Leitrim to welcome Laureate na nÓg’s ‘Whole Wild World’ Bus Tour

Manorhamilton Library will welcome a first-of-its-kind creative roadshow led by Laureate na nÓg Patricia Forde next Tuesday, April 16.

The ‘Whole Wild World’ Bus Tour will bring over 30 children’s authors and illustrators on a 1,400km journey along the Wild Atlantic Way, gifting a book for every kilometre to children at events on the way.

Invited school groups will take part in creative workshops and hear from Patricia Forde and children’s authors: Sadhbh Devlin, author of ‘Amuigh Faoin Spéir’, ‘Beag Bídeach’ and ‘Geansaí Ottó’; and Malachy Doyle, who has published over 100 titles from picture books to novels for young adults.

Speaking ahead of the tour, Patricia Forde said: “I’m very excited at the prospect of meeting young readers and writers in Leitrim.

“This tour is about igniting imaginations and ensuring that Leitrim will have another generation of great writers and illustrators by bringing books and their creators to an audience that doesn’t often get a chance to meet them in their own local area,” she added.

Elaina Ryan, CEO of Children’s Books Ireland, said: “It’s so important that our small towns, rural communities and more remote schools get access to really exciting and memorable experiences with Irish children’s books.

“Patricia Forde is our first Laureate na nÓg from the West of Ireland, and her goal with the Whole Wild World Bus Tour is to make sure that young readers all along the West Coast get to meet some of our most talented writers and illustrators and nurture the spark of creativity within themselves.”

The Whole Wild World Tour will visit schools, libraries, and cultural venues in a further seven counties over two weeks, concluding at Kinsale Library in Cork on Sunday, April 28.