I do love the fact that this festival is in October. The Autumnal atmosphere is a perfect setting as people prepare for Halloween and this festival nicely sets up the Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons for me. Due to this festival, the last three months of the last 6 years have had a wonderful completed feel about them… So October is the perfect month for this… But…
I have been introduced to a minor disadvantage of the festival taking place in October, it coincides with the X-Factor hotting up. Now I do not watch the X-Factor but thanks to wall-to-wall coverage, I do seem to know quite a bit about it, but this year I decided would be different. I will make myself ignorant of the show, anytime I saw an article or it came on another television show I would put my fingers in my ears, close my eyes and go, “Blah Blah Blah” until it had ended…
Now what has this to do with the Children’s Book Festival? I hear you ask with emphasised impatience… I shall tell you…
I arrived in Cork at around 1330hrs on Monday 18th October 2010. Getting a taxi from Kent station to my hotel, the taxi driver seeing my guitar asked if I was there for the Jazz (Something I was asked by all taxi drivers whilst here.) when I replied in the negative and explained why I was in Cork. Then he asked me, ‘I suppose you watch the X-Factor?’ again I replied in the negative and he took this as an indication that I wanted to know all about it. So I now know about Mary, Wagner, feuding judges and all sorts about a show I was hoping to avoid… Oh well.
I was back in Cork though, a place I’ve spoken about my fondness for before, but this time was a bit bittersweet, as my wife was unable to accompany me and Cork without my wife is like Laurel without Hardy, although she’d prefer a more romantic analogy. But I was in Cork and I was determined to make the best of my time here.
My first reading was on the following day at the Grand Parade Library in the Centre of Cork. A place I had visited many times. A class of all boys entered and I went straight into the Coat-hanger song. My first poem produced giggles from some of the boys and this did me the world of good, I’ve been feeling a bit down about my art recently thinking that it was unloved and not wanted, the sound of a child giggling immediately put paid to that idea… and also put me on cloud nine… I was feeling so good as I completed the rest of the performance and hopefully this came across. Limericks were well written and there was a continuation of the giggling throughout the session.
This set up the next session nicely. The setting for this Tory top Library, where the librarian Mary recognised me from a previous reading. The group that entered were an all girl group. This was another successful reading and performance where the children enjoyed themselves and the teacher asked what my book was called and where it can be purchased…
The following day I had two readings again, and the mix was identical the first class was boys and the second were all girls. The first session was at Mayfair Library and was again very successful. Questions were asked, Giggles were heard and there was also a request for more songs… I couldn’t comply due to time issues, but it was a nice request to hear. The second group of the day was to be found in Bishopstown library, which is convenient as this is where the taxi driver took me. The taxi driver for this leg of the journey, had been in Tory Top Library whilst I was in there and he loved my song, New Shoes Blues, this set up my mood nicely for a wonderful last session.
The last group of the day, Cork and the Festival itself, really enjoyed the session. Wonderful Limericks were written, enthusiastic questions were asked and there was clapping accompanying my songs. They had sought me out on the internet and werem familiar with my song, 'Mis-Spelt Football Team Blues'. One question asked was, ‘How long does it take to write a poem?’ and I normally answer this question by reading a poem of mine (From my new collection, Dublin’s lesser spotted creatures) which took me the duration of washing my hands to write, and then go on to explain other poems take weeks to get right, so there is no hard and fast rules. At this answer one young girl put her hand up to tell me that she once wrote a song whilst eating her dinner, but unfortunately by the time she finished the song had been forgotten. I can certainly sympathise with this, this has happened to me on many occasions, so I reiterated the importance of always having a notebook with you, although probably not at the dinner table.
So again, a successful Children’s Book Festival was had by me… Here’s hoping next year will be as good.
Showing posts with label Cork. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cork. Show all posts
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
My CBF 2009, Part Nine
I have spoken of my and my wife’s, love for Cork before, it was the place I moved to when I came to live in Ireland and there are so many things within Cork that we love to visit…
And fortunately, the Children’s Book festival allows me and my wife, to revisit Cork on a yearly basis. For all the years I’ve been doing the CBF, I’ve been in Cork county Libraries, all except this year, but Cork City Libraries are the one’s I shall be reading at this year, so the Poet shall go to Cork and his wife shall be accompanying him, which means a visual record of the event will be made and you do not just have to take the ramblings of myself as proof the events I am talking about happened.
