Midland Arts and Culture Magazine - Register.ie

BriefsKINDERMUSIKPROGRAMMEKINDERMUSIK Programme is apartnership initiative betweenWestmeath and Offaly CountyCouncil and both VECs for youngchildren to experience music withtheir parents. It is an innovative,introductory music outreachprogramme specifically designed forpre-school children. The project isaimed at a variety of parent/childgroups and the end performancesare shared with the entirecommunity. The project runs inAthlone, Mullingar, Kinnegad,Daingean, Kilcormac and Clara andis currently facilitated by NoelO’Farrell. For further informationsee www.westmeathcoco.ie/artsor www.offaly.ie/artsCHICK LIT CHARMSTHE PUBLICBriege Madden talks to writer and overnight success Gráinne Toher who unveiledher first book at the launch of Culture Night in Dublin Castle over the summer andwho is already scribbling down words for a sequel due out in 2011/2012.GRÁINNE Toher, who has lived inMullingar for two years only unveiledher first chick lit novel Comings andGoings in the summer but has alreadycaptured the imagination at home andabroad as she packs her bags to headfor London and book signings inWaterstones in the New Year.And, not one to put the pen downGrainne has already beencommissioned for book two and isalready working on a sequel.Gráinne told Midlands Arts and CultureMagazine: "The launch with theMullingar Scribblers as part of theWestmeath Culture Night in theAnnebrook Hotel was fantastic! Wehad a great crowd and a great night.”Comings and Goings has beendescribed as a 'great little read' by herfriends and colleagues. But acclaimhas also been independent andwidespread with Keith Finneganfrom Galway Bay FM describing it as“a lovely little story, with something foreveryone” and The Meath Chronicleclaiming, “Gráinne Toher belongs to anew breed of confident women writerswho write about modern life as theysee it”.In recent months Gráinne has beenbusy with book signings andreadings in places and for groups asdiverse as Blanchardstown Library,Ilac Library, Tuam Library, MullingarLibrary, Boyne Writers Group,Scribblers Writers Group, MullingarBook Club Meet Up and the Centre forCreative Arts in Dublin - to name only afew. She is now also a regular on airhaving been interviewed on Phoenix FMand Galway Bay FM. She said: "Thereaction has been fantastic. Mostpeople see it as a cheerful brightbook with a pink cover in these gloomytimes. It’s a good news story in badnews times. People are respondingvery well and the publisher hasreported the sales as consistent andvery good."Speaking about her new book Gráinnerevealed: "My new book is, again,inspired by popular culture and eventsgoing on around me. I'd say we arelooking at another year or year anda half before it hits the shelves. I havea new set of characters and they arestarting to take shape and take on alife of their own, I'm having loads offun with it.“I showed some of the chapters to myhusband Michael (Ahearne) and mymum Mary (Toher) and they got a fewlaughs. It touches on serious thingsagain like the other book but withloads of humour and lets face it wecan all use a laugh these days."When asked if she felt more pressurewriting this second book Gráinneresponded by saying: "Not yet! Thefirst book was such an adventure, plusthe reaction and subsequent successwas such a surprise that I am justtrying to approach the second one thesame way – do a bit of it every day if Ican, enjoy the creative process and letgo of the outcome!“Throughout the whole thing, I'vediscovered anything is possible -literally! Like me, they [my friends andfamily] think it’s all a bit mad reallybut they enjoyed the book and keepasking me how the second one isgoing."MIDLAND YOUTHORCHESTRATHE MIDLANDS Youth Orchestra,based in Kinnegad, provides anopportunity for young people fromvarious ensembles across theMidlands to perform together underconductor and director VincentHunt. The initiative has proved ahuge success with the orchestraplaying numerous concerts invarious locations throughout themidlands as well as the NationalConcert Hall in Dublin. The LirYouth Orchestra is the WestmeathOrchestra of the Midlands YouthOrchestra. Both projects aresupported by Westmeath, Laoisand Offaly County Councils and theVECs. For further information seewww.westmeathcoco.ie/artswww.laois.ie/artswww.offaly.ie/artsTAKING TOTHE STAGELAOIS Youth Theatre are currentlyre-enroling members for the nextterm. New members are alsowelcome to join the different groupsin the county and these include:Portlaoise, Portarlington,Mountrath, Stradbally andRathdowney. For more informationcontact 057 8674342/41.Westmeath Culture Night 2010SEE PAGE 289