Read and write all the time: Ballivor author’s sage advice to Nobber

Ballivor-born author John Quinn was the special guest at a number of events in Nobber recently as part of the O’Carolan College Literacy Project which involved first year and transition year students of the school and pupils from the surrounding primary schools of Carrickleck, St Joseph’s, Kingscourt; Heronstown, Newtown, Nobber, Rathkenny, Kilmainhamwood, Drumconrath, Meath Hill, Wilkinstown and Kilbeg. Transition year students and members of active retirement groups in the Nobber and surrounding areas attended. The theme of his talk was writing, from creative and memoirs to autobiographical. Well-qualified to advise, John Quinn has written several books for adults and children including 'The Summer of Lily and Esme’, which won the Bisto Children’s Book of the Year in 1992; 'Sea of Love, Sea of Loss’, written as a tribute to his late wife, Olive, who passed away in 2001, and 'The Will To Win’, a biography of Meath GAA manager Sean Boylan. He also discussed arguably his most famous work, 'Goodnight Ballivor, I’ll Sleep In Trim’, which grew out of a radio documentary. If you want to be a writer, then write all the time, all kinds, all forms, and very importantly, he advised. And read, all the time. His next piece of advice might seem to the more polite-minded to be a little unconventional - to eavesdrop, be a sponge, listen to how people talk, to stories and how people tell them, be curious, ignore what we’re told about what it did to the cat! On Thursday Quinn gave an hour-long presentation to pupils from primary schools in the area on writing skills and writing development. He discussed how he got the ideas for his children’s books, including 'Specky Becky’ and 'Bill and Fred’. Rosemary McCabe, home school community liaison officer and a teacher in O’Carolan College, organised the event. She is very grateful to Nobber Vintage Club Fair Day Committee, Johnny Keogan, local publican, and Fr Seamus Houlihan, PP, Nobber, for their generous sponsorship, which made the event possible. Ms McCabe also thanked Imelda Griffin of Nobber Library and Nobber Community Hall Committee for allowing the use of the venues for the talks.