Excitement is building around the launch of Mathilda’s Tale, a 12 page book written and illustrated by myself, taking place on March 16th at the Civic Trust in Askeaton, Co. Limerick at 8pm. The good folk of the town have been most kind to me over the years of my association with Welcome to the Neighborhood ( Askeaton Contemporary Arts Festival ), and local tour guide Anthony Sheehy and Anita Guinane particularly deserve my thanks.
Mathilda ( née Squealer, née Cáit ), a fluffy tabby cat along with her brother Tricky were repatriated to the small town from my shed in Thomondgate about 5 years ago after some ingenious trapping. She found a fantastic new home with the Horrigan family, but in 2013 a Bold Blackbird took umbrage at her presence and proceeded to harass her at every turn. What happened next you’ll have to peruse the book to find out!
My sincere thanks to Anne and Michele Horrigan and Seán Lynch for providing a nice home for the pair, and indeed for looking after me over the years. Also my thanks to Chris of McKerns printing in Limerick for their excellent and accommodating services.
A big shout out also to Allan Hughes, a Welcome to the Neighborhood Alumnus who will present his work simultaneously on the night in question, with work pertaining to ‘The Emergency’ as the World War 2 period in Ireland was called, and local circumstances at the time.
If you can come the following day, my good friend and ( also ) fellow Askeaton Alumnus Susan MacWilliam will have a float or variation thereof in the St. Patrick’s Day parade. It’s inspired by the fall of a meteorite on the town in the 1800’s and should be great fun. Lets hope for good weather!!