Laureate na nÓg Eoin Colfer will launch Once Upon A Place, a nationwide tour of storytelling, this Friday, October 10th, on the Hook Peninsula, Co Wexford.

The best-selling author of novels such as the Artemis Fowl series and Benny and Omar grew up near Hook Head and many of his stories were inspired by the area. “I’m pleased to be able to start this new initiative on home ground,” Colfer said. “My priority as Laureate na nÓg is to bring stories to children all over Ireland, particularly those in remote areas that might not normally receive visits from writers, so where better to start than in that magical place, the Hook?”

In the first event, Eoin Colfer, Grainne Clear and writer-illustrator PJ Lynch will be telling stories to schoolchildren from three primary schools in Co Wexford in the landmarks of Hook Head Lighthouse and Loftus Hall, the inspiration for Eoin’s Fowl Manor in the Artemis Fowl books.

The Once Upon A Place programme has three strands: the first brings stories to children all over Ireland, reaching places that might not normally be prioritised eg schools that are not part of a writers in schools scheme, remote communities that may not have had a visiting storyteller before, or youth/reading groups that may not have funding to access visiting artists. Eoin’s second focus is on fantastic places: extraordinary settings in which to stage very special and memorable storytelling events to spark children’s imaginations and bring the magic of story and of books to young people. In a third strand, Eoin is editing an anthology of original short stories written by well-known Irish writers for children as well as other prominent Irish personalities from the worlds of literature, music, comedy, TV and sport.

Read the full story on the Irish Times website