Antarctic hero inspires a love of reading
Up to 800 copies of two books about the Antarctic hero have been distributed to homes and local schools.
They include 500 copies of Tom Crean: Ice Man by Michael Smith and 300 copies of Tom Crean’s Rabbit by Meredith Hooper, a picture book aimed at younger children.
Mary Blennerhassett, the home/school liaison coordinator in Southill, heads the committee formed to develop the reading drive called ‘One Book One Southill’.
Ms Blennerhassett said: “The story of Tom Crean itself is very inspirational and with the combination of the two books, we can bring the story to young children right up to senior citizens.
“The combination of the two books makes the story of Tom Crean’s adventures very accessible from a literature point of view.
“We have distributed the books to homes and four local schools and there has been a magnificent response from the outset and the reaction from parents and their families is very encouraging.
“It is an intergenerational initiative to encourage books to be read in the home by members of a family and to stimulate discussion on the book among all the family, opening up new and stimulating lines of communication in the home.
“Already it has succeeded in getting many families into reading and enjoying a book. Michael Smith, the author of Ice Man, travelled over from the UK a few weeks ago and gave workshops for young people and adults.”
The five schools taking part are Southill Infants, Galvone primary school, Southill Gaelscoil, Our Lady Queen of Peace primary school and St Enda’s Community School.
To widen the Tom Crean adventure story concept, art and poster projects are also taking place.
This first chapter in the ‘One Book One Southill’ initiative will conclude on April 2 next in a big quiz night based on Tom Crean’s life story.
Sponsorship for the books has been given by the Southside Regeneration Agency, St Vincent de Paul and Mary Immaculate College of Education.
“The concept has now been taken up in Cork and other areas,” Ms Blennerhassett added.
