Today is dawning another beautiful day in Graiguenamanagh, so have your morning cuppa & get on down to town! The day starts with a nature walk through Silaire Wood & along the river Barrow, lead by Roger Goodwillie, noted ecologist and county recorder for the Flora of Kilkenny. That starts at 10.30am, meeting at the boathouse, and is just €3 per person.

 Also the wonderful Graig Brass Band will be playing in the streets from 11am, and at 11.30, Children’s author and Backwards Speller extraordinaire David Donohue will do a reading & a workshop for 7-13 years olds. Head up to Graiguenamanagh Playgroup building  for that one, €3. Also for kids is the Funky Kids workshop & disco at 2.30, & for adults the National Chamber Choir will be singing in medieval Duiske Abbey at 3pm.There's SO much on, today and tomorrow- here's the full info & listings. For the map, click here; maps also available in the Festival Office.

  Have a great time, & be sure to cross the bridge over to the Tinnahinnch side of the river, because there are also booksellers there, in the old Boats Bistro- plus the Michealmas fest will be on over there :-) Told you there were 50 Shades Of Graig ;-)

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Willow weaving can make lots of things

Did you know one of the 50 shades of Graig is green? Our community garden will be open on the Saturday Sept 22 from 10-5pm, with willow weaving demonstrations by Karen McKiernan at 2pm & 4.30pm, and a plant sale, too! 

There will also be an exhibition of artwork by local artist Kurt Phillips in the Tigin ('small cottage') next to the garden on both Saturday and Sunday. This show is influenced by superheros; I wonder will one of them be Plant-man? :-)

 The garden is going from strength to strength, and started in April by clearing rubbish, bringing in topsoil, making planters & raised beds, and planting specimen trees. The garden grows veg as well as ornamental plants, and gives away the produce to the community. You can help the community garden grow by purchasing a plant & donating it, if you wish :-)

Do come visit!!

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http://bestfootphoto.wix.com/fiftyshadesofgraig  

See all the festival signs? never a dull moment in our area!
Have a look at this fantastic new photo site showing off the 50 Shades of Graig. Many thanks to Best Foot Photo for putting this together to show off some of the fantastic things in our patch of Kilkenny & Carlow.
http://bestfootphoto.wix.com/fiftyshadesofgraig  

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Check out KCLR 96fm (click to listen live online) this Thursday 20th Sept when Graiguenamanagh 'Town of Books' will have the whole Sue Nunn Show from 10am til 12 noon! Ok, we're not exactly broadcasting from a boat, but we will be right by the river at Waterside Restaurant on the Quay in Graiguenamanagh. The show will feature many items associated with the upcoming festival weekend, to give you a tempting teaser :-)

There will be music from Foursquare Jazz and also from Robert Grace. Joe Doyle of Geata Buidhe Books will give an insight into the art of bookselling at fairs, & committee members Brian Roberts and Susan Fitzgerald will speak on the madness that is organizing local events such as the book festival. The show will also feature Owen Doyle from Graiguenamanagh Historical Society, Derry Gahan from the Graigue Community Garden, Backwards speller and children's author David Donoghue and much much more.

Tune in Thursday, and come on down to the river this weekend and see what the craic is all about!

Click to see what's on during the festival- and don't forget the Treasure Trail with prizes like the signed Irish Rugby jersey!

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Be sure to pick up a copy of our Town of Books festival Treasure Trail map/questions sheet at the festival office on Main St, because one of the Treasure Trail prizes is this Irish Rugby jersey signed by the squad! Answer the questions you'll find on the trail around town, & drop the finished question sheet back in to the office to be entered in the draw :-)

The office will be open to provide maps, info, & sell books

 Fri 21 Sept 2-6pm

Sat 22 Sept 10-6

 Sun 23 Sept 10-6

Click here for the full programme 

Good Luck!!

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The Backwards Speller is coming to Graiguenamanagh's Town Of Books Festival! Saturday 22 September at 11.30 a.m. Children's author & backwards speller extrordinaire David Donohoe will do a reading & workshop for kids aged 6-13. €3 in the Graignamanagh playgroup building just above the bank on Main Street.

Have a look at a segment on him from RTE's Nationwide:

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We will once again have a base for local authors from the Kilkenny/Carlow/Wexford/Southeast area, in at the Citizens information offices at upper Main St for the duration of the festival. Anybody who has written a book and wants to display/sell it should contact Helen Ryan at 059-9724305.

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