February 17, 2011
By Staff Reporter
What captured my interest was the fact that this book is written in Irish. This is the first book of its kind I have come across, and I was delighted to have a quick flick through it. It proves that there is a new fresh approach and attitude towards Irish — and the fact that there is a demand for such a book to be published speaks for itself. The book was titled “What Happened Between Mommy and Daddy?” It deals with the situation when the relationship between the parents does not work out, and about the big change that the child will feel when the parents split up. This book is suitable for children who come from a family with happily married parents but who are perhaps asking questions as to why the parents of a student in their class are not living together.
I am very much looking forward to reading the rest of the books in this series. From the minute I picked it up, I knew it was something different and something that has long been needed. A child should be able to live his or her life completely through their native tongue. Another type of book that is needed in Irish is a book for children dealing with death. I’m not sure if such a book has been published. I have carried out some research and cannot find one as of yet. If one has never been published, then I may very well write one myself, seeing as my family in Wexford are funeral directors. It is important that children learn how to deal with difficult times and it is even more natural for them if they can read about it in a language with which they feel comfortable. I was able to read Irish before English, and this is the case for many of the children in Ireland: those attending Irish language schools, or who live in Irish-speaking areas of Ireland, and those who are being raised through Irish all over the world. If you have published a book in Irish which you would like me to review, please send me a copy at the office of The Irish Echo, 11 Hanover Square, New York, NY 10005.
Regarding my week in An Daingean, I know I will get numerous emails from readers if I do not tell you all about the week. I had an absolute blast! We visited Dunquin and Ballyferriter, also but spent most of our time in An Daingean. The best pub I was in was Foxy John’s, which is a hardware store and pub in one! We met the owner’s daughter, who was very nice to us. I always make a point of visiting Foxy John’s when in An Daingean
A large group of us stayed in the Skellig Hotel on the edge of the town: my parents, my brother C