Writers' Week 2015 again and an extraordinary lady

Above is Liz Dunn in her Alice in Wonderland costume for The National Children's Literary Festival at Writers' Week 2015.

I have reached the conclusion that retired English people, some of them with no Irish blood in them, are the salt of the earth in many Irish rural communities. I encounter English people and hear English accents in every organization I join. Some are here because they have fallen in love with an Irish emigrant but many, like Liz, have fallen in love with Ireland and the way we live here. Many have become "more Irish than the Irish themselves."

Liz Dunn of Athea is the human dynamo behind The National Children's Literary Festival at Writers' Week. I have seen her work throughout the year as she led a committee of volunteers to the great festival that was the children's programme at this year's Writers' Week. She, literally and metaphorically, rolled up her sleeves and got to work. She always went the extra mile. I could exhaust every cliché for hard work and I would not have got to the essence of Liz.

She, with the help of a committee and children's co ordinator, Maria McGrath, put together the programme for the festival. Then Liz got to work selling it. She drove around the countryside distributing brochures, she visited schools, made countless phone calls and she networked like billy-o. All of this before the festival began. It was then she came into her own in earnest.

Liz chats to committee member Antony Garvey and WW chairman Seán Lyons.

Liz lit up Listowel Community Centre with her cheerful good spirits, her bustling motherly presence and her unfailing courtesy and patience when these qualities were wearing thin in others. Liz's childlike enthusiasm for every single event and her relentless positivity were infectious.

Will we ever forget her "festival wardrobe"? Liz was the Queen of Hearts or The Snow Queen as the occasion demanded. As soon as she donned her costume (designed and made by herself) she entered into the role and carried it off with energy and credibility.

with Xistance volunteers

Liz was usually the first in the Community Centre in the morning and one of the last to leave in the evening. She carried us all along on a wave of her unflagging energy and enthusiasm.

Whether she was meeting and welcoming authors or getting down on the floor with the children, Liz was the the soul of charm and affability.

Liz reading to a group of students on the historical walking tour of Listowel.

When Liz left her native England to settle in Athea, Limerick and Listowel Writers' Week gained a treasure.

If I sound like I am in awe of this lady, it is because I am.

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Photos from some of the children's workshops

Craft

Dance

Creativity with Derek Mulveen

Story writing and illustration with Sheena Dempsey and Bruno

Siobhán with the hat she made in the hat making workshop

This is only a small taste of what went on in Listowel Community Centre during The National Children's Literary Festival 2015.

Success stories

This is the Life!

Saturday morning was a beautifully crisp November morning in Ballybunion. Mike Enright was out early fishing. He captured these stunning views as the sun rose. He also got some amazing flounder and bass.

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Billy O'Connell of Lixnaw, Co. Kerry

Billy O'Connell hails from our very own Lixnaw. He now lives in Huntingdon Beach in California. He is in the news because he has been recently elected to public office.

His Facebook biography says this;

Billy O'Connell is the Founder and current Executive Director of Colette's Children's Home, an emergency shelter and transitional housing program for homeless women and women with children. Founded in 1998, Colette’s provides a safe home and nurturing environment where women and children receive the supportive services necessary to gain independence. Colette's is a hand up, not a hand out. Under Billy's dedicated leadership, Colette's has housed and served over 3,000 women and children helping them break the vicious cycle of homelessness.

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Another Success for our Causeway neighbours

Smiling faces from Team Dairymaster after winning the Eurotier Gold Medal for Innovation for our Swiftflo Goat Rotary Milking Parlour at Eurotier, Hannover last night!   ( Photo and caption from Dairymaster website)


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Tony O'Connor, Equine Artist

Tony O'Connor is from North Kerry. He is descended from a line of blacksmiths and he has a love of horses bred into his DNA. The above images are from his 2015 calendar which is available from his White Tree Studio

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Well worth another Look

A Great Listowel weekend in June 2014


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Beautiful Christmas Creations from the Crafters at Craftshop na Méar, Listowel

I was with John Boyne in Knocknagoshel and in Athea with the fairies

In Knocknagoshel with John Boyne

My regular readers may remember that I visited Knocknagoshel some time ago. I was on a recce mission for my job during Listowel Writers' Week 2014, i.e. to escort John Boyne of Boy in Striped Pyjamas fame to talk to his fans in their own community centre in a glorious corner of North Kerry.

It is one of the triumphs of Writers' Week and particularly The National Children's Literary Festival  that it brings big name authors to small places to meet their readers.

This year Knocknagoshel hosted two authors, Alan Early and John Boyne. They talked to an appreciative audience of children from local schools.

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While we were in Knocknagoshel I met two busy local ladies. One of them was making 21 dinners for her Meals on Wheels friends and the other lady was busy in the laundry beside the hall where we had our event. This local community is exemplary in its efforts to care for its vulnerable people  and to look out for everyone.  

Arise Knocknagoshel, Take a bow; A truly inspirational place. 

I'm glad I got to go there.

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Out and About in Listowel

While Michael Guerin was in town with his camera during Writers' Week he took a few snaps of local people.

He also recorded a few good memories at Kay Caball's launch

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Some Fairy lore

Fairies have to be 12 years old and they have to sit three exams before they are responsible enough to collect baby teeth. Our baby teeth contain all our childhood memories, dreams and wishes.

Animals can see fairies and talk to them

Fairies are nocturnal.

They love shiny things.

Fairies are multilingual.

These and other fairy "facts" I learned from The Irish Fairy Door Co

When I was at the Kingdom County Fair I met a man from Sneem who was making lovely fairy and elf doors, but any half handy carpenter could make you a door for your very own fairy. I'd recommend you get one. They are great fun.

Here are some more photos from my trip to Athea, home of ten fairies:

Entrance to The Giant's Garden

Flags of many nations

Sign on a seat along the walk

Fairy post box; you can leave a letter for the fairies here.

Rustic paths through lush undergrowth.

Lú is the local Athea fairy. It was she who helped the giant in his distress after the accident with his mother's remains on the way to the graveyard which lies at the top of Fairy Mountain.

looking down from Fairy Mountain

Some of the Tidy Town Committee who developed the project

A fairy loving birthday party group from Duagh ready to investigate the fairy trail

Our M.C. for the day

Our story teller

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Magnificent White Lion

Source; Get inspired

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Listowel Celtic U14 Premier League Champions & Cup Finalists 2014    (photo; John Kelliher)

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Ah, lads!

This is not funny. Someone has stolen this sign from outside Asdee.
These signs are expensive, informative and decorative. They advertise our pride of place and are meant for everyone visiting the area.