As 2024 starts it is great to be working on a new book and planning lots of lovely projects.  I’ve also made a vow to try and take in more art, theatre and film in the year ahead.

I managed to finally get to the big Andy Warhol Exhibition ‘Three Times Out’ in Dublin’s Hugh Lane Gallery.  It is well worth a visit as it is made up of 250 works by this iconic artist. 72 0f these have been loaned by The Jordan Schnitzer Family Foundation. From this collection Schnitzer has facilitated more than 180 exhibitions in 120 museums across America which bring in kids and seniors and under privileged visitors to see the work.  He gets joy from sharing the works and it is part of his philanthropic activities. The foundation has up to eight or nine exhibitions travelling globally around the world at one time. 

From Warhol’s Campbell’s soup tin screen prints which were inspired by his family eating the soup almost every day as they were poor, to his striking images of Marilyn Monroe and Chairman Mao Zedong and Jackie Kennedy. His work is insightful and he had a huge realisation of the power of colour, print and simple strong imagery and media. Seeing his wallpaper of Mao and his electric chair images you are aware of his incredible instinct as an artist about history and history makers.

The exhibition only runs for another few days so get your skates on as it closes on 27^th January. 

Trish Hennessy and Sarah Webb winners at the An Post Irish Book Awards 2023

What great excitement to hear that Sarah Webb and Lucinda Jacobs scooped the award for Childrens Book of the Year with ‘I am the Wind: Irish Poems for Children Everywhere’ at this year Irish Book awards . It is well deserved as they have put together a brilliant collection of poems which is beautifully illustrated by Ashwin Chacko, that will appeal to everyone. It is also nominated for the overall ‘An Post Book of the Year Award’ too which will be announced on 6^th December 2023.

Trish Hennessy’s children’s bookshop ‘Halfway Up The Stairs’ in Greystones won the Irish Bookshop of the Year award. It is one of my favourite places and a paradise for kids and young readers and parents trying to find the perfect book. Trish and her amazing team are and totally dedicated to bringing good books and young readers together.

The news that author Paul Lynch won the Booker Prize in London last night for ‘Prophet Song’ is just fantastic for Irish writing.  His thought provoking novel set in an Ireland under tyranny is an engrossing read.  I met Paul years ago at Listowel Writer’s festival when his novel ‘Grace’ won the Kerry Fiction Award in 2018 and it is great to see him go on to win this huge international book award.

Marita with ‘The Rock’ School Mount Mellick Library

What a busy few weeks, as I have been all around the country visiting libraries and meeting lots of brilliant young readers! Libraries are one of my favourite places as I spent so much time when I was a kid in my local library and school library. I used to think that I might be a librarian… Even now I just love walking into a library and getting the feel of having so many beautiful books all around you. I still use libraries a lot to research and borrow books.

It was great to see so many classes are reading my new book ‘Fairy Hill’ and loving it!  It was such a special book to write and I am so pleased that you all are enjoying Anna’s big adventure as she tries to protect her litle brother Jack. 

 I had great fun in Portlaoise and Mount Mellick, and in Dublin’s Pearse Street Library at the Special ‘Dublin Festival of History’ where I got to meet their amazing ‘History Book Club’ and  also the ‘Bookworms Book Club’  and lots of amazing passionate readers.

Then down to Cork for a few days to Cork Central Library with St Finbar’s School and Bishopstown where I talked to Gael Scoil Ui Riada,  then to the amazing Cobh Library which is over an archway and is one of my favourite places, with the girls from St Marys, the school up on the hill .

The next day I was off to Carrigaline Library where I met the boys from Crosshaven School.   I was back on the road again this week to visit Leilxlip and meet Scoil Brid, and then on to Celbridge Library and Scoil Naomh Brid.  I’ve met so many readers and signed so many books that I have hurt my hand and wrist … So sadly no book signing for me at the moment.

Gael Scoil Ui Riada in Bishopstown, Crosshaven Boys School in Carraigaline, St Finbars School in Cork City Library, The Bookworms Book Club, Pearse Street and St Mary’s School in Cobh Library .

It’s October and time for all the fun of the 2023 ‘Childrens Book Festival’.  Libraries across Ireland are joining in with lots of great events and author visits that will run from now right until Halloween.   

I am packing my bag and books and heading off all over the country and visiting libraries in Laois, Cork, Dublin, Tipperary, and Kildare.

Hopefully I will get to meet and talk to some brilliant young readers and librarians and teachers over the coming weeks. 

I am in Portlaoise and Mountmellick Libraries this week, Pearse Street Library as part of the Dublin History Festival on Saturday, then down to Cork City, Bishopstown, Cobh and Carrigaline Libraries, then to Kildare to Leixlip and Celbridge and in Tipperary in Thurles and Nenagh just before the Halloween Break.

The New Library In Portlaoise