Roald Dahl Day at Clare County Library

13th September is officially Roald Dahl Day across the world. It's a fantastic opportunity to visit your local library in Clare to discover, or re-discover, his amazing stories. This year September 13th falls on a Sunday so why not drop in to the library on Friday 11th or Saturday 12th and prepare for the day by borrowing and reading a Roald Dahl book. To celebrate, activity and quiz sheets will be distributed in all branches of Clare County Library – pick one up and test your knowledge on the well-loved characters created by Roald Dahl. Who isn’t familiar with his book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory? Linking in with that makes a perfect excuse to eat chocolate for breakfast, lunch and supper - it is Roald Dahl Day after all. If you’re lucky, you may even find some chocolate hidden amongst the shelves of your local library on Friday September 11th.

For those unlucky people who have never heard of Roald Dahl here are some facts - he was born on 13 September 1916 and died in 1990. He was a novelist, short story writer, and screenwriter, born in Wales of Norwegian parents. He served in the Royal Air Force during World War 2 and then rose to prominence in the 1940s with works for both children and adults, and became one of the world's bestselling authors. His short stories are known for their unexpected endings, and his children's books for their unsentimental, often very dark humour. Some of his most popular books include The Twits, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, James and the Giant Peach, Fantastic Mr. Fox, Matilda, The Witches, and The BFG. During his years at school, a nearby chocolate company would occasionally send boxes of new chocolates to the school to be tested by the pupils. Dahl himself apparently used to dream of inventing a new chocolate bar and this proved the inspiration for him to write his third book for children, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, released in 1963.

Fittingly, a special “Invent a Chocolate Bar Competition” will run in all Clare libraries, very generously sponsored by Tuamgraney-based Wilde Irish Chocolates. This award-winning chocolate factory opened in 1997 and words like scrumptious and luscious are commonly used to describe just how delicious their chocolates are. To enter the competition, all you have to do is invent a chocolate bar for Willy Wonka and you’re in with a chance to win lots of Wilde Irish Chocolate goodies. Wilde Irish Chocolates will also create a limited edition chocolate bar inspired by the winning entry. The closing date is 11th September 2009. Pick up an entry form from your local branch of Clare County Library or online at www.clarelibrary.ie

You could also have a go at the Roald Dahl Day Challenge – and keep your eyes peeled for other Roald Dahl fans marking the Big Day! For those aged under 10, the target is to complete as many challenges as your age. If you’re 10 or older, try to complete all ten!! All you need to do is -
• Wear something yellow – it was Roald's favourite colour!
• Wear one or more items of clothing backwards.
• Drop "gobblefunk" into your conversations
(the unique language created by Roald and most commonly used by
the BFG).
• Swap a Roald Dahl book with a friend.
• Talk backwards.
• Tell a silly joke – Roald loved swapping these with his kids.
• Play an "unexpected" prank.
• Give someone a treat – Roald was a great believer in treats, whether it was a bar of chocolate or a lovely surprise.
• Write your own revolting rhyme.
• Make up an Oompa Loompa dance and get all your friends to join in!

And don’t forget - find out more about Roald Dahl and borrow his books at your local Clare library. See you there!

Arthritis Ireland Helpline 1890 252 846

Arthritis Ireland is adding another dimension to its support services for people with arthritis, their families and carers. The Arthritis Ireland Helpline is a confidential service, which is open to anyone affected by arthritis. Arthritis Ireland provides emotional and practical support, and information by phone, by letter and email. Anyone can get in touch - from people who have just been diagnosed; family members who want to know how to support a loved one; people who have had arthritis for some time and are looking for help; and health professionals who want information.
Contacts:
By phone: Lo-call 1890 252 846 (10am-4pm weekdays)
By email: helpline@arthritisireland.ie
By letter: Arthritis Ireland Helpline, Arthritis Ireland, 1 Clanwilliam Square, Grand Canal Quay, Dublin 2. More info at http://www.arthritisireland.ie/

SILENCE - Buzzbee strikes again

Text on the Beach - 50 best summer reads ever

The Observer recently carried a list of the 50 best summer reads ever under the heading Text on the Beach. Saying that choosing holiday reading doesn't have to be about stuffing the latest blockbuster into your suitcase, they have selected the timeless novels that will turn the most restful holiday into an exotic adventure. The list includes old favourites such as Agatha Christie’s Death on the Nile in addition to recent titles such as Something is Going to Fall Like Rain by Ros Wynne-Jones. While the weather may mean that the couch rather than the beach will be the most likely reading location for many this summer, a selection of books from this list will ensure many a restful hour. Click here for more info...

