 30/09/2024 by fionaconlonmckenna

With Author Illustrator Niamh Sharkey

The sun came out for Saturday’s ‘The Magic of Stories’ Fingal Festival of Children’s Literature held in the grounds of Swords Castle in Swords in County Dublin.

The castle was a hive of creativity for kids and families of all ages, with something to entertain everyone. There were talks and art, games, music and theatre, workshops, and lots of fun filled activities with artists, writers and illustrators Niamh Sharkey, Paddy Donnelly, Tarsila Kruse, and Margaret Ann Suggs, Alan Nolan, Derek Landy, Leona Forde, Eve McDonnell, Alan Nolan, Sarah Bowie, Owen Churcher, and Chris Judge.

I had great fun meeting everyone in the Castle’s Chapel where author Megan Wynne and I had a lovely chat about writing and books. There were so many things to see and do and everyone who came along got a free copy of a book from the author or illustrator they met.

Well done to author Shane Hegarty and Fingal Library for putting on such a super free Festival. The fun will continue with The Magic of Stories in some of Fingal’s s libraries with artist Kim Jenkinson.

Marita with Writers Shane Hegarty and Megan Wynne

Charlotte Book Launch

Posted on 15/09/2024 by fionaconlonmckenna

Martina Devlin at the launch of her new book ‘Charlotte‘ .

The autumn book season has begun with the crowds packing into Hodges and Figgis on Dawson Street in Dublin for the launch of writer and journalist Martina Devlin’s rich and insightful novel about Charlotte Bronte’s pivotal honey moon visit to Ireland following her brief marriage to Arthur Bell Nicholls, her father’s curate.

Told through the eyes of Mary Nicholls, Arthur’s cousin, we get to see a very different side of Charlotte Bronte and the fleeting happiness that her marriage brings. Mary, unaware that she will in time will marry her widower cousin, both of their lives touched by the life of an extraordinary writer. It is a story of three people whose love and lives become intricately intertwined.

Among the writer friends who came along to celebrate with Martina, were Catherine Dunne, Patricia O’ Reilly, Carlo Gebler, Sarah Webb, Lia Mills, and Cauvery Madhaven with Northern Ireland’s Eoin McNamee helping to launch Charlotte, which is published by Lilliput Press