Ireland Reads: A Keep Well Initiative

'Ireland Reads is part of the government-backed Keep Well initiative, and will encourage everyone to discover the joy of reading and participate in a national day of reading on Thursday, 25th February. It’s all about promoting the power of reading for enjoyment and wellbeing – combatting lockdown by encouraging people to get into a habit of…

Romance In Books

As this is the time of year to celebrate St. Valentine's day, I thought I would take a look at 'Romantic Literature'. We all love a good romance and always hope that the couple will overcome the odds and can be together. There is nothing more satisfying than when love is found and is mutually…

Free Downloadable Valentine’s Day Cards: Suitable For Children And People Of All Ages

Free Valentine’s Day Printable Cards download from Gaurav Bhatnagar https://eileenmoynihan.wordpress.com/2019/12/02/interview-with-gaurav-bhatnager-who-is-an-entrepreneur-publisher-and-author/ Very suitable for children and people of all ages. Just click on the link below. https://mcusercontent.com/.../1d45832e-96ca-4bda.../PDF.pdf?

Colouring Books: A Valuable Resource For Children And Adults

History Of Colouring Books 'The McLoughlin Brothers are credited as the inventors of the colo(u)ring book, when, in the 1880s, they produced The Little Folks' Painting Book, in collaboration with Kate Greenaway. They continued to publish colo(u)ring books until the 1920s when the McLoughlin Brothers became part of the Milton Bradley Company. Another pioneer in the genre was Richard F. Outcault.…

Goodies Versus Baddies: Protagonists Versus Antagonists In Children’s Books

Also see https://eileenmoynihan.wordpress.com/kids-and-teens-fan-club/ 'If there’s one thing every story needs, it’s conflict. And while conflict takes many forms, some of literature’s most beloved stories involve conflict in the classic form of the protagonist and antagonist. Without the white whale, Moby Dick is just a book about a guy who goes sailing and comes home. If there were no…

Lá Fhéile Bríde

Happy St. Brigid’s Day! A piece by my cousin.

Ann Gerety Smyth

Since we opened Creative Ardagh, in Ardagh Heritage and Creativity Centre, 10 years ago, one of our favourite events, which wasn’t a particularly big one but was a very meaningful one to all who came, was our cross making workshop.

The usual crew came and had tea with us and we created crosses of all shapes and sizes, helped each other try out the new ones we found, or perfect the traditional one made locally. Everyone was tutor and student together.

Stories were told of Brigid, her connection to Ardagh, the meaning that could be drawn from each story, the significance of the well and everyone agreed to join the walk to the well on the 1st, a walk that has happened forever it seems.

Every St. Brigid’s Day the crosses made by the people of the parish are blessed in the church and everyone goes down to the well…

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Don’t Worry: Spanish Flu 1918-1919/ Covid 19 2019/2020-

Photo by Lalin Swaris Original photo shown in the Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/Out-and-about-in-Longford-Town-625069381275919/ A recent Facebook posting got many people in County Longford (Ireland) and beyond interested in the effects of the Spanish Flu in Ireland and worldwide. It was an old photo of Longford (see above) showing a sign painted on the side of a…

Does The Age Of A Writer Matter?

Most people who write have always had the urge to write from the minute they learned to read or write. I think I was creating stories orally first and then started writing them down from about the age of six. First of all, it was fairy stories, then adventure stories, moving on to teenage angst…

The Ups And Downs Of Homeschooling Children During LockDown

Some people have been homeschooling for years and find it suits their families and their lifestyles and it has been a growing movement. For some it was for religious reasons, for others for a freer and broader type of education; sometimes it was because of bullying or to meet the needs of an individual child.…

New Year’s Resolutions For Kids

Also see https://eileenmoynihan.wordpress.com/kids-and-teens-fan-club/ Every New Year many people make New Year's resolutions. A resolution is a firm decision to do or not to do something. A Children's Book About New Year's Resolutions Squirrel's New Year's Resolution, a 2010 Children's picture book written by Pat Miller and illustrated by Kathi Ember. It is about Squirrel who wants to…