Philip Watson spent thirteen years as a coastal conservationist, caring for The Giant's Causeway and other sights on the North Antrim Coast. He is now a freelance writer and naturalist. He has a keen interest in environmental and rural issues and has worked in Ireland, Kenya, Malawi, South Africa, Newfoundland and Wales. He lives on the North Antrim coast.
Sarah Webb is an award-winning children’s writer. Her books include Blazing a Trail: Irish Women who Changed the World (illustrated by Lauren O’Neill) and A Sailor Went to Sea, Sea, Sea: Favourite Rhymes from an Irish Childhood (illustrated by Steve McCarthy), both winners of Irish Book Awards.
She runs creative writing clubs for young writers, reviews children’s books for the Irish Independent, and programmes children’s and family events for book festivals and MoLI (Museum of Literature Ireland). She also works part-time in a children’s bookshop.
Passionate about bringing children and books together, Sarah was awarded the Children’s Books Ireland Award for Outstanding Contribution to Children’s Books in Ireland.
Her latest novel for children is The Little Beekeeper of Henrietta Street (illustrated by Rachel Corcoran), set in Dubiln in 1911.
LIZ WEIR is a professional storyteller who works with all age groups promoting the traditional art for which Ireland is world famous. A children’s librarian by training, she now travels the world telling stories to adults and children, organising workshops on storytelling, and speaking at courses for parents, teachers and librarians. Her wealth of stories is drawn from both the oral and written traditions. She was the first winner of the International Story Bridge Award from the National Storytelling Network, USA, which cited her “exemplary work promoting the art of storytelling. She was awarded an MBE for her services to the Arts and Education in January 2019.
Grace Wells is a writer and poet. Born in 1968, she grew up in central London. On leaving school, she began working in the film and television industry, ultimately becoming a freelance producer. Fuelled by her lifelong desire to write, and through a roundabout path, she came to Ireland in 1991. She now lives in Carrick-on-Suir, Co Tipperary with her two children.
Grace began working with people with special needs facilitating biography and poetry workshops. She has since become Literature Officer with South Tipperary Art Centre based in Clonmel. Gyrfalcon is her first novel.
John is based between England and County Kerry, Ireland, with much of his work focused upon the land and seascapes of the emerald isle. John's subject matter is much varied, preferring inspiring locations and original subjects to the contemporary, often clichéd images seen. His quest for unique images has lead him into every corner of Kerry, from the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Skelligs, to some of its oldest abandoned buildings. Thanks to this quest he has found himself in some truly singular situations, such as the private mass held by Franciscan friars on Skellig Michael.
John's work can be seen online at www.johnwesson.com, and is displayed in exhibitions and outlets across the County.
Fergus Whelan has worked for thirty years in the trade union movement and has been an officer of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions since 1995.
Gerard Whelan was born in Enniscorthy, County Wexford, and has lived and worked in several European countries. After some time living in Dublin, he has returned to live in his native Wexford. He is the author of many books for children and a multiple award-winner. His first novel, The Guns of Easter, won the Eilís Dillon Memorial Award for first-time writers. Dream Invader later won the Bisto Book of the Year Award. He has also been shortlisted for the Reading Association of Ireland awards. Gerard is also the author of A Winter of Spies and Out of Nowhere.
