Writer Gordon Snell Remembered

Posted on 02/05/2026 by fionaconlonmckenna

Marita with Writer Gordon Snell.

I am so sad to hear of writer Gordon Snell’s death. We have been friends and fellow children’s writers for many, many years. I always loved to meet up with him for he was the best of company and a great raconteur. Gordon was a really interesting, kind man.

We did lots of children’s events and book things over the years. Both of us along with his wife Maeve Binchy were supporters of the incredible M.S.Readathon.

One of the most embarrassing and funny things that has happened to me was with Gordon. The M.S. Readathon send out a message asking all the Irish Children’s Writers to meet up at the top of Dublin’s Stephens Green for the launch of their annual campaign to encourage kids to read and raise funds for M.S.

I turned up as did Gordon, but no other writers appeared. There was great jazz band and a heap of press photographers, we waited and waited but not a single other soul appeared. The plan was to do a Writer’s Parade with the band and balloons all the way down Grafton Street, to Trinity College. Gordon and I soon realised that we had no other option but to walk as the band began to play. After the first few minutes of excruciating embarrassment, we decided to make the best of it as crowds of shoppers and tourists gathered along the street wondering who we were. The music was jazzy, which we both loved and we linked arms and did a kind of jazzy dance come march the whole way down and back up Grafton Street. The crowds were baffled but we laughed and smiled and waved at them along the way. It was crazy but we had such laughs about it over the years.

Gordon wrote lots of children’s books and also some of the scripts for Wanderly Wagon, the iconic RTE children’s programme which generations have enjoyed. He worked as a journalist and even wrote a cookbook.

He and his wife Maeve Binchy had a wonderful life travelling the world and living in their beautiful home in Dalkey village, two writers both working side by side at their desks. Following Maeve’s death Gordon was involved helping to set up the ‘Echoes Festival’ in Dalkey which celebrates Maeve’s writing.

A true gentleman, Gordon lived a long life, dying at 94 but will be always remembered with great fondness and affection by those of us who had had the very good fortune to know him.

Safe Harbour and Greystones

Posted on 10/05/2023 by fionaconlonmckenna

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 13^th 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.

Larry O’Loughlin-Farewell to a Friend

Posted on 08/05/2023 by fionaconlonmckenna

I am so sad this week at the death of my dear friend and fellow writer Larry O’ Loughlin. We have been friends for more years than I can remember. Larry, a big man with the kindest heart and wisest words had a great sense of fun and mischief. Kids and adults alike adored him and were drawn to him. Passionate about writing Larry wrote everything from witty and fun rhymes and stories for little kids ‘Worms Can’t Fly,’ ‘The Yuckee Prince’ to challenging fiction for young adults ‘Breaking the Silence’ and ‘ Is Anybody Listening?’ . He loved visiting schools and meeting and encouraging young readers and writers.

He was also a talented playwright.Actor Stephen Jones giving an incredible performance, in his powerful stage play ‘100 More Like These‘ was based on the Irish Soldiers, many of whom fled famine Ireland only to find themselves having to enlist in the American army. A large group of 500 of them led by John Riley deserted it during The Mexican – American War (1846- 1888) and instead fought on the Mexican side. They were known as the San Patricio’s.

Then there was the brilliant and hilarious Stone Mountain Band musical with Larry even writing all the music for it.

He cared deeply about the world and making it a better place for everyone. He was a joy to spend time with and I loved meeting up with him and talking to him. I was blessed to have had such a friend. My thoughts at this time are with his wife Monica and children Roisin, Sean, Aislinn and Sinead and all his much loved grand- children.

Sad by Larry O’Loughlin

It is sad to think that lots of toys

that moms and dads buy girls and boys

are made by little girls and boys

who never get to play with them.

Poem from ‘Something Beginning with P’, A book of New Poems from Irish Poets published by O Brien Press.

Larry O’Loughlin and I with writer Don Conroy and his daughter Sarah at Launch Party in RIAC Club, Dublin

Larry and I in ‘Halfway Up the Stairs’ Children’s Bookshop in Greystones.

All the Fun of a New Book!

Posted on 02/04/2023 by fionaconlonmckenna

With Sarah Webb, Trish Hennessy and Meriel O’Toole in Halfway Up the Stairs Bookshop in Greystones, Co Wicklow.

The first few weeks after Fairy Hill’s publication have been great fun, meeting lots of lovely readers and booksellers, librarians and teachers, visiting schools and bookshops to talk about the book and encourage everyone to write and to Keep Reading.

I had a brilliant time with lots of lovely readers in a very packed Halfway up the Stairs book shop in Greystones (one of my favourite places a book shop that specialises in children’s books).

It was great to get along to meet so many friends at the Children’s Writer and Illustrator’s Lunch organised by the wonderful Sarah Webb in the Royal St George Yacht Club last week.

Then I was back in the North Wicklow Educate Together School only a few days later meeting a great bunch of First Year students.

I love meeting my readers and talking about books and words, and the pictures we all get in our head that inspire stories and poems, plays and songs, scripts and even comics and graphic novels. The one thing I notice is all the really talented young writers out there with great stories to tell…..

Fairy Hill Book Launch

Posted on 06/03/2023 by fionaconlonmckenna

Marita and publisher Ivan O’Brien

What an exciting and busy day! First, there was an enormous ‘World Book Day’ Zoom organized by the amazing Sarah Webb and Halfway Up the Stairs Children’s Book Shop in Greystones in Wicklow and publishers O’Brien Press with 80 schools and classes from not only Wicklow all over Ireland taking part.

Ivan O’ Brien and Trish from the bookshop welcomed everyone and Sarah, Judi Curtin and I all talked about our favourite thing….Books… It was such fun and some classes had dressed up as their favourite book characters. I even got the chance to read a little bit from my new book Fairy Hill to everyone.

Then into town for the official launch of Fairy Hill in Dubray Books on Dublin’s Grafton Street. It was such a special night as so many friends and family turned up along with some wonderful young readers to celebrate my new children’s book Fairy Hill, which was sheer joy to write.

The joy was tinged with a little sadness as my late publisher Michael O’Brien was not there to see the book in print but his son Ivan of O’Brien Press did a wonderful job launching my book with his thoughtful and kind words. Huge thanks are due to Susan and all the Staff in Dubray Books for arranging the launch and to Dubray books for the great window displays for Fairy Hill. Thanks also to the great team in O’Brien Press for organising a night to remember.