I highly recommend a visit to The Pablo Picasso Exhibition currently on in The National Gallery, Dublin, which is a collection of work from his studio (which he would apparently not sell).
This wonderfully curated show is visually stunning with a wide selection of his art work over different periods. It is a celebration of the Picasso’s long life and continued need to paint and create and work until just before he died.
It is interesting on every level and entertaining and also backed up with a detailed and helpful telling of his life story. The additional filmed clips of Picasso being interviewed, making ceramic pottery doves to be fired in a local pottery and relaxing in his garden in the south of France bring a sense of intimacyand connection to the show.
The exhibition opened in October and will run until the 22nd February 2026. Tickets are available from the National Gallery but must be booked in advance, with children going free.
Another one to watch out for is The Gate Theatre’s stage adaption of ‘Poor’ by Katriona O Sullivan. It is a rare theatre experience to see such a powerful and heart rending account of a childhood of poverty, neglect and abuse turned in to such a triumphant and deeply involving play. I loved the book but seeing Sonya Kelly’s adaption is a very special experience and makes you realise the power of good drama, acting and direction (Roisin McBrinn), in bringing this complex story to life. There were stunning performances from young Pippa Owens (child) and Aisling O’Mara (adult) and Hilda Fay (mother).
‘Poor’ sold out its run in October but following rave reviews will return to the Gate Theatre on 13th March and run until 26th April 2026 so …get booking.
I will be heading to one of my favourite places in Cork, the town of Kinsale for its ‘Words by Water Festival’ next weekend. It runs from October 2nd to the 5th.
There is a wonderful line up of events and workshops organised over the few days in the most beautiful setting, overlooking the water. Could anything be more perfect, writers, books and lots of lovely words!
I will be talking in the wonderful new library in Kinsale on Saturday 4th October where hopefully I will get to meet lots of young readers and future writers.
The library was originally an old mill from the 1800’s which has been repurposed into a state of the art library and cultural space. It is always great to see exciting regeneration projects like this rather than the terrible dereliction and decay of old buildings that blight so many of our towns and villages.
Kinsale Library, designed by Cork County Council Architects, Kinsale, County Cork, Ireland, 2023 /Photograph Jed Niezgoda – jedniezgoda.com
In Greystones Community School’s amazing woodland inspired Library
‘Children of the Famine’ is Number One, top of the Irish Children’s Best Selling book list.
May and June are always extra busy for me before the summer holidays trying to get around to visit some of the many schools that have been using my books, and meeting my young readers and some very creative aspiring writers, before I go on holidays.
In the past few weeks I have visited wonderful schools in Ballymun, Castleknock, Foxrock and finished up in Greystones Community Primary School in Wicklow.
This is a pretty new school and I got a wonderful welcome when I talked to a big gang of brilliant readers in their amazing woodland inspired library. I was surrounded by deers and foxes and to my mind what looked like two beautiful hawthorn trees.
A few classes there are also reading my book, ‘Safe Harbour’ which I set in Greystones, as it is one of my all- time favourite places.
I was so happy to see the beautiful Kenny’s Edition of ‘Children of the Famine’, which combines the three books ‘Under the Hawthorn Tree’ , ‘Wildflower Girl ‘and ‘Fields of Home,’ went straight to number one and top of Ireland’s Children’s Best Selling list. Hard to believe that it is exactly 35 years ago since my first book, ‘Under the Hawthorn Tree’ was published.
It was wonderful to be back in ‘Strokestown Park House’-Ireland’s National Famine Museum to take part in the Canadian Wake, the night before The National Famine Way Walk 2024, which this year was led off by Caroilin Callery and Ireland’s Ambassador to Canada, Eamonn McKee.
The Wake, like in times past, is a gathering to say goodbye to the emigrants and wish them well on their journey with music, story and song and remembrance of times past for most would never see their home or families again. We were gathered to send the group of walkers off on their long journey to Dublin which passes through many villages and towns along the Royal Canal.
The National Famine Way has been spearheaded by the remarkable Caroilin Callery of Strokestown Park House and is a walk along the Royal Canal from Strokestown to Dublin’s City Quay that remembers and commemorates the 1,490 tenants of Major Denis Mahon who in May 1947 at the height of the famine were evicted and offered paid passage on ships to Quebec in Canada.
The tenants included many widows and young children, accompanied by the Bailiff on their long walk from Strokestown along the Royal Canal to Dublin’s quays. Many of the children had no shoes, so shoes had to be made for them. Shoes have now become an emblem of the National Famine Way with pairs of Bronze Children’s Shoe statues placed in different location along the trail.
Arriving in Dublin the Strokestown tenants took steamships to Liverpool, which overrun with starving Irish had become a place of terrible disease and sickness. There the tenants waited until their ships were ready to sail. The ships were overcrowded and lacked adequate food rations for the long Atlantic sea journey and the large number of passengers. Many did not survive the terrible conditions on the crossing and by the time they reached Canada a large number of the passengers had fallen ill with typhus and had been buried at sea or had to be quarantined on Grosse Isle where they died. Those that survived worked hard to make new lives in Quebec and all across Canada and North America.
