In the first of a series of Westmeath County Council Decade of Centenaries podcasts, Paul Hughes, Historian in Residence, talks to John Sheehan, Senior Lecturer at the Department of Archaeology, University College, Cork, about the lives and deaths of the Tormey brothers of Moate. In January 1921, Joseph Tormey was shot dead by a British […]
On the night of Friday, 15 April 1921, a well-known solicitor from Mullingar left the apparent peace and quiet of Kinnegad and was heading for home via Griffinstown, near Coralstown, when what seemed like an ordinary evening took an unexpected turn. It was 11.30 at night, and in times of limited motorised traffic, John E. […]
The Hugo awards celebrate the world of science fiction and fantasy. Every year they are awarded at a convention that travels the world. Anyone who signs up to attend the yearly convention is a member and can nominate and vote on the winners. This year's nominees in have just been announced, Due to the current […]
You're invited to join Annemarie Ní Churreáin for a zoom cuppa & chat this evening (14 April 2021) at 7pm. We'll be meeting for an hour to read and discuss Pangur Bán, an Old Irish poem (9th century) by an Irish monk about his cat! We'll read Heaney's English translation here (and his translator's notes) And I'm delighted that book-club […]
Three authors have been shortlisted for this year's John McGahern Book Prize for debut Irish Fiction. Niamh Campbell for This Happy Cathy Sweeney for Modern Times Hilary Fannin for The Weight of Love (Borrow ebook) Under the current Covid-19 restrictions public libraries in Ireland are closed, but once we reopen you can request these titles […]
This could have been a non-fiction title, and have become heavy with data, instead it is a work of fiction enriched by all the research it must have required. The book has three intertwinning stories, with beginnings in England in 1852, the United States in 2007, and China in 2098. And all this is what […]
In the year 2000, Irish Times journalist and poet Rosita Boland set herself the task of reading the 13th edition of the Chambers Dictionary from cover to cover, collecting words which delighted her in a notebook. She uses some of these unusual and evocative words as chapter headings in this beautifully written book which documents […]
Submitted by Maitrayi Mondal - This photo was taken on the Athlone Bridge overlooking the Shannon at the advent of spring last year - just before COVID-19 locked us all in and away from these beautiful vistas.
Aine from Athlone Library shares some tips for those interested in our Grow It Forward programme Westmeath Libraries are delighted to announce that we have received our first batch of Grow Kits, which we are posting out to those already registered. And so, our joint adventure in Growing begins! Please do your best to play […]