Killaloe Library Craft Club featured at International Women’s Day Event

The Killaloe Library Craft Club was invited to demonstrate crafts at an International Women’s Day 2017 Event organised in Nenagh Arts Centre on Sunday 5th March. There was great interest in the display of spinning, weaving, knitting, crochet and tatting that the group put on. Mary Goss, Library Assistant at Killaloe Library, spoke about the group’s charitable knitting project making hats, cardigans and blankets for premature babies and Monica Hannaford told how the group had knitted 34 jumpers for orphans in Missionvale in South Africa.

YA Book Prize 2017

The YA Book Prize established in 2014 is awarded annually to the best young adult book written by an author living in the UK or Ireland. Its aim is to showcase the best Young Adult writing by awarding the special book prize to a piece of work deemed something special by a panel of expert judges, including young people.

It is the first UK and Ireland prize to specifically focus on fiction for young adults and addresses an important need for a prize in the growing YA and teen market. It celebrates great books for teenagers and young adults and aims to get more teens reading and buying books. Previous winners of the prize are Louise O'Neill's Only Ever Yours (2015) and Sarah Crossan's One (2016).

The winning author receives a £2,000 prize which is presented at Hay Festival.

This year’s shortlist includes a new YA book by Francesca Simon and Ireland’s Peadar O Guilin’s The Call is also shortlisted.

Ennis Book Club Festival Children’s Programme in partnership with Clare County Library

For the first time Ennis Book Club Festival, in partnership with Clare County Library presents a children’s programme as part of the annual weekend festival running from March 3rd-5th.

Children’s events taking place over the weekend include the following:
Ruaille Buaille event with Aidan Courtney in Scéal Eile book shop in Ennis at 9am. Aidan, aka Coimicí Gael, will lead this fun, magical workshop teaching children aged 9-13* how to draw a cartoon character through the medium of Irish (no need to be fluent - a few words of Irish will be just fine!). The theme of the workshop is your favourite Harry Potter character. Some materials supplied, but children are welcome to bring their own pencils if preferred. Numbers for this event are very limited, so please come EARLY to avoid disappointment.
*Younger children welcome with older siblings
Le tacaíocht ó Seachtain na Gaeilge le Energia

Book Clinic with Children’s Books Ireland on Saturday 4th March from 10am-1pm in Visit Clare, Abbey Street Car Park in Ennis.

Throughout the year Children’s Books Ireland (CBI) brings the Book Clinic around the country, working with many different partners. Parents and children are invited to drop in for an informal consultation with one of CBI’s friendly panel of Book Doctors, who are ready to offer the best advice for the young readers in the family. The visit begins with a few moments in the waiting room with the Doodle Doctors, working on a Doodle Starter and learning more about drawing as well as enjoying a selection of children’s books. When the Book Doctor is ready to see a patient, the consultation begins with some questions about books the young reader previously enjoyed as well as activities, movies, TV shows and video games they enjoy. This lets the Book Doctor know a little bit more about the patient so she can write a book prescription, which is a personalised list of books recommended for the individual patient. Every patient and their family leave with a Reading Passport containing this book prescription to take to their local library or bookshop to have it filled! Remember, the Book Clinic is always free of charge!

There will also be a Children’s Book Club event with author Caroline Busher in the De Valera Library, Ennis on Saturday 4th March at 2.30pm. This is a first for Ennis Book Club Festival, to include a children’s book club event. Festival organisers and Library staff are very excited and hope many young people will come along to meet Caroline and discuss the book. It could even be the start of a new children’s book club in De Valera Library, Ennis so we want to call out to all 11 & 12 year-old readers to come along to this free but ticketed event. Call De Valera Library on 065-6846353 for more information.

Ennis Book Club Festival and Clare County Library also partnered for this year’s Teen Week at the Library with events featuring authors E.R. Murray and Dave Rudden in the libraries in Ennis and Ennistymon.

For all details of the Ennis Book Club Festival visit http://www.ennisbookclubfestival.com.

The 1916 Centenary Commemorative Medal

Recently an unexpected package arrived by mail from the Irish Defence Force HQ in County Kildare. The package contained a sample 1916 Centenary Commemorative Medal, one of a type presented by President Michael D. Higgins to all members of the Army, Naval Service and Air Corps to mark the fact that the Defence Forces had played such a prominent role in the commemorations to mark the centenary of the Easter Rising.

The medal has a familiar look to it, which is intentional according to documentation that was included in the package. It explains that, as the Defence Forces trace their origins to the foundation of the Irish Volunteers in November 1913, the medal was designed to reflect the tradition of the original 1916 medal but was made respectfully different in deference to the men and women of 1916 to whom the original medal was awarded.

The documentation also explains that because of the prominent role played by the Defence Forces at local authority level during the commemorations, it is considered appropriate to provide local authority museums with a sample for our collections.

