AN online celebration highlighting the best Irish children’s books will be broadcast from Lismore Castle in Co. Waterford this month.
The Towers & Tales festival promises a fun-filled programme celebrating children’s literature and illustration shared through a range of events open to young readers across the globe.
The event takes place online on Friday, April 30 and Saturday, May 1.
Launching the 2021 programme, the festival’s Artistic Directors Niamh Sharkey and Elaina Ryan said: “We are proud that this year’s programme will celebrate some of the best authors and illustrators Ireland has to offer.
“Brilliant, memorable experiences for children are still at the heart of what we do, and we hope to bring some of the magic of Lismore Castle and town into homes all over Ireland and beyond.”
Among the events planned, award-winning novelist Professor Sarah Moore Fitzgerald will be hosting an interactive online workshop titled Ten Top Strategies For Fostering Your Creativity.
The author explains: “Everyone has the creative talent, even the people who say they don’, and becoming more creative is a great way to support your wellbeing, your engagement, your academic life and your confidence.”
She added: “It’s probably especially important for us to keep our creative spirits up during the Covid-19 restrictions.”
Siblings Edith, 8, Theo, 6, Ned, 4, and Jasper Wilson, 3, help launch the children’s storytelling festivalMulti-award winning children’s writer Sarah Webb and author and illustrator Alan Nolan will host a fun-filled online exploration workshop for families, the Mini Beast Trail – A Family Nature Adventure.
Award-winning illustrator Tarsila Krüse will take festival-goers on a drawing journey through their favourite theme or topic, prompted by the pages of her book My Little Album of Dublin.
The result will be an eight-page Little Album of Your Own –created by each participant to keep.
Máire Zepf’s interactive Irish language event calls all young readers to join her on a magic carpet storytelling journey.
During the session they will listen to the story of Máire’s book Rita agus an Lampa Draíochta, and get a chance to learn some magic words.
Tickets for the 2021 festival are now available here.
