Carrick-on-Suir writer's journaling book Weather Report is launched at Brewery Lane Theatre

Caption: Margaret O'Brien signing copies of Weather Report at the book's launch night at Brewery Lane Theatre's tearooms last Friday night. Picture Noreen Duggan 

Carrick-on-Suir writer and creative writing teacher Margaret O’Brien’s gorgeous journaling book Weather Report that encourages you to document the beautiful and positive experiences of daily life, was launched at Brewery Lane Theatre last Friday night.

More than 50 people attended the launch event for the 90-day journaling book that is bursting with inspiring literary quotations and insights. Among the attendees were a strong contingent of local writers and artists.

Fethard-based energy healer and trainer Eileen Heneghan officially launched Weather Report and described it as a “reflective journal that uses the Beaufort Wind Scale as a tool for health and well being”.

She said Weather Report was a much needed book for society and she believes it will empower many people.

“Weather Report has been created from a very open and pure heart. It is a beautiful workbook and very visually inviting. It’s well known in Ireland that we speak a lot about the weather, how it is, how it was yesterday, and always the hope of improvement in the times ahead.

“Margaret cleverly uses the Beaufort Wind Scale to track our personal change each day, starting with the external weather, what time of day is it, what do we see, hear, experience.

“She then brings our attention inward; what do we feel inside, where is that emotion in our body? We are invited to write or draw or doodle our experiences, then document one thing we’ve found beautiful today.

“Personally, I loved this because on a day that may not have gone to plan, there is always something beautiful to witness, a child’s smile, a touching piece of music, warm soup, the flicker of a candle.

“Margaret invites us to slow down, to be and to observe, recording in our own unique way our experiences.
“Then there are the weekly reflections of noting three small things that went well. And then another piece which I personally loved, the invitation to write down what we might be looking forward to next week.”

Eileen praised how beautifully illustrated the book is and how it is full of wonderful quotes from authors and poets, who have touched and inspired Margaret, and who now in turn will inspire the reader.

Margaret O’Brien, who is the founder of the annual Brewery Lane Writers Weekend, thanked everyone who came to celebrate the launch of Weather Report and recounted its origins in the Tosú Arís project, which Linda Fahy of the Tudor Artisan Hub spearheaded for the Bealtaine Festival in May. Tosú Arís, which translates as Starting Over, was a project for people in Carrick-on-Suir whose life partner died during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Margaret recalled her big contribution to the project was the first iteration of the Weather Report – a 14-day journal booklet that was used by the participants and all involved in the project.

She recounted how she centred the Weather Report journal around the Beaufort Wind Scale because it was a beautifully elegant and simple scale that charts the force of wind using specific visual indicators.

She described the book as a daily invitation to turn towards beauty. She noted that while we were often told how good it’s to feel gratitude, she believed that sometimes felt like a burden. But going out and identifying where we can find beauty was more easily done.

Margaret pointed out that she included a list of books at the back of the journal that have inspired and delighted her at various times of her life and which gave her solace having read them.

And she stressed that Weather Report was a book that is meant to be marked.

“It will become uniquely yours. You fill it with your experiences, observations and discoveries. As you live your life, it becomes your unique book of noticing.

“And may it help you weather any storm and bring light to your day,” she added.

Weather Report costs €17.99 and is on sale in the Tudor Artisan Hub at 47 Main Street, Carrick-on-Suir and The Bookworm bookstore in Thurles.

There will also be a launch event for Weather Report at The Book Centre in Waterford on Friday, November 18 at 6.30pm.

Well known poet Mark Roper will officially launch the book that night and copies of the journal will become available there a week or so ahead of that date.

You can also pre-order from The Book Centre if you are in the Waterford area, phone (051) 873823.

The book is also available online on Amazon and The Book Depository. It has received a five star rating on Amazon.