Greystones Whale Theatre ‘Legends of Children’s Writing’

Posted on 25/10/2025 by fionaconlonmckenna

Tom McCaughren, Marita Conlon McKenna, Patricia Forde and Don Conroy

It is always a joy to be back in Greystones but this time it was for a very special event in the Whale Theatre with my old friends Tom McCaughren, Don Conroy and the Children’s Laureate Patricia Forde which was organised by writer Sarah Webb and Trish Hennessy of ‘Halfway up the Stairs’ book shop in Greystones.

We had so much fun and it was great to chat with Patricia sabout when we all started writing children’s books and all the good times we’ve had since then. We had a lovely audience of fans and bookworms who came along to meet us, some having travelled from afar.

We all are still busy writing. Tom’s wonderful new picture book for young children ‘Run Home Little Fox’ has just been published with beautiful illustrations by Shannon Bergin has already been shortlisted for the Irish Book Awards.

Afterwards it was lovely to meet and chat to so many young readers and some older ones too. Thank you so much for to Sarah and Trish for organising a Saturday that we will all remember and to everyone that came along.

Sarah Webb, Don Conroy, Marita, Tom McCaughren, Patricia Forde and Trish Hennessy

Words by Water Festival in Kinsale

Posted on 27/09/2025 by fionaconlonmckenna

Kinsale Town, Cork

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 2^nd to the 5^th.

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 4^th 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

‘Children of the Famine’ is Number One, top of Ireland’s Children’s Best Selling book list.

Posted on 16/06/2025 by fionaconlonmckenna

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.

Ireland Reads

Posted on 12/02/2025 by fionaconlonmckenna

Stuart Hamiliton of Ireland Reads LGMA.

Irelands Read’s is a brilliant initiative by the Government and Healthy Ireland supported by our public libraries to encourage us all to read during the month of February.

The Irish Library Borrowing figures for 2024 have just come out and I am so delighted to be top of the list of Irish authors on it.

The ever popular comic series of ‘Dog Man’, and ‘Bunny and Monkey’ take the top slots but it is great to see that ‘Under the Hawthorn Tree’ is still the most borrowed book by an Irish author. It is no surprise to see that Children’s books dominate the list as we have the best young readers and bookworms in the world. The top 37 titles are children’s and young peoples. The list is compiled by 330 Irish libraries and 23 mobile libraries, which have more than 13 million books to borrow. They also have eBooks and audio books to borrow with ‘Under the Hawthorn Tree’ topping the overall eBook list

There will be a big call out on Saturday 22^nd of February for everyone, whatever your age or interests to Get Lost in a Good Book. It doesn’t matter where you read, or what you read as long as you read.

Reading is good or us and relaxes us and reduces stress by believe it or not 698%.

So let’s get reading!

A VISIT TO BALLYMUN BOOK CLUB

Posted on 07/12/2024 by fionaconlonmckenna

Marita with The Balymun Book Club

Everyone knows by now that libraries are one of my favourite places so it was a real treat to be invited along to the lovely library in Ballymun to meet and talk to their Book Club.

They are a great bunch of young readers and the junior Book Club is run by librarian Caitriona O’Doherty. They had all just finished reading my book The Blue Horse so we had plenty to talk about. I was thrilled to hear they had also enjoyed reading Fairy Hill last year. They meet every month and read everything from newly published children’s books to old favourites and the classics, perfect for these brilliant bright bookworms. Over Christmas and New Year they will be reading The Wind in the Willows.

Ballymun library is a very special place and right at the heart of the community, with Writers Groups, art groups, and book clubs including a Murder one, study space and all kinds of events to encourage people to use the library. My friend librarian Sarah Conroy showed me around and Peter O Reilly, the senior librarian, is justifiably proud of their mission to get everyone reading, and using the library.