Beara kids to explore books

A POLAR historian will visit schools on the Beara Peninsula next month to share tales of intrepid arctic explorer Tom Crean. Michael Smith will visit five schools including St Michael’s National School in a collaboration with Castletownbere Library during Children’s Book Festival. He will engage pupils in the adventures of Irish explorer Tom Crean and his time stationed in Berehaven as warrant officer for the Royal Navy. Michael’s biography, An Unsung Hero – Tom Crean (pictured) has sold over 100,000 copies worldwide and the story of Tom Crean is now part of the curriculum in Irish schools. The annual festival helps spread the enjoyment of books and reading among children and families, authors and illustrators, teachers and librarians all over Ireland. It forms part of the Right to Read initiative offered through all public libraries. Cork County Council’s library and arts service has put together a blended programme with many of the events taking place online and virtually. Cork author Micheál Lovett will host four virtual workshops in Enniskeane, Dripsey and Innishannon. His fantasy action novel The Realm of the Hare was released earlier this year. For more see corkcoco.ie