Services and Programmes

Children’s Summer Programme

July and August are dedicated to Cork City Libraries most avid Constant Readers – the children of the city. This summer children will be reading in their local libraries, devouring recommended reading lists, collecting special cards, taking part in art and design workshops, and in the inter-library literary quiz.

Astérix

Throughout July and August Sophie Delangle and Mary Timmons introduce children to the epic world of Astérix, Roman invaders and Gallic villages, through story and clay workshops. Alan Barrett will also host cartoon workshops where children 8-12 years will create bandes dessinées / comic strips of their own. Full Details available at your local library or from www.constantreader.ie.

Read your way to Parc Astérix

The lucky winner of the city wide literary quiz will jet off on a fabulous family holiday to Parc Astérix, a theme park north of Paris devoted to the characters in the French classic Astérix series. Qualifying rounds will take place in all Libraries in the City Council network, where children will be asked 70 literary questions. The Grand Finale is on August 28 when the final 7 will face quizmaster Seán Ó Laoghaire watched by families and friends. While the stakes are high a fun night is guaranteed for all!

Book Attack cards!

Book Attack Cards - encourage your child to read 30 books during July and August, and to collect her/his favourite author cards! Aimed at 8-10 year olds Book Attack. Cards will instil a passion for reading throughout the summer in a fun way. The authors include Jeremy Strong, Oisín McGann, Dick King-Smith, Michael Morpurgo,Lucy Daniels, and Don Conroy. Those who collect all 30 cards could win a prize!

Constant Colouring

On summer Saturdays younger readers will be busy colouring throughout the city’s libraries as they take part in the citywide inter-library Constant Colouring Competition, the winner of which will be announced at the grand finale night on August 28, the gala celebration night for all the Constant Reader summer activities for children.

Graphic Art Workshops

Workshops will be held throughout the summer for teenage constant readers.

A Sporting Read

The Irish summer takes its rhythm from sport, the GAA season progressively hotting up, the Irish Open in golf, the Derby and the point-to-points . . .
Writing on sport takes many forms; in these two months we bring you different takes on sport, its good sides, and bad, its ups and downs.

Tom Mac Sweeney

Tom MacSweeney worked as a reporter for The Cork Examiner, The Southern Star, the Irish Press and RTÉ in Belfast, Dublin and Cork. He had never owned a boat until he was assigned to Cork in the 1970s as RTÉ’s first Regional Correspondent. Serving as Munster Correspondent, an old fisherman in Kinsale told him …. ‘down here you should have a boat …’ So it was that, pushing thirty, he first learned to swim and took an adult training course on National 18 dinghies at Monkstown Bay Sailing Club, of which he is still a member. Currently seafaring correspondent for RTÉ, he has presented Seascapes for over 30 years; a programme that has become a national institution.
Tuesday 7 July, Central Library, 7.30pm Free but ticketed.

Gabriel Fitzmaurice

From Moyvane, in North Kerry, Gabriel Fitzmaurice is a bilingual poet, literary advisor, translator, teacher (retired), musician, broadcaster. Among his English poetry collections are Rainsong, Road to the Horizon, Dancing Through, The Father’s Part and The Village Sings. In Irish, he has published the collection Nocht. Not surprisingly for a native of the Kingdom, his thoughts regularly turn to sport, and his new book is In Praise of Football (Mercier Press).
Tuesday 28 July, Central Library, 7.30pm Free but ticketed.

Joe Humphreys

Journalist and author Joe Humphreys was born in Galway and educated at UCD, and is a long-suffering West Ham United fan. His first book looks at common teachings of the world’s major religions, while his latest Foul Play: What’s Wrong with Sport examines the darker side of our sporting passions. Foul Play was described by the Observer as ‘one of the year’s most amusing reads’, while the Times Literary Review said ‘this book will certainly shake some long-held beliefs’. Humphreys has worked as a news reporter, and as a correspondent from South Africa, for The Irish Times, and is currently an assistant news editor with the paper.
Tuesday 11 August, Central Library, 7.30pm Free but ticketed

You’re Booked

Well known Cork sportspeople, like Michael Moynihan, John Creedon and others will share their favourite books with other readers. A very special lunchtime.
Mon 6, Wed 8, Fri 10 of July and Mon 10, Wed 12, Fri 14 of August 1.15 to 2.00pm, Central Library.

Where we Sported and Played

Exhibition from the archives of the Evening Echo - evocative and historic photographs of sport in Cork through the decades.
Central Library and local libraries, during July & August.

July & August Events