We at Clare Museum would like to thank the Defence Forces for their generosity. The medal is a welcome addition to our collection and will serve as a tangible link to the centenary commemorations in the years to come.

Waterstones Book of the Year 2016

Historical novel The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry has beaten the likes of J K Rowling and Beatrix Potter to be crowned the Waterstones Book of the Year for 2016.

Described as “a novel of rare intelligence”, it was voted “overwhelmingly” as the title which booksellers were most proud to recommend to customers Set in Victorian London and an Essex village in the 1890s, The Essex Serpent has at its heart the story of two people who fall for each other, despite agreeing on absolutely nothing. Cora is a well-to-do London widow who moves to the Essex parish of Aldwinter, and Will is the local vicar. They meet as their village is engulfed by rumours that the mythical Essex Serpent, once said to roam the marshes claiming human lives, has returned.

Balancing Care with Access: Patrick Brennan’s Autograph Book

In a previous blog post, we told the story of how Clare Museum acquired Patrick Brennan’s Frongoch autograph book and its significance as a link between County Clare and the Easter Rising in 1916. The autograph book records the names, thoughts, hopes and political aspirations of fifty-four Frongoch internees from all over Ireland and is beautifully illustrated, but since its acquisition it has been mostly in storage and away from the public eye. It is probably no surprise then that as part of Clare’s contribution to mark the centenary of the Rising, the opportunity was taken to place this album of signatures in the long-term exhibition at Clare Museum.

However, early in the planning there was an awareness that, paradoxically, placing the autograph book on public display would actually restrict access in many ways as only two pages can be displayed to the viewer at any one time. The decision to display the item would also pose another problem which would become apparent over time: in order to make it available to researchers it would require the autograph book to be taken off exhibition for periods, while the handling of its delicate pages would place it at increased risk of damage and deterioration.

In order to overcome these restrictions to access while simultaneously protecting the artefact, it was decided early on to produce a book as a resource that would make available the original material the autograph book contains. With funding provided by the Clare 1916 Programme, Dr Tomás Mac Conmara, oral historian and an expert on Clare during the Irish War of Independence was commissioned to research and write the text of the publication.

Titled ‘An Interpretive Guide to Patrick Brennan’s Autograph Book’, Dr Mac Conmara provided biographical notes on each of the signatories and translations from Irish to English of their compositions. He also provided an analysis of both the compositions and of life in Frongoch as experienced by the internees.

In addition, because the Clare 1916 Programme provided the funding for the printing of the book, it became possible to provide the ‘Guide’ free of charge to the public. Dr Mac Conmara’s research and the funding received for publication has allowed the museum to provide:

- The widest possible access to the original document.
- An educational resource for adult learners, students, local historians and the general public
- Reduced risk of damage the original document through handling

In addition, the project allowed the museum and the Clare 1916 Programme to:
- Provide scholarly research for our objects as outlined in our Exhibition Policy
- Provide a significant souvenir for the people of Clare of the county’s contribution to the centenary commemorations.

Patrick Brennan’s Autograph Book is on display in the Riches of Clare exhibition at Clare Museum, where admission is free.
The Interpretive Guide was launched on 22nd December, 2016, to bookend the Clare’s commemorative programme. It is available to the public at Clare Museum.

2016 Costa Book of the Year

Sebastian Barry has become the first novelist to win the Costa Book of the Year a second time. His latest book Days Without End has been announced as the winner of the 2016 overall award. The book, set in 1850s America, tells the story of Sligo-born comrades and lovers Thomas McNulty and John Cole. The chair of the judging panel described the book's gay relationship as "one of the most wonderful depictions of love in fiction". The Dublin-born author was inspired to write about a gay relationship after his son came out.

Barry previously won the Costa Book of the Year award, regarded as one of the UK’s most prestigious literary awards, for his novel The Secret Scripture in 2008.

Celebrating books across five categories – novel, first novel, children’s fiction, poetry and biography – the Costa awards shortlist four writers in each category, with the winner in each then eligible to win the overall book of the year award which attracts a prize of €35,000.

The Big Picture Event with PJ Lynch and Eoin Colfer

Photo © Peter Cavanagh taken at dlr Lexicon, 20 Nov 2015

Clare County Library in association with glór welcomes Laureates na nÓg past and present to Ennis on February the 15th 2017.

At a special schools event for 5th and 6th classes, teachers and pupils are invited to attend a live drawing experience by current Laureate PJ Lynch. PJ will be accompanied by fellow award-winning, world renowned author and ex Laureate Eoin Colfer.

Visiting schools will learn about PJ's illustrations for Patrick and the President, a book created with broadcaster Ryan Tubridy. Eoin Colfer will share his well-known stories with special emphasis on Once Upon a Place, a collection of short stories and poems collated during his time as Laureate na nÓg. The event will end with one lucky audience member having their portrait drawn by PJ, with some assistance from Eoin and the audience!