Merging 3 & Lisdoonvarna FETAC at Ennistymon Courthouse Gallery

"Merging 3", an exhibition by three artists from the North Clare area in the Courthouse Gallery in Ennistymon, featuring works by Madeleine Irene Smith, Marianne Potterton and Mary Foudy O'Halloran, takes place from Saturday 15th August to Saturday 12th September in the main gallery, while Lisdoonvarna FETAC Students are featured in the Red Couch Space at the gallery from Friday 14th August to Saturday 12 September. Participating FETAC students include Stephen Benn, Rolf Fendler, Peter Garrihy, Audrey Huguet, Helen Jackson, Esther Kinnane, Christine Malsey, Josephine Quigley, Mary Reynolds, David Walsh, David Wheeler and Uta Wagner.

New Dan Brown Novel

Dan Brown’s new novel The Lost Symbol will be released on September 15th with an English language first print run of 6.5 million copies. Other best-selling authors are frantically rushing to get their latest titles on the bookshelves before its release. The release dates for new books by Nick Hornby, Sebastian Faulks and William Trevor have all been moved forward to give them a chance to reach the bestseller lists before Brown’s new novel dominates. Robert Langdon, last seen as the hero of The Da Vinci Code, is at the centre of a plot that unfolds over 12 hours. The book will be set in Washington, DC, where Langdon is again caught up in secret societies and hidden codes. The Da Vinci Code was the bestselling hardcover adult novel of all time with 81 million copies in print worldwide.

At the Old Librarian's Home - by Buzzbee

Man Booker Prize Longlist announced

The 2009 Man Booker Prize longlist was announced on the 28th of July.Three Irish authors are included this year. They are Ed O’Loughlin for his novel Not Untrue & Not Unkind, Colm Toibin for Brooklyn and William Trevor for Love and Summer. Books by both Toibin and Trevor have been previously nominated for the Man Booker Prize. Ed O’Loughlin’s Not Untrue & Not Unkind is his debut novel. The chair of judges, James Naughtie, said on the announcement of this year’s longlist:
"The five Man Booker judges have settled on thirteen novels as the longlist for this year's prize. We believe it to be one of the strongest lists in recent memory, with two former winners, four past-shortlisted writers, three first-time novelists and a span of styles and themes that make this an outstandingly rich fictional mix.”
The complete longlist is:
The Children's Book by AS Byatt
Summertime by JM Coetzee
The Quickening Maze by Adam Foulds
How to Paint a Dead Man by Sarah Hall
The Wilderness by Sarah Harvey
Me Cheeta by James Lever
Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel
The Glass Room by Simon Mawer
Not Untrue & Not Unkind by Ed O'Loughlin
Heliopolis by James Scudamore
Brooklyn by Colm Toibin
Love & Summer by William Trevor
The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters
The winner will be announced on the 6th of October 2009.

The Red House Children’s Book Award

The Red House Children's Book Award is the only British national book award voted for entirely by children. Each year hundreds of books are read, shortlisted and voted for by children from around the country. The overall winner for 2009 is Sophie McKenzie’s gripping thriller Blood Ties. Sophie McKenzie lives in London where she works as a journalist and an editor. Girl, Missing was her debut novel and it won the Richard and Judy Best Kids' Books 2007 award in the 12+ category as well as The Red House Book Award 2007 for Older Readers.

Rosie’s Walk

Rosie’s Walk, the iconic picture book by Pat Hutchins, is forty years old this year and its sharing with little ones is still an experience that no parent or grandparent should miss. The success of this classic is in its simplicity and the story has been reworked by many writers of children’s picture books over the years. Probably the most recent is the charming Look Out Suzy Goose by Petr Horáček. Little children will love the suspense as Rosie the hen enjoys her walk, totally oblivious to the stalking fox and the many hilarious traps he falls into as she leads him through the farmyard. The pictures say it all in this book which contains only thirty-two words in total, making it ideal for pre-schoolers and equally rewarding for early readers who can appreciate the hidden humour for themselves and read the short story. The most recent publication of Rosie’s Walk is a celebratory edition by Red Fox and comes sporting a gold badge announcing its 40th anniversary.