Great event last week in the Draiocht Theatre when The Lucky Penny booklet was launched, by the Deputy Mayor of Fingal.
This was the culmination of a project in which a scene from my 1916 book, Friend or Foe, was the starting point for children in three Dublin schools to write their own cartoon stories, assisted by professional cartoonist Alan Nolan.
The children were from Scoil Thomais, Castleknock, Scoil Mhuire, Blakestown, and Mary Mother of Hope NS, Littlepace, and their artwork will be on display in the Draiocht Gallery until July 1916.
Congrats to everyone involved, and particular thanks to Sarah O’Neill in Fingal Arts Office, and Sarah Beirne, Emer McGowan and Nicola Murphy in Draiocht.
1916 Commemorations
Reflecting the Rising
It was exciting to take part in RTE’s mammoth commemoration project, RTE Reflecting the Rising, on Easter Monday (28th March 2016).
My talk, based on Friend or Foe, was given in the DIT on Aungier Street, which felt very appropriate,
in that this was the original site of the Jacob’s biscuit factory, one of the rebel strongholds during the Rising.
Other writers such as Marita Conlon McKenna and Patricia Murphy – who have also written books set in 1916 – were also in the DIT giving talks and there was great buzz around the college, and indeed around the whole city.
Brian Gallagher 