So we got to Cork early Sunday afternoon and went for a walk through a few old haunts. Coffee was had in my favourite Coffee shop, Cork Coffee Roasters, (See picture) where we purchased some ground coffee as well.
My wife spent the evening with a friend of hers, whilst I did some work on Sunday evening… and then came Monday, which was the day of my first Cork readings this year.
And that is why anyone reads this blog isn’t it, you want to know about how the Children are enjoying my poetry and song, not about the poet and his wife and where they drink their coffee… But if I can be allowed one last digression…
on April 20th 2005, a poet and his wife began a journey from their house to Mayfield Library as part of the World book week celebrations. The poet was nervous as this was his first ever reading and he really hoped it would go well, after Mayfield it was on to Grand Parade for his second ever reading… This poet was me, so Cork is more than just my old residence and somewhere I love to visit, it is the place that I began what I am doing now.
But the story of my first reading is for another blog, we are back to Monday 19th October 2009 and we start with a lovely Breakfast with Coffee. We are then taken to Grand Parade Library which is the venue of my first reading.
Grand Parade is decorated with Balloons and posters and looks really nice. I set up my stuff, and wait for the Children to enter.
This may not be my first performance at Cork City Libraries, but it is my first with a guitar, and as the Children are seated, I begin with the Coat-Hanger Song and it is well received, so bang goes that myth about me not being able to play guitar well in Cork City Libraries. The session as a whole goes really well, and Limericks are well written by all… My poem, ‘Unwanted Spider’ seems to generate a lot of questions, including a young girl asking me why it wasn’t just flushed down the toilet or the plughole? I explained that there would have been no poem if I had done that, but I did suggest that this may be the scenario of another poem…
After Grand Parade I was taken to Bishopstown Library, a Library I have never been to before, and it was the venue of another great performance. Limericks and questions were good and after the performance a teacher asked us if she could purchase one of my books, and we hadn’t brought any with us… Oh Well. A video of me reading, ‘Tested on Animals’, from this session can be viewed below, it even has a bonus joke thrown in.
This was my last reading of the day, so me and my wife did many Cork based things in the afternoon, which I’m sure you all want to read about, but you won’t. Not here anyway.
The following morning, after an identical breakfast, we were then driven to Mayfield Library where it all began. Mayfield Library seems a lot bigger than it did before, but I was assured that no growing took place in the four and a half years since we were here.
An all boy group entered and seemed a bit shy, they didn’t seem to want to join in with the Coat-Hanger song, but they soon warmed up and seemed to enjoy my poems and songs. A Rock’N’Roll song was requested from me and it just so happens I had a perfect one to give them, my song about a Rock’N’Rolling Worm.
We were then taken to, Tory Top Library, another one we had never been to. We met up again with Eileen, the Librarian who was Children’s Librartian back in 2005 and who, therefore, gave me my poetic break, so that was good. She is mentioned in the acknowledgements of my book.
An all girl class came in an again an enjoyable session was had. This was a particularly giggly group and that is always good to hear when you intend to provide jocularity with what you write.
Our final destination of the day, and of Cork for this year, was Douglas Library. Now I have been there before, but it had changed so much, that it was like a new Library.
Our final class was again all boys, and an enjoyable time was again had. The Q & A session descended into a joke telling session and that is never a bad thing.
So then we went to Kent station and out of Cork for this year. Although we had such an enjoyable time, that we have decided we would like to come back before Christmas.
Home to Howth, and then on to my final destination for the CBF 2009, Donegal.
Photos from Cork can be seen below.
And fortunately, the Children’s Book festival allows me and my wife, to revisit Cork on a yearly basis. For all the years I’ve been doing the CBF, I’ve been in Cork county Libraries, all except this year, but Cork City Libraries are the one’s I shall be reading at this year, so the Poet shall go to Cork and his wife shall be accompanying him, which means a visual record of the event will be made and you do not just have to take the ramblings of myself as proof the events I am talking about happened.
So we got to Cork early Sunday afternoon and went for a walk through a few old haunts. Coffee was had in my favourite Coffee shop, Cork Coffee Roasters, (See picture) where we purchased some ground coffee as well.
My wife spent the evening with a friend of hers, whilst I did some work on Sunday evening… and then came Monday, which was the day of my first Cork readings this year.
