Children's Laureate to hold book events in three Mayo towns
Patricia Forde was appointed Laureate na nÓg (Children’s Laureate) last year. Picture: Julien Behal Photography
School children and families in Mayo will have the chance to meet the creators of their favourite Irish books as part of Laureate na nÓg Patricia Forde’s ‘Whole Wild World’ Bus Tour this April.
The route and schedule of the upcoming, first-of-its-kind tour was announced last week, with Irish children’s writers and illustrators set to visit schools, libraries, bookshops and cultural venues in nine counties along the West of Ireland.
Taking in a total 1,400 kilometres on a multicolour, 30-seater coach, the tour begins at Ireland’s most northerly point, Malin Head in County Donegal, on Monday, April 14th, and concludes at Kinsale Library in Cork on Sunday, April 28th. This will include four stops in Mayo at Belmullet, Newport and Westport.
Patricia Forde will be joined in Mayo by authors and illustrators for workshops, readings and artist events for school groups, library groups and families. The full line-up will be announced in March.
In Mayo, the tour will make stops at Belmullet, Newport and Westport on Thursday, April 18. In Belmullet, events will take place at the local library and at Áras Inis Gluaire, while in Newport, Patricia will visit the local national school. She will complete her tour of Mayo at Tertulia Books at Westport Quay.
Speaking at the announcement of the route, Patricia said: “I’m very excited at the prospect of meeting young readers and writers in Mayo in April.
"This tour is about igniting imaginations and ensuring that Mayo will have another generation of great writers and illustrators by bringing books and their creators to an audience that doesn’t often get a chance to meet them in their own local area. We will have exciting Irish authors and illustrators on board, hoping to inspire and to be inspired, to share stories and have lots of fun!”
Booking for school groups in Belmullet can be made by contacting info@childrenslaureate.ie. The tour will include stops at Easkey in Co Sligo.
