Fairy Tales and Other Stories

© The Publisher
(cover David Wardle)

Full title: Irish Fairy Tales, Myths and Legends

Creator / Author: Kieran Fanning, artwork by David Wardle

Item Type / Page count: Book / 226p

When Published: 2020

Publisher / Place of Publication: Scholastic Children’s Books / 2020 Euston House, 24 Eversholt Street, London, NW1 1DB, United Kingdom.

About: A fictionalised re-telling of some well known and not so well-known stories from the treasure house of Ireland’s myth and legends. Eighteen short chapters, specially written for children, introduce the reader to the likes of Cúculainn, Oisin, Fionn, Balor and his Evil Eye, the Children of Lir and lots more. Overall, a perfect collection for 8-12 year olds.

ID number(s): 9780702300165

Contents: [Fairy Tales and Folklore] The King’s Secret — King Corc and his Daughter — The Twelve Wild Geese — The Lazy Beauty and her Aunts – The Lady of Gallarus — The Legend of Bottlehill — Jack and the Man in Black — [The Mythological Cycle] Nuada of the Silver Arm — Balor of the Evil Eye — The Children of Lir — [The Ulster Cycle] The Hound of Cullan – Cúculainn and Emer — The Cattle Raid of Cooley — [The Fenian Cycle] Fionn and the Salmon of Knowledge – Fionn and the Fire Demon of Tara — The Giant’s Causeway — The Birth of Oisín – Oisín in Tír na nÓg.

WW Connection #1: The author is a native of Stratford-on-Slaney in West Wicklow.

Extra #1: Check Libraries Ireland for this publication

Extra #2: Check OCLC WorldCat.org for this publication in libraries worldwide.

Extra #3: Link to the Author’s website

Extra #4: Link to the Publisher’s website

The Samurai Wars Book One

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Full title: The Black Lotus [a novel]

Creator / Author: Kieran Fanning

Item Type / Page count: Book / 313p

When Published: 2015

Publisher / Place of Publication: Chicken House / 2 Palmer Street, Frome, Somerset, BA11 1DS, United Kingdom.

About: A fantasy book aimed at younger teenagers. The characters Ghost, Cormac and Kate all have special and unusual abilities and talents. They become recruits of a training school for ninjas called The Black Lotus. Their talents are called upon sooner than they could have imagined in an adventure that ranges over different time periods and different locations. This book is the first in The Samurai Wars series.

ID number(s): 9781909489929

WW Connection #1: The author is a native of Stratford-on-Slaney in West Wicklow.

Extra #1: Opening lines: ‘Ghost winced with every step. He hated wearing shoes. This was his first pair and, according to his friend, Squint, they were handmade and had cost a fortune.…..

Extra #2: Check Libraries Ireland for this publication.

Extra #3: Check OCLC WorldCat.org for this publication in libraries worldwide.

Extra #4: Link to the Author’s website

Extra #5: Link to the Publisher’s website

A Children’s Science Fiction Puzzle Book

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Full title: Curse of the Cockroach [a novel]

Creator / Author: Kieran Fanning

Item Type / Page count: Book / 125p

When Published: 2005

Publisher / Place of Publication: Mentor Books / 43 Furze Road, Sandyford Industrial Estate, Dublin 18.

About: A children’s novel in the form of a puzzle book. This is the last of four titles in a series called Code Crackers which require the reader to solve puzzles before moving on to subsequent pages. The book is aimed at a nine to thirteen-year-old readership. In this volume, the heroes, Sam and Lisa, have to prevent alien creatures, called Blats, from destroying the human race and taking over the Earth.

ID number(s): 1842102931

WW Connection #1: The author is a native of Stratford-on-Slaney in West Wicklow.

Extra #1: Opening lines: ‘So how come we never see your Uncle Dave?’ pondered Lisa as she slouched over an armchair, flicking ferociously through the hundreds of channels that was ‘American TV’. She didn’t want to say but it had been a bit boring staying with Sam’s relations. After all, this was supposed to be a holiday…..

Extra #2: Check Libraries Ireland for this publication.

Extra #3: Check OCLC WorldCat.org for this publication in libraries worldwide.

Extra #4: Contains illustrations by the author.