And that is why anyone reads this blog isn’t it, you want to know about how the Children are enjoying my poetry and song, not about the poet and his wife and where they drink their coffee… But if I can be allowed one last digression…
on April 20th 2005, a poet and his wife began a journey from their house to Mayfield Library as part of the World book week celebrations. The poet was nervous as this was his first ever reading and he really hoped it would go well, after Mayfield it was on to Grand Parade for his second ever reading… This poet was me, so Cork is more than just my old residence and somewhere I love to visit, it is the place that I began what I am doing now.
But the story of my first reading is for another blog, we are back to Monday 19th October 2009 and we start with a lovely Breakfast with Coffee. We are then taken to Grand Parade Library which is the venue of my first reading.
Grand Parade is decorated with Balloons and posters and looks really nice. I set up my stuff, and wait for the Children to enter.
This may not be my first performance at Cork City Libraries, but it is my first with a guitar, and as the Children are seated, I begin with the Coat-Hanger Song and it is well received, so bang goes that myth about me not being able to play guitar well in Cork City Libraries. The session as a whole goes really well, and Limericks are well written by all… My poem, ‘Unwanted Spider’ seems to generate a lot of questions, including a young girl asking me why it wasn’t just flushed down the toilet or the plughole? I explained that there would have been no poem if I had done that, but I did suggest that this may be the scenario of another poem…
After Grand Parade I was taken to Bishopstown Library, a Library I have never been to before, and it was the venue of another great performance. Limericks and questions were good and after the performance a teacher asked us if she could purchase one of my books, and we hadn’t brought any with us… Oh Well. A video of me reading, ‘Tested on Animals’, from this session can be viewed below, it even has a bonus joke thrown in.
This was my last reading of the day, so me and my wife did many Cork based things in the afternoon, which I’m sure you all want to read about, but you won’t. Not here anyway.
The following morning, after an identical breakfast, we were then driven to Mayfield Library where it all began. Mayfield Library seems a lot bigger than it did before, but I was assured that no growing took place in the four and a half years since we were here.
An all boy group entered and seemed a bit shy, they didn’t seem to want to join in with the Coat-Hanger song, but they soon warmed up and seemed to enjoy my poems and songs. A Rock’N’Roll song was requested from me and it just so happens I had a perfect one to give them, my song about a Rock’N’Rolling Worm.
We were then taken to, Tory Top Library, another one we had never been to. We met up again with Eileen, the Librarian who was Children’s Librartian back in 2005 and who, therefore, gave me my poetic break, so that was good. She is mentioned in the acknowledgements of my book.
An all girl class came in an again an enjoyable session was had. This was a particularly giggly group and that is always good to hear when you intend to provide jocularity with what you write.
Our final destination of the day, and of Cork for this year, was Douglas Library. Now I have been there before, but it had changed so much, that it was like a new Library.
Our final class was again all boys, and an enjoyable time was again had. The Q & A session descended into a joke telling session and that is never a bad thing.
So then we went to Kent station and out of Cork for this year. Although we had such an enjoyable time, that we have decided we would like to come back before Christmas.
Home to Howth, and then on to my final destination for the CBF 2009, Donegal.
Photos from Cork can be seen below.
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Children’s Book Festival 2008 part three
Days 3,4 and 5 - County Cork Libraries.
I write this whilst travelling from Cork to Dublin, it is written the old fashioned pen and paper way… I hope to have this typed up on Saturday, but I will not promise…
When I get to Dublin I will travel up to the final County I will be performing in, Monaghan.
I hoped to write a blog after every day, but tiredness became me too much last night, so part three of my festival blog will encompass 2 days of performing and one of travelling.
Anyone reading this far will have the impression that that I have been experiencing new things during this festival… Well this blog will document a wonderful trip of familiarity as well as new experiences. This is my fourth year doing the Children’s Book Festival and there has been one constant through each four, County Cork which is where I’ve just been.
Travelling down on Monday afternoon taking a journey I’d taken many times. Arriving at a B&B We had stayed in for the last two years. In the evening, my wife and I walked down the familiar St Patrick’s Street, over to the familiar Oliver Plunkett Street to go to a favourite restaurant of Ours, The Indian Palace. Both me and Daria love Cork, it is where we both lived when we first met, in fact it is where we first met…
Even the first library visited was a Library I had performed in before, Charleville… When the girls arrived, I asked them if they had encountered me before and the response was 100% negative. I deduced from this that I was either so boring they’d forgotten me, or that it was a different class I read to before, I will chose to believe the Latter.
