Last weekend, Saturday October 15th, I had the honour of facilitating three workshops at three libraries in Co. Wexford in my capacity as ‘Children’s Creative Writing Facilitator’ with The WRITE STUFF Kids Club. I travelled to Wexford on Friday 14th October from my home here in Donegal. Having visited Wexford and delivered two such workshops in August of this year, I really was
delighted to return to this absolutely beautiful county in Ireland. Not only is it beautiful but it is a county filled with creativity and culture. The scenery, hospitality, and even the weather is also not half bad!! It was the perfect host in August and so I was very looking forward to this return visit.
On Saturday morning my first port of call was to New Ross Library. On arrival here I immediately took a stroll around their beautiful new park and amphitheatre. Stunning in every way. However, the script on the gound really struck me: The Pen is Mightier than the Sword. I immediately decided that this was going to be our theme for the day. And it proved very successful. Some amazing discussion was had around this theme, and after covering a lesson is story building, all the teens were invited to write a story around this theme and send to me – when they arrive, I shall be posting here on North West Culture Gal!
I did a number of little writing exercises with the teens throughout the day at New Ross Library, Wexford Library and finishing the day at Enniscorthy Library. One such exercise was creating Halloween ‘Six Word Stories’. None of these teens had ever done such before which made the exercise so much more enjoyable. I of course introduced them to the most famous Six Word story by Hemingway: For Sale: baby shoes, never worn. This immediately prompted all 3 groups to discuss the content of the story and how interesting that such a story could be told in just six words. And so they set about creating their own six word stories. Below is a selection of such stories. I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I did, and am still doing such!
Conor, Age 12, New Ross Library: English Moors. Wolf out. Be safe.
and:
Castle of dracula. Bats fly high.
Patrick, age 12, New Ross Library: Darkness falls. Spirits awaken. Moon rises.
Sinead, age 13, New Ross Library: Darkness arrives. Laughter comes. Clowns appear.
Orla, age 14, New Ross Library: Seeing skeletons in autumn frost air.
Hannah age 15, Wexford Library: Watch out: ghouls roam around here.
Cian, age 13, Wexford Library: Night is awoken, children roaming, searching.
Shane, age 12, Wexford Library: Empty wood. Creepy sounds, Strange figures.
Conor, age 13, Wexford Library: Werewolf came; got candy. Went away.
Aoibhín, age 13, Wexford Library: Halloween Costumes. Trick or treat. Sweets.
Eva, age 14, Wexford Library: Black cats. Carved Pumpkins. Shadows following.
Niamh, age 14, Wexford Library: Cold water. Cold ice-cream. Cold summer.
Meadhbh, age 13, Wexford Library: Prisoners out. Roaming free. Death commences.
Ciara, age 13, Wexford Library: Dressing up, collecting sweets, halloween fun.
Diana, age 13, Wexford Library: Wild costumes. Crazy parties. Awesome pumpkins.
Chloe, age 14, Wexford Library: Trick or treat. Children eating sweets.
Alicia, age 13, Wexford Library: Child alone. Growling sound. Child gone.
Jessica, age 15, Wexford Library: Haunted house. Scared children. Halloween night.
Julia, age 14, Wexford Library: October’s ending. Dressing up. Collecting candy.
Jack, age 14, Wexford Library: Insane asylum. New position. Impending doom.
Amy, age 15, Wexford Library: Halloween night. Monsters roaming. Watch out!
Alex, age 13 ,Enniscorthy Library: Strange man. Lonely child. Man follows.
Erin, age 13, Enniscorthy Library: Haunted house. No-one haunts. Except HIM.
Gintare, age 15, Enniscorthy Library: Attics cleared. Costumes found. Halloween begins.
Lucy, age 14, Enniscorthy Library: Trees walk. People trampled. Horrible sight.
Harry, age 12. Enniscorthy Library: Halloween night. Sweets everywhere. Costumed children.
Maybe I’m slightly biased but I belive this is some amazing work from some amazing teenagers. This was a beautiful autumnal Saturday with the sun in the sky and yet these young folk came along and showed immense creativity throughout the day. Huge well done one and all.
I look forward to the stories coming along over the coming days/weeks and getting a read of them then.
All of this not only showcases what amazing creativity we have among our young folk, but it highlights the importance of our libraries.
Wexford, it was a pleasure for this North West Culture gal to visit and I am already looking forward to my return visit.
GMcC
North West Culture Gal 