I was very honoured when Caroilin asked a few years ago to write a story for the walk, which people could read or listen to and use on the app. I wrote about Daniel Tighe, a twelve year old boy who set of with high hopes with his mother, two brothers and two sisters and Uncle William Kelly as they walked all the way to Dublin , sailing first to Liverpool and then on to Canada. Daniel’s hopes would be dashed for by the time they arrived in Quebec for he and his sister Catherine were the only family members to survive the terrible journey on the Naomi. It is called Shoe Story.
However the National Famine Way is now extending as the trail will follow and be marked and recognised in both Liverpool and different parts of Canada. Eamonn McKee, our Irish ambassador in Canada, has played a big part in this exciting new initiative ‘The Global Irish Famine Way’ which will follow the trail of Irish emigrants to Canada and Liverpool and in time America and Australia. Bronze shoes have already arrived in Canada and some will also be located in Liverpool.
So now I have continued Daniel’s Story taking him across the Atlantic to a new home in Canada and read from it for the first time at The Wake on Sunday. It was real honour for me on the night to meet some of Daniel Tighe’s ancestors his young Irish relations. I found it is so poignant to hear them read out the names of all the family groups that left Strokestown and how many children were in their family as they set off for a new life so long ago…
The sun was shining as the National Famine Way walkers group set off from the Gates of Strokestown Park House on Monday 20th May. They arrived to a warm welcome at The Epic Museum in Dublins Docklands on Saturday afternoon 25th of May. Thirty bronze sculptures of pairs of childrens shoes mark the route and walkers can download the app telling the story.
The National Famine Way Walk is growing in popularity with walkers and walking groups, schools and tourists alike all enjoying the beauty of the Royal Canal and its town and villages as they commemorate an important part of our history.
Marita with Ireland’s Ambassador to Canada Eamonn McKee and musicians at the Canadian Wake .
It was wonderful to be back in ‘Strokestown Park House’-Ireland’s National Famine Museum on Sunday evening to take part in the Canadian Wake the night before The National Famine Way Walk 2024, which this year was led off by Caroilin Callery and Ireland’s Ambassador to Canada, Eamon McKee.
The Wake, like in times past, is a gathering to say goodbye to the emigrants and wish them well on their journey with music, story and song and remembrance of times past for most would never see their home or families again. We were gathered to send the group of walkers off on their long journey to Dublin which passes through many villages and towns along the Royal Canal.
The National Famine Way has been spearheaded by the remarkable Caroilin Callery of Strokestown Park House and is a walk along the Royal Canal from Strokestown to Dublin’s City Quay that remembers and commemorates the 1,490 tenants of Major Denis Mahon who in May 1947 at the height of the famine were evicted and offered paid passage on ships to Quebec in Canada.
The tenants included many widows and young children, accompanied by the Bailiff on their long walk from Strokestown along the Royal Canal to Dublin’s quays. Many of the children had no shoes, so shoes had to be made for them. Shoes have now become an emblem of the National Famine Way with pairs of Bronze Children’s Shoe statues placed in different location along the trail.
Arriving in Dublin the Strokestown tenants took steamships to Liverpool, which overrun with starving Irish, had become a place of terrible disease and sickness. There the tenants waited until their ships were ready to sail. The ships were overcrowded and lacked adequate food rations for the long Atlantic sea journey and the large number of passengers. Many did not survive the terrible conditions on the crossing and by the time they reached Canada a large number of the passengers had fallen ill with typhus and had been buried at sea or had to be quarantined on Grosse Isle where they died. Those that survived worked hard to make new lives in Quebec and all across Canada and North America.
I was very honoured when Caroilin asked a few years ago to write a story for the walk, which people could read or listen to and use on the app. I wrote about Daniel Tighe, a twelve year old boy who set of with high hopes with his mother, two brothers and two sisters and Uncle William Kelly as they walked all the way to Dublin , sailing first to Liverpool and then on to Canada. Daniel’s hopes would be dashed for by the time they arrived in Quebec for he and his sister Catherine were the only family members to survive the terrible journey on the Naomi. It is called Shoe Story.
However the National Famine Way is now extending as the trail will follow and be marked and recognised in both Liverpool and different parts of Canada. Eamonn McKee, our Irish ambassador in Canada, has played a big part in this exciting new initiative ‘The Global Irish Famine Way’ which will follow the trail of Irish emigrants to Canada and Liverpool and in time America and Australia. Bronze shoes have already arrived in Canada and some will also be located in Liverpool.
So now I have continued Daniel’s Story Taking him across the Atlantic to a new home in Canada and read from it for the first time at The Wake on Sunday. It was real honour for me on the night to meet some of Daniel Tighe’s ancestors his young Irish relations. I found it is so poignant to hear them read out the names of all the family groups that left Strokestown and how many children were in their family as they set off for a new life so long ago…
The sun was shining as the National Famine Way walkers group set off from the Gates of Strokestown Park House on Monday 20th May and they will arrive at Dublin’s Epic Museum on Saturday 25th of May.
Marita with Irish Ambassador to Canada Eamonn McKee Singer Grainne Hunt
Marita Conlon-McKenna 