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.

It’s Festival Time Dalkey and Hinterland

Posted on 22/06/2023 by fionaconlonmckenna

David McWilliams

It’s Festival time! Last weekend I was lucky to get tickets to see Tom Hanks at The Dalkey Book Festival. One of Hollywood’s good guys Hanks is a brilliant storyteller who regaled us with his life in the movies and told us about his novel ‘The Making of Another Motion Picture Masterpiece’. The book, no doubt, was inspired by his career.

Tom Hanks is a consummate professional is always on time and not only makes sure that he knows his lines but has created a back story for every role he plays. The church in Dalkey was packed out and we could have stayed listening to him all night. Afterwards had a great dinner in Nova and then joined the throngs in Finnegan’s.

We were back in sunny Dalkey on Sunday for two great discussions ‘The World in 2025’ chaired by David McWilliams with Pamela Reeves, Carolina Alves, Lea Ypi, and Linda Yuen and then on to the town hall to ‘The Return of America’ with Andrea Catherwood chairing a though provoking discussion on what lies ahead for America with Terence Ward, Jeffrey Goldberg and Masha Gessen.

This weekend I am talking on Sunday 25^th of July at the Hinterland Festival of Literature and Arts in Kells, in the Eureka at 2pm. Hopefully lots of readers will come along to meet me. There is a fantastic line up of speakers over the three days, including John Boyne, Liz Nugent and Cristin Leach.

Dalkey Crowds Sian Smyth, Bono, Andrea Catherwood, Tom Hanks.

Fun at Fighting Words

Posted on 09/12/2022 by fionaconlonmckenna

Fighting Words, Dublin with all the Young Writers

I had lots of fun at Fighting Words meeting a group of brilliant young authors who gave up their Saturday morning to come and talk about ideas, writing and creating stories.

It was all arranged by the amazing Louise Melinn and Mark Davidson and the team of volunteers in Fighting Words in their bright and welcoming head -quarters in Dublin’s Russell Street. Writer Catherine Prasifka author of ‘None of this is Serious’ was there to help moderate what was a lively session. We all had such fun with the young writers getting out pen and paper to write a new story.

Fighting Words is a creative writing organisation which was the brain child of Writer Roddy Doyle and Sean Love. It was set up in 2009 to encourage children to write and create stories of their own. They hold workshops for both primary and secondary school students and summer camps which they run with the help of volunteers.

The Creative Ireland Programme has partnered with Fighting Words to help it expand and they now have 12 branches in towns and cities across Ireland. Volunteers play a huge part in its operation and there are over 400 wonderful volunteers and mentors helping young writers to harness their imagination and develop their creative writing skills.

Thanks to everyone and remember to keep writing!

A Night of Book Launches

Posted on 13/11/2022 by fionaconlonmckenna

On a balmy November’s evening in Dublin it was great to be able to get along to two busy book launches after such a long time of having no launches.

Ally Bunbury’s fun Christmas read ‘All Wrapped Up’ was launched in The Little Museum by Anne Doyle and then down the road to Hodges and Figgis Bookshop for the launch of my friend P.J. Lynch’s beautiful new picture book ‘Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening’ which is based on the famous Robert Frost poem. Eoin Colfer did the honours and it was great to meet up with so many friends. Both are perfect Christmas books

One more book I should mention is by talented young Ukrainian writer Yeva Skalietska whose wonderful book ‘You Don’t Know What War Is’ has also only been published.

Twelve year old Yeva recounts what happened when Russian forces began to bomb her home town of Kharkiv, at first they shelter but as things worsen she and her grandmother Irina have to flee, moving to another part of Ukraine. Yeva keeps a diary recording what is happening all around her and her fears and hopes. She and her grandmother make the long journey to Hungary where a journalist sees her writing it and helps them until they eventually come to Ireland. There are maps of her hometown and of the long journey she and her grandmother made I met Yeva months ago with Irina and she is already trying to make the best of things, settling into her new school and life here.

Launch of Treasures of the Strokestown Famine Archive virtual exhibit.

Posted on 28/09/2022 by fionaconlonmckenna

**With Dr Jason King of Irish Heritage Trust at the new National Irish Famine Museum at Strokestown Park House**

It was a real pleasure to be back in Strokestown Park House on Saturday for a very special event ‘Archive to Arts’ which marked the launch of Treasures of the Strokestown Famine Archive Virtual Exhibit.

Strokestown Park’s collection of records and documents is a real treasure trove with over 50,000 documents and items which will help provide huge information about the parallel lives of tenants of Strokestown and its landowners, the Mahon family during a turbulent and tragic time in Irish history.

As a writer I often spend a huge amount of time researching and using archives so it is great to mark the start of an exciting project which will over time make parts of the collection with its valuable letters, petitions and eviction and emigration lists available digitally to all those with an interest in Strokestown Park House and the Great Irish Famine.

It was also a great opportunity for me to see the redesigned National Famine Museum which only recently reopened after a huge upgrade and tells the Strokestown Story in a hugely immersive way. Set in a bright new airy space with a lovely café it is well worth visiting.

The day was spent discussing the varied aspects of artists using archives to inspire their work, be it in theatre and performance, literature or art or music and how using archives can not only inform us but be a catalyst for something new. Other speakers included Anne -Marie O’Sullivan of Enchanted Croi Theatre, Professor Mark McGowan, Professor Kevin Whelan and singer and writer Declan O’Rourke.