Artemis Fowl author lends voice to cultural campaign

Best-selling children’s author Eoin Colfer has been recruited by the South-East’s partnership of cities and towns to act as an ambassador for their bid to become the 2020 European Capital of Culture.

The Three Sisters’ joint bid from Waterford-Wexford-Kilkenny yesterday announced that the Wexford-born author of the Artemis Fowl series of books, among others, will be publicly supporting the push for the cultural designation.

“I’ve been inspired by many, many, locations in the region,” Mr Colfer said at the launch.

“I suppose, primarily Hook Head, which is my family home place. I grew up climbing the lighthouse which is something I’ve never forgotten and I’ve managed to shoehorn into about 10 books so far.”

The former schoolteacher, who lives in Wexford with his family, said he was passionate about the region and was asking the people of the South-East to join him in backing the bid.

“There is an awful lot on offer across the three counties. We have the scenery, we have the history, we have the cuisine, we have the friendly people, we have the culture.

“In every coffee shop there’s an art exhibition as well as a fantastic menu.

“The whole region of the Three Sisters is very, very magical and sometimes it’s forgotten, which actually we don’t mind because we like having it all to ourselves.

“But in the spirit of generosity we would like to open it up to the rest of the world now.”

Mr Colfer referred to cultural jewels such as the former Theatre Royal, now the National Opera House, in Wexford as well as the town’s historic streetscape and quays.

“It’s a wonderful place to visit on a Sunday and look out to sea, smell the salt and watch the fishermen on the ballast bank opposite; it is something my dad did with me and I do with my kids.”

The author said a successful bid for the title of European Capital of Culture needed to come from the people of the region and that success would have a transformational impact on the cultural and creative life of the region.

The European Capital of Culture is designated by the EU for a period of one calendar year, during which the host city or region organises a series of cultural events with a strong European dimension.

The chosen city/region will be selected by a jury nominated by the European Commission.

The selection process gets under way in the coming months.