A chara, – Thinking back to my youth, I don’t recall there being many books by Irish authors set in Ireland whose intended audience were Irish children. And while Billy Bunter and the Famous Five were all well and good, and in fairness I enjoyed them immensely and loved them dearly, I still remember the sense of disconnection I felt while reading them: this wasn’t my world; these weren’t the landscapes I knew, the speech patterns I was familiar with, or the values of the people around me. Irish characters, when they occurred, seemed intended largely for light relief.
Looking at the O’Brien Press website, I see things have changed dramatically for the better. They have a plethora of books for children by Irish authors, featuring Irish characters, taking place in Ireland.
Will they be able to continue to provide quality Irish fiction aimed at Irish children minus the Arts Council grant? I don’t know; but given the small size of the Irish market it is difficult to see how.
Which is why I think the grant should be restored in full. It’s the only way to guarantee that things don’t go back to the way they used to be, with our children restricted to whatever happens to dominate the UK market. Our children are, I believe, worth it. – Is mise,
Rev PATRICK G BURKE,
Castlecomer,
Co Kilkenny.