School bookings can be made by contacting Clare County Library at tel. no. 065 6846266.

PJ Lynch was appointed the fourth Laureate na nÓg in May 2016. An exhibition of his paintings will be available for viewing in glór from Friday the 3rd of February to Sat 25th February. This is a unique opportunity for visitors to the arts centre during the coming month, including teachers and schoolchildren, to see the work of one of the finest illustrators of children's books of all times.

Entitled the 'Pilgrims, Princesses and Beardy Old Men Exhibition' the collection of original paintings by the award-winning Irish artist includes pictures from the million-selling The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey, and classics such as Dickens' A Christmas Carol right up to the newly published The Boy Who Fell Off the Mayflower, as well as PJ's charcoal drawings for Once Upon A Place, a new anthology of stories by top Irish writers compiled by Eoin Colfer. PJ Lynch has worked as a children's book illustrator for many years. He has lectured on his own work, and on Art and Illustration at the National Gallery of Ireland, The National Library of Ireland and at the National Print Museum of Ireland, as well as at numerous conferences and colleges across the U.S.

Museum Advocacy, Survey and ‘1916 Around the County’

Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs Heather Humphreys launched Museums Advocacy Day in the National Library of Ireland on Wednesday November 30th 2016. The event was organised by the Local Authority Museums Network (LAMN), working in partnership with the Irish Museums Association (IMA) and with the assistance and support of the Heritage Council. Clare Museum is one of the twelve local authority members that make up the museum network.

The key focus of the day was to highlight the significant work of museums on our island, both north and south of the border, with a particular emphasis on the role museums played in this historic year of commemoration. Museums across the country, working in collaboration with communities, have brought epic tales of passion, patriotism and sacrifice to the public in an array of thought-provoking and engaging exhibitions and events.

The Minister also officially launched the LAMN’s new exhibition ‘1916 Across the Country’ and the IMA’s new Irish Museums Survey. This exhibition was developed by the LAMN to provide a snapshot of some of the key stories brought to light through the work of the local authority museums that make up the network. Clare Museum’s contribution, highlighted in an earlier blog post, features the Committal Form of Countess Markievicz from May 1916.

The exhibition represents the key role played by museums in exploring and presenting the story of 1916 to millions of visitors throughout the year. This point was highlighted by Minister Humphreys when she referred to the legacy of the 1916 year of commemorations and the vital part that the museum sector has and will play in the future development of the heritage sector in Ireland.

The Irish Museum Survey was carried out by the IMA in partnership with University College Dublin and is the first comprehensive quantitative and qualitative survey of Irish museums, north and south, for more than a decade. The report shows that more than six million people visit Irish museums annually and also outlines the challenges being faced by our museums, with the effects of the economic recession clearly evidenced since the last report in 2004. The real value of the survey is that it provides the tools to make evidence-based arguments both for the importance of museums and the need for increasing the supports available to them.

Sebastian Barry wins Costa Novel award for the second time

Sebastian Barry's Days Without End has been announced as the Costa Novel Award Winner 2016 . Barry's The Secret Scripture won the award in 2008. The judges described the novel as
“A miracle of a book - both epic and intimate - that manages to create spaces for love and safety in the noise and chaos of history”.

The novel tells the story of Thomas McNulty and John Cole who have fled 1850s Sligo to rebuild their lives in America. Fighting in the Indian wars and the Civil War, they find these days to be vivid and alive, despite the horrors they both see and are complicit in. Their lives are further enriched and endangered when a young Indian girl crosses their path, and the possibility of lasting happiness emerges, if only they can survive.

The Costa Children's Book Award Winner 2016 was another author of Irish interest, Brian Conaghan. Brian was born and raised in the Scottish town of Coatbridge but now lives in Dublin. His winning novel is The Bombs That Brought Us Together

It tells the story of Charlie Law lives in Little Town almost on the border with Old Country where over there he has heard that life is better even though you play by the rules. No one argues with the Rascals who run it and most especially not with the Big Man. Charlie becomes friends with Pavel from Old Country, a dangerous liaison that will force him to make impossible decisions. When the bombs come Charlie must decide between country or friend, trust or betrayal, future or past, right or wrong. Nationalism, war, refugees, trust and friendship are the major themes explored in this thought-provoking novel that will surprisingly make you laugh while you consider such serious issues.

What the Costa judges said about The Bombs That Brought Us Together:
“Timely yet also hilariously funny, Bombs is a necessary take on modern life in extraordinary circumstances.”

The Costa Book Awards honour some of the most outstanding books of the year written by authors based in the UK and Ireland. There are five categories - First Novel, Novel, Biography, Poetry and Children’s Book - with one of the five winners chosen as Book of the Year, announced at an awards ceremony in London every January. This year the ceremony will be held on January 31st.