Books written and illustrated by Dublin schoolchildren join Book of Kells exhibition
Posted on: 10 April 2019
An exhibition of 80 handmade books written and illustrated by Dublin primary schoolchildren was unveiled by award-winning children’s book author Dave Rudden in the iconic Old Library of Trinity College Dublin last night.
The exhibition marks the culmination of the Bookmarks programme which sees Dublin primary school children write and illustrate their own books over a two-month period with the help of authors, artists and children’s book specialists from Trinity.
Children from 5th and 6th class pupils from Scoil Cholmchille SNS, Ballybrack; Our Lady of Good Counsel BNS, Drimnagh; and Marist Primary School, Crumlin will see their own creations go on display in the awe-inspiring Long Room. Their books will then become part of Trinity’s permanent collection of over six million printed volumes including the world-renowned Book of Kells.
Kathleen O’Toole-Brennan, Trinity Access Programmes, said: “Here at Trinity Access Programmes we are very proud of the Bookmarks initiative and the unique opportunity it provides for children to acquire new skills and to be exposed to the world of children’s literature in a very hands-on way. We are delighted to unveil these beautiful works of art and literature. Our outreach programmes attract over 10,000 students annually, and with continued involvement, these students and their peers will successfully make the transition to both second and third level.”
This year the Bookmarks programme focused on the theme ‘Creatures and Creations’ and writing and illustrating workshops were delivered by Sine Quinn, Catherine Ann Cullen and Angela McDonagh. Inspiration for the book making workshops was provided by staff from the Library and the School of English, who introduced the children to the Library’s Pollard Collection – the largest collection of children’s books in Ireland, comprising over 10,000 books dating from the 17th century to the early 20th century.
The wide range of topics that fired the children’s imagination is evident from the titles of their books this year which include: The Adventures of Kevin the Carrot; Fighting My Thoughts and The Mysterious Box.
Helen Shelton, Librarian and College Archivist, Trinity, added: “The TAP Bookmarks event is a high point in the year here in the Long Room. We love getting the chance to invite these talented new authors into our most special place on campus, and seeing their work placed beside 200,000 of the oldest books in the university’s collection.”
The Bookmarks exhibition will be on display in Trinity’s Long Room as part of the Book of Kells exhibition until Sunday 28th, April 2019.
About Trinity Access Programmes:
The Trinity Access Programmes support people from areas with low progression rates to higher education to reach their full educational potential. We offer a range of access programmes for people with the enthusiasm, motivation and ability to succeed at third-level. We engage with communities and schools in low progression areas to encourage a positive mindset and support real steps towards going to University. Our programmes range from primary school students right through to postgraduates.