I do feel sorry for people who come to this blog hoping to find a disastrous and humiliating experience for me, because I am sorry to report that it was another successful performance. I was a bit worried about the reading due to the doom and gloom predicted by Ryan Tubridy and his guests on his Radio show that was on in the car on the way down. I was questioning myself, whether I can be funny, knowing that Brian Lenihan might be putting a tax on it later…
Luckily it didn’t affect me and I even got a joke out of it, when I read a poem called ‘Christmas in July’ I ask if anyone can tell me when Christmas day is, a young girl responded with, ‘25th December just around the corner.’ I then responded with, ‘Well that depends on whether Mr Lenihan decides to cancel it in his budget.’ This statement was met with horrified gasps and even a call for industrial action on the pupils side…
Again, Comment sheets were not used during the reading, but many of the children informed me that an enjoyable time was had by them.l
The next Library was Millstreet Library where again, Poetry, Jollity and Rock’N’Roll combined in a wonderful way. This class was all boys who really enjoyed the football section, and again requests were made to me to write poems for other football teams. One of the teachers is a Tottenham fan, so hopefully he appreciated it to. I included a Q+A session again at the end, which soon descended into a joke telling session which was fun.
It was an exceptionally tired Poet and Wife that arrived back in Cork City, in fact neither of us felt good at all and we realised rest was the best thing for us. Unfortunately I had errands to do on McCurtain Street, although this meant I could buy a Coffee in the cafe ‘Cork Coffee Roasters’, which is a Café I would highly recommend. On my return, a decision was made to rest and I decided not to write out a blog. We spent the evening in having Pizza and waiting for Prison Break and Desperate Housewives to come on the Telly… But at 2100 hrs, we discovered that Prison Break was not on, Victoria Beckham: Coming to America was on instead, which made us feel a lot worse.
The following day meant a change of T-Shirt. Now I know I mentioned in a previous blog that I will talk about my Charlie Brown T-Shirt and anyone reading it will probably wonder why would you need to explain a T-shirt to us? Well I’ll explain and hopefully that will answer that question for you. Last Thanksgiving, I went to America to spend time with my In-Laws and wife’s family. Before I went, a question was asked if I would provide some idea’s regarding gifts I might like at Christmas, and I made a suggestion of a Charlie Brown Zig-Zag T-shirt due to my Love of all Things Peanuts. When asked by, her family, ‘Why would Paul want a Charlie Brown T-Shirt?’ her response was, ‘I have no idea, maybe he wants to wear it for his performances?’ When she informed me of this conversation, I replied, ‘No, it’s because Charlie Brown is Cool.’ But then I thought what a great idea… So anyone who has seen me perform comedy, poetry or song at the end of last year and all of this year, will have seen me wearing my Charlie Brown T-Shirt… Now that may be good for the occasional Comedy night or the occasional reading, but if I was to do that for the Children’s Book festival eventually the T-Shirt will get up and do the performance itself… So I needed a change of T-Shirt in Cork so that I can wear it in Monaghan. Although I do believe it is rather fetching, do you?
The two readings today were in Fermoy and Mitchelstown again both went exceptionally well. In Fermoy a mixed class danced along to ‘New Shoes Blues’ and ‘Joe the Wriggly Rock’N’Roll star’, The Poetry was also enjoyed and I received many enquiries as to where my poetry can be purchased. I also got many interesting questions, including, ‘Why does Helium make your voice go Squeaky?’ I had no idea.
The next class were all Girl’s who all wanted my autograph at the end. I got many great compliments including various requests to go on X-Factor. When I tried to explain that Simon and Louis would not agree with them and besides I do not like queuing, they informed me that they are sure I would do well.
So I felt really good, and tired, as I was taken to the train Station to get the train, and this is where I am now… I’ll write from Monaghan.
I write this whilst travelling from Cork to Dublin, it is written the old fashioned pen and paper way… I hope to have this typed up on Saturday, but I will not promise…
When I get to Dublin I will travel up to the final County I will be performing in, Monaghan.
I hoped to write a blog after every day, but tiredness became me too much last night, so part three of my festival blog will encompass 2 days of performing and one of travelling.
Anyone reading this far will have the impression that that I have been experiencing new things during this festival… Well this blog will document a wonderful trip of familiarity as well as new experiences. This is my fourth year doing the Children’s Book Festival and there has been one constant through each four, County Cork which is where I’ve just been.
