Olympic Memories Part 2: 2000-2016
By Walter Lawler Introduction: We entered the new millennium with an Olympics that year from 15 September until 1st October. Throughout this and the following four Olympics standards increased, and …
Tuesday’s Writer: Recap Week
As Niamh takes a well earned rest today, we’re putting together all her Tuesday’s Writer posts here for you to look back over! From animation to historical fiction, there are …
Olympic Memories Part 1: 1980-1996
By Walter Lawler Introduction: It’s unusual to be looking forward to a Summer Olympics in an odd year, but circumstances we’re all too aware of have dictated so. Given to …
Tuesday’s Writer: Pauline Clooney
‘Charlotte Brontë’s connection with Offaly holds a personal resonance for me…’ #writingtips #publicationjourney #charlottebrontë #authorinterview #debut #irishwriters #novel #laoiswriter #IWCnovelfair This Tuesday we’re delighted to welcome award winning author Pauline …
April Gardening Tips
Julie Ann Shead- Stradbally Library April is an important month for the vegetable garden. Now that the days are longer and warmer plants grow stronger and faster. Sowing outdoors can …
TUESDAY’S WRITER: ANITA WHYTE.
‘Writing is so good for the soul and it’s free therapy.’ #tuesdayswriter #fertilityjourney #writingtherapy #writersgroups #inktankcreativewritersgroup #journaling #thefemcast #podcasts Tuesday’s writer is delighted to welcome Anita Whyte. Based in Kilcullen, …
Meet the Reader- Alan
Alan Hartnett Your first Library and what do you remember about it? My first library was Portlaoise Library. I remember the excitement of getting my first library card and how …
Lives interrupted.
Our Primary and Secondary schools did very well to stay in session from September to December. Following the abrupt finish to the traditional school year in March, it was very …
Tuesday’s Writer- David Butler Animator & Illustrator
‘Just remember those Disney shows and Marvel comic book artists that you love, are made in Ireland… and artists like Declan Shalvey and Will Sliney are working for Marvel …
Austen of the New World
It is a truth universally acknowledged that, as an Austen fan, it is impossible to avoid all the many adaptations, sequels and prequels that her novels have inspired. They really …
A 1980s Rural Childhood
By Walter Lawler I think when you have a background in History you tend to live in the past quite a bit. There are pros and cons to this. …
Tuesday’s Writer: Suzanne Power – Within Words
‘I describe myself as a household bard, a woman of stories, with the washing up to do. I do both…’ This week we are chatting with Suzanne Power, author …
Book Review: Christine Dalcher’s “Q”
Elena Fairchild is a teacher, a mother of two daughters Anne and Freddy and married to Malcolm, the man who invented the system of Q marking . Mixed ability schools …
My Favourite Funny Sporting Quotations
By Walter Lawler Since the observations and comments of sport’s stars, and sports commentators, have been recorded, we’ve had some unique statements. They’ve ranged from funny, bizarre, witty, oxymoronic, moronic …
Tuesday’s Writer – Angela Keogh
Angela Keogh is a writer, director and actor. Her novel ‘The Winter Dress’ (The Harvest Press) was an Irish Writer Centre Novel Fair Winner. I was delighted to interview Angela …
Gardening tips for the month of March
Longer sunnier days usually arrive by mid-March and we have more opportunities to get into the garden and perform some much-needed tasks. March is the time when growth begins, and …
Andrew Carnegie: The Man And His Libraries
By Walter Lawler Kilkenny’s Carnegie Library I begun my library career with Kilkenny Libraries in June 2003. I needed work experience before I started my postgrad in Library and Information …
Sheila Forsey: Writing the Forgotten Irish.
‘There are so many untold stories that need a voice and a light to be shined on them, this keeps me going, I need to tell these stories.’ (Sheila Forsey) …
In Praise of Comics
I was having one of those “beached whale afternoons” over the recent festive period. You all know the one: sprawled across the couch, totally stuffed but still managing to find …
Laois Library Film Club: ‘Kiss of Death’ (1947)
The fourth and final film in our online season of classic films is the 1947 crime thriller ‘Kiss of Death’. Arguably (in this writer’s opinion at least!) the best film …