Book battle breaks out in Swords

A

‘BATTLE’ broke out in Fingal County Hall, Swords, last Friday week, January 17, at the launch of a reading initiative.

Pupils from local schools – Oliver Plunkett’s, Malahide, St Mologas, Balbriggan, St Colmcille’s, Swords, St Patrick’s Corduff and Rush National School, attended the launch of the Battle of the Book reading programme competition, which is running from January and May between Fingal Libraries.

The event, which is being kindly supported by the Dublin Airport Authority, was won last year by Rush National School.

The aim of the programme is to get children reading, by using a multi-disciplinary interactive approach with drama, art, creative writing and an active competition element between the different schools and their local library.

The programme is designed to encourage the children to read and gain confidence, to discuss a common book providing a shared experience of reading to ignite a reading for life culture.

As well as reading the book

‘Stormclouds’, by Brian Gallagher, the children will be participating in different activities organised by Fingal Libraries surrounding the themes presented in the book. The big finale of the programme will end in a battle (quiz) to be held in May.

Mayor of Fingal Kieran Dennison got the battle started by presenting the schools with a copy of the book

‘Stormclouds’ for each of the children and their teachers.

On the day of the launch, the children met the book’s author Brian Gallagher along with librarians from each of the libraries involved.

Fingal County Council Acting County Manager, Peter Caulfield, and Maura Cassidy, from the daa, were also in attendance.

For more information on the reading programme you can contact Susan Lovatt at Blanchardstown Library ([email protected] 01-8905578) or Nora Finnegan at Rush Library ([email protected] 01-8708414)