Travelling down on Monday afternoon taking a journey I’d taken many times. Arriving at a B&B We had stayed in for the last two years. In the evening, my wife and I walked down the familiar St Patrick’s Street, over to the familiar Oliver Plunkett Street to go to a favourite restaurant of Ours, The Indian Palace. Both me and Daria love Cork, it is where we both lived when we first met, in fact it is where we first met…
Even the first library visited was a Library I had performed in before, Charleville… When the girls arrived, I asked them if they had encountered me before and the response was 100% negative. I deduced from this that I was either so boring they’d forgotten me, or that it was a different class I read to before, I will chose to believe the Latter.
I do feel sorry for people who come to this blog hoping to find a disastrous and humiliating experience for me, because I am sorry to report that it was another successful performance. I was a bit worried about the reading due to the doom and gloom predicted by Ryan Tubridy and his guests on his Radio show that was on in the car on the way down. I was questioning myself, whether I can be funny, knowing that Brian Lenihan might be putting a tax on it later…
Luckily it didn’t affect me and I even got a joke out of it, when I read a poem called ‘Christmas in July’ I ask if anyone can tell me when Christmas day is, a young girl responded with, ‘25th December just around the corner.’ I then responded with, ‘Well that depends on whether Mr Lenihan decides to cancel it in his budget.’ This statement was met with horrified gasps and even a call for industrial action on the pupils side…
Again, Comment sheets were not used during the reading, but many of the children informed me that an enjoyable time was had by them.l
The next Library was Millstreet Library where again, Poetry, Jollity and Rock’N’Roll combined in a wonderful way. This class was all boys who really enjoyed the football section, and again requests were made to me to write poems for other football teams. One of the teachers is a Tottenham fan, so hopefully he appreciated it to. I included a Q+A session again at the end, which soon descended into a joke telling session which was fun.
It was an exceptionally tired Poet and Wife that arrived back in Cork City, in fact neither of us felt good at all and we realised rest was the best thing for us. Unfortunately I had errands to do on McCurtain Street, although this meant I could buy a Coffee in the cafe ‘Cork Coffee Roasters’, which is a Café I would highly recommend. On my return, a decision was made to rest and I decided not to write out a blog. We spent the evening in having Pizza and waiting for Prison Break and Desperate Housewives to come on the Telly… But at 2100 hrs, we discovered that Prison Break was not on, Victoria Beckham: Coming to America was on instead, which made us feel a lot worse.
The following day meant a change of T-Shirt. Now I know I mentioned in a previous blog that I will talk about my Charlie Brown T-Shirt and anyone reading it will probably wonder why would you need to explain a T-shirt to us? Well I’ll explain and hopefully that will answer that question for you. Last Thanksgiving, I went to America to spend time with my In-Laws and wife’s family. Before I went, a question was asked if I would provide some idea’s regarding gifts I might like at Christmas, and I made a suggestion of a Charlie Brown Zig-Zag T-shirt due to my Love of all Things Peanuts. When asked by, her family, ‘Why would Paul want a Charlie Brown T-Shirt?’ her response was, ‘I have no idea, maybe he wants to wear it for his performances?’ When she informed me of this conversation, I replied, ‘No, it’s because Charlie Brown is Cool.’ But then I thought what a great idea… So anyone who has seen me perform comedy, poetry or song at the end of last year and all of this year, will have seen me wearing my Charlie Brown T-Shirt… Now that may be good for the occasional Comedy night or the occasional reading, but if I was to do that for the Children’s Book festival eventually the T-Shirt will get up and do the performance itself… So I needed a change of T-Shirt in Cork so that I can wear it in Monaghan. Although I do believe it is rather fetching, do you?
The two readings today were in Fermoy and Mitchelstown again both went exceptionally well. In Fermoy a mixed class danced along to ‘New Shoes Blues’ and ‘Joe the Wriggly Rock’N’Roll star’, The Poetry was also enjoyed and I received many enquiries as to where my poetry can be purchased. I also got many interesting questions, including, ‘Why does Helium make your voice go Squeaky?’ I had no idea.
The next class were all Girl’s who all wanted my autograph at the end. I got many great compliments including various requests to go on X-Factor. When I tried to explain that Simon and Louis would not agree with them and besides I do not like queuing, they informed me that they are sure I would do well.
So I felt really good, and tired, as I was taken to the train Station to get the train, and this is where I am now… I’ll write from Monaghan.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
