Children’s Book Festival a huge success in Tipperary once more

Tipperary’s library service have celebrated yet another very successful Children's Book Festival. Run for several years now by Tipperary Library Service, through the primary and post primary school system, the aim of this month-long, nationwide festival is to celebrate books and the benefits and pleasure children can derive from reading.

This year, thanks to increases in grant funding the library were able to bring 12 different authors, illustrators, storytellers and heritage specialists to libraries throughout the county. Between them they met and talked to almost 2400 children and another 200 adults.

While the library endeavours to invite schools into the libraries throughout the month, “we understand that, for one reason or another, that may not be possible, especially for small or outlying schools. So, in keeping with our policy of access for all, several facilitators were sent or brought to those outlying schools, much to the relief of their teachers and obvious enjoyment of the pupils.”

This year the library built on introductions made last year to secondary schools in the county and were able to offer a selection of events to schools in Nenagh, Borrisoleigh, Thurles, Cashel, Tipperary Town and Carrick on Suir, through English and 'as gaeilge', to children from 4 to 18 years.

Authors like Martina Smith, Jen Wallace and Bex Sheridan catered to the younger readers while Caroline Busher and Síne Quinn facilitated writing and illustration workshops with senior pupils. Ré Ó Laighléis met pupils from Gaelscoil Bhríde in Thurles as well as pupils from both primary and secondary Ursuline schools and was one of the facilitators as gaeilge.

This year there were a larger number of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and maths) facilitators, aw well as heritage specialists like Maedhbh Brosnan, Trudy Carmody, Anthony Galvin and Francesca Caddedu to both libraries and schools throughout the county.

Some were introduced to the traditional art form of Irish mosaics, or learned about Celtic calligraphy and the Book of Kells, while practising making their own Celtic letters. Even the little ones learned about the environment, making up seed packets with Bex Sheridan. Meanwhile Berni Dwan met both Junior and Leaving Certificate students from secondary schools in Nenagh and Borrisoleigh, and showed them a different way of looking at their Shakespearean plays.

The always-excellent storyteller Niall de Burca launched the festival, who performed three high-octane shows in Thurles library at the Source, with an Cathaoirleach of Tipperary County Council, Cllr Fiona Bonfield and the county librarian Damian Dullaghan in attendance.

A representative of the library said that they were delighted to welcome Cllr Bonfield to the opening of the festival.

“We would like to acknowledge and thank those who supported our Festival this year, including Tipperary Creative Ireland Fund, Tipperary Arts Office and Poetry Ireland. Their generous contribution every year ensures our diverse and successful programme and we look forward to working with them again next year.”