A new storytelling chair commissioned for Twin Towns Community Library will be officially unveiled this Friday with a special celebratory event.
The unveiling at the BASE will take place on Friday 17 November at 11am by Cllr Martin Harley, Cathaoirleach of Stranorlar Municipal District followed by an open day full of stories, readings and music.
This special ‘storytelling chair’ is based on the book by Stranorlar born author Frances Browne, ‘Granny’s Wonderful chair’ and this chair promises to be the focal point in the new Twin Towns library which is now located in The Base Enterprise Centre in Stranorlar.
Frances Browne was a renowned author and poet in the 1800s. She was known as The Blind Poetess of Ulster, after losing her sight at 18 months. She grew up on Upper Main Street Stranorlar, where her father Samuel was the local postmaster.
Frances Browne
Frances took an interest in words as a girl while she listened to her siblings reading aloud. She became a talented poet at an early age and went on to become a prolific writer in Ireland, Edinburgh and then London. France’s short stories for children – Granny’s Wonderful Chair – were written in 1856. The seven fairytales follow the adventures of a little girl Snowflower and her magical chair.
Cllr Harley believes that the unveiling of this new storytelling chair and open day is a great way to celebrate the new community library in The Base Enterprise Centre in Stranorlar.
“This storytelling chair was specially commissioned for the Twin Towns Community Library and is of huge significance for the local community and promises to be an important focal point for the library” says Cllr Harley.
The chair was designed and created by Alan Hanafin Design who won the contract after an open call to furniture makers. The chair will be large enough to accommodate two people so that children can snuggle up with their parent or grandparent and enjoy a shared reading experience.
Granny’s Wonderful Chair
Speaking about the project, Senior Librarian Donna Cavanagh said “Libraries have an important role to play in a child’s early literacy development and part of that role is to provide a vibrant colourful space that engages and inspires children to read. The addition of this storytelling chair will help us provide positive literacy experiences for the children who visit Twin Towns Library.”
The chair will be officially unveiled on Friday 17 November at 11am in the Twin Towns Community Library and an ‘Open Day’ will follow when story time, readings from Frances Browne’s book “Granny’s Wonderful chair’ and music will take place throughout the day and refreshments will be available. Everyone is welcome.