Burke Medal and Rebel Sisters – number one bestseller

Posted on 18/02/2016 by fionaconlonmckenna

I was very honoured this month to receive the Burke Medal for Outstanding Contribution to Public Discourse through the Arts from the College Historical Society (the Hist) in Trinity College Dublin.

The Hist is the world’s oldest undergraduate society, and set the model for debating societies throughout the British Isles and United States; in Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard and Yale.

The College Historical Society was founded in 1770 and it was there that Edmund Burke, Theobald Wolfe Tone and Robert Emmet first made steps into political debate. Bram Stoker, Oscar Wilde and Samuel Beckett, were all former members and medallists.

The Hist is the venue for so many important speeches and debates in Trinity College and has been addressed by Douglas Hyde, Winston Churchill, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and many world renowned figures.

Previous Burke Medal recipients included writers W.B Yeats, Salman Rushdie, Jung Chang and Hilary Mantel and actor Ralph Fiennes.

Standing in Trinity College surrounded by such a history, I was very proud to receive the Edmund Burke Medal. I really enjoyed meeting and talking to the students of Trinity College and members of the Hist. I will always treasure this very special medal and honour.

There was more good news at the end of last week when I discovered that my new book, Rebel Sisters, is number one in the Original Fiction bestseller list in Ireland. Thank you so much to all my readers.

Rebel Sisters Book Launch

Posted on 08/02/2016 by fionaconlonmckenna

I was very honoured to have my book launch for my big 1916 book, Rebel Sisters, held in Dublin’s National Library on Thursday 4th February 2016.

The library is one of my favourite places and so much of the research for the book was done there, that it was very fitting. Sandra Collins, the Director of the National Library of Ireland was so generous to host the launch and made everyone feel very welcome.

Eoin McHugh, head of Transworld Ireland said more kind words. I was overwhelmed by playwright and author Frank McGuinness’s praise for the book. As Frank read a chapter from Rebel Sisters, he seemed to bring the words to life and held everyone present spellbound.

I was very privileged also that some family members of those that took part in the 1916 Easter Rising also attended.

It was such a very special night with family and friends and some of my fellow writers there too. My agent Caroline Sheldon and editor Francesca Best both came over from London to join in the celebrations.

Gathered in this wonderful, much loved building, surrounded by the National Library’s 1916 Commemoration Display, which included words and photographs of so many of the people that I have written about in the book, was strangely perfect.

I found it all very emotional as my very first book Under the Hawthorn Tree was also launched in the National Library over 25 years ago.

The celebrations and party for Rebel Sisters continued in nearby Davy Byrne’s (it is mentioned in the book).

Thanks you so much to everyone for coming along. It was a wonderful night that this grateful writer will never forget!

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1916-2016 Commemoration in Schools

Posted on 18/01/2016 by fionaconlonmckenna

All across the nation, we are all getting ready to mark the Centenary of the 1916 Easter Rising. There will be hundreds of events over the next year commemorating The Rising and the men and women who were involved in the fight for freedom, that ultimately lead to Irish independence.

Children in schools all around Ireland will play their own part in marking the 100 Year Commemoration of the 1916 Easter Rising. The Irish Army will present each school with the Irish flag and also with a copy of the 1916 Proclamation.

I was very privileged to attend this special ceremony in my little grand-daughter’s school. Two army officers came along to meet all the children and tell them about the importance of the Irish flag and the meaning of the 1916 Proclamation. I found it a powerful and moving event, as I could not help but think of Padraig Pearse’s small school ‘Scoil Eanna’ – where it all started over a hundred years ago. It was there that he and some of his fellow teachers had a dream of an independent, free Ireland.

As the army officer stood up and read the Proclamation aloud, with the help from one of the girls, I could not help but feel emotional as I sat there watching, knowing that Thomas MacDonagh, Padraig Pearse, James Connolly, Joe Plunkett, Tom Clarke, Sean MacDiarmada and Eamonn Ceannt would most certainly approve and be pleased that their words and actions were not forgotten.

On 15th March 2016, these flags will all be raised in schools across the countryside and flown to mark and remember the 1916 Easter Rising. The children will also write their own modern day Proclamation.

Big Celebrations for 25 years of Under the Hawthorn Tree

Posted on 17/11/2015 by fionaconlonmckenna

Big Celebrations for 25 years of Under the Hawthorn Tree at Smock Alley, Dublin!

What a special night with so many friends, book fans and family coming along to join in the celebrations for 25 years of Under the Hawthorn Tree. My wonderful publishers, The O’Brien Press, organised a very special night to mark the 25th Anniversary of its publication. It only seems like yesterday that the manuscript was dropped, with much trepidation and hope, into the letter box of O’Brien Press, book publishers. Michael O’Brien loved the book and before I knew it, young artist Donald Teskey was painting the cover and designing the wonderful chapter illustrations and my book was coming out.

The book was launched on the 23rd of May 1990 in the National Library of Ireland, Dublin by Dr Patricia Donlon, then Director of the National Library. Pat had been my lecturer in UCD when I did a course on children’s literature and kindly looked at my book. She recommended that I send it to The O’Brien Press, an Irish publisher who had just started developing a children’s list.

Walking into Smock Alley’s magical Winter Garden/Banqueting Hall to be met by so many friends and book fans was wonderful. There were hugs and chats and a great sense of emotion as Michael O’Brien, my publisher, talked about the book and gave me a very special gift of fine silver hawthorn twig necklace which I will always treasure.

Pat Donlon and I had a great conversation in front of a big audience about the wonderful journey Under the Hawthorn Tree has made since it was first published. It was overwhelming to see so many faces there that have been part of that journey and to think of all the wonderful things that have happened to my story of three children, Eily, Michael and Peggy, all desperate but determined to survive the Great Irish Famine.

The event was part of the Dublin Book Festival and there was lots of wine and photographs and stories. Afterwards we all headed for the Clarence Hotel, where the party continued until late into the night.

It was a magical night and one this very grateful author will never forget.

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Fireworks and Festivals…

Posted on 27/10/2015 by fionaconlonmckenna

Marita with Nicola Pierce, Brian Gallagher and Grainne Clear. Photo by ROCSHOT

It’s that time of year again, the Children’s Book Festival, when I am travelling all over the place, meeting people and talking about books.

I had great fun at the Red Line Festival, talking in the Civic Theatre in Tallaght with author friends Nicola Pierce and Brian Gallagher and interviewer Grainne Clear about how and why we all love researching and writing about history.

Fireworks Wexford Opera Festival 2015 Then I packed my bags and went down to Wexford for a few days during the Wexford Opera Festival. I had a wonderful evening in Wexford’s Library where journalist Tom Mooney and I discussed writing and met lots of interested writers and readers. Next day it was the kids’ and schools’ turn and I sure got to meet plenty of them at two packed out events in the library.

Wexford was buzzing and I joined all the crowds down on the waterfront watching the spectacular firework display which launched the annual opera festival. The streets of the city were thronged as it was such a warm autumn night. There is opera everywhere in Wexford town and lots of events – with some art too.

Marita, Wexford Library October 2015

I visited a great art exhibition held upstairs in Greenacres’ gallery with pieces by some of my favourite Irish sculptors, John Behan and Eamonn Ceannt.

The next day I talked in Enniscorthy Library to a lovely gang before heading off to meet my author friend, Don Conroy, for lunch… and a big chat about books…

The Children’s Book Festival will continue until the end of October with lots of fun events in libraries and book shops all around the country.