Extra #5: Link to the Author’s website [http://www.kieranfanning.com/]

The Teacher’s a Witch

© The Publisher

Full title: Tempest of Trouble [a novel]

Creator / Author: Kieran Fanning

Item Type / Page count: Book / 125p

When Published: 2003

Publisher / Place of Publication: Mentor Books / 43 Furze Road, Sandyford Industrial Estate, Dublin 18.

About: A children’s novel in the form of a puzzle book. This is the third of four titles in a series called Code Crackers which require the reader to solve puzzles before moving on to subsequent pages. The book is aimed at a nine to thirteen-year-old readership. In this volume, the heroes, Sam and Lisa, have a spell cast on them by their teacher who happens to be an evil witch. They find themselves stranded on an enchanted island and have to devise some means of escape.

ID number(s): 1842102036

WW Connection #1: The author is a native of Stratford-on-Slaney in West Wicklow.

Extra #1: Opening lines: “Although it was only a training session, Sam took it as seriously as if it was a real match. Dropping his shoulder, he skipped past his man, only to be immediately confronted by a head-on tackle. It was his pal, Aaron, charging like a bull!……

Extra #2: Check Libraries Ireland for this publication.

Extra #3: Check OCLC WorldCat.org for this publication in libraries worldwide.

Extra #4: Contains illustrations by the author.

Extra #5: Link to the Author’s website [http://www.kieranfanning.com/]

Book Written About Man From Stratford on Slaney

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Full title: The Reminiscences of John Montgomery

Creator / Author: by John Montgomery (edited by A. Giffard)

Item Type / Page count: Book / 202p

When Published: 1981

Publisher / Place of Publication: A.A. Balkema (for Rhodes University Grahamstown) / Cape Town, South Africa

About: A recent internet searcher looking for ‘book written about man from Stratford on Slaney Co Wicklow’ visited our blog. We are presuming that the book in question is this one. John Montgomery came from Stratford and, while barely 17 years old, joined a party of Irish settlers who arrived in South Africa in May 1820. His was an adventurous life and these reminiscences cover 50 years of spectacular ups and downs.

ID number(s): 0869611240

Contents: Introduction: John Montgomery’s life and writings – Boyhood in Ireland – The voyage to the Cape – My first impressions – The Albany settlement – Graaff-Reinet and Craddock – My first trading trips – Frontier adventures – Trekking with the Boers – The founding of Burghersdorp – War with the Basuto – Trading in the Transvaal – The British Settlers’ Jubilee – Appendices: 1. Why Mr. J. Montomery ‘Threw up the Touw’ – 2. In memoriam John Montgomery – 3. Obituary of Mrs. J. Montgomery – 4. Montgomery children – 5. Viljoen’s hunting trip – 6. Story of Z. Wright.

Extra #1: Check OCLC WorldCat.org for this publication in libraries worldwide.

Extra #2: Contains twenty-one full-page illustrations, drawings and photographs.

Celebration of a Cemetery

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Full title: Rathbran Cemetery – Reilig an Bhrain Dubh: Jubilee Pilgrimage Celebration, Sunday 25^th June, 2000

Creator / Author: [Compiled by Paddy McDonald]

Item Type / Page count: Booklet / 13pp

When Published: 2000

Publisher / Place of Publication: [Jubilee Pilgrimage Committee?] / [Stratford-on-Slaney?].

About: As part of a special Millennium Project the community of Stratford-on-Slaney embarked on a major tidy-up and restoration of the ancient burial-ground of Rathbran. This photocopier-produced booklet was produced to accompany a pilgrimage celebration held to mark the completion of the project. It provides a short history of Rathbran townland and lists the names of people who were buried in the cemetery between 1921-1999.

ID number(s): None

Contents: Rathbran Cemetery – A list taken from Parish Registers of people buried in Rathbran cemetery.

Extra #1: View the entry for ‘Rathbran’ in the Placenames Database of Ireland.

Extra #2: For information, an account of the pilgrimage celebration was published in the Carlow Nationalist newspaper on 14^th July, 2000.

A Viking Adventure for Kids

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Full title: Voyage to Victory [a novel]

Creator / Author: Kieran Fanning

Item Type / Page count: Book / 125p

When Published: 2001

Publisher / Place of Publication: Mentor Books / 43 Furze Road, Sandyford Industrial Estate, Dublin 18.

About: A children’s novel in the form of a puzzle book. This is the second of four titles in a series called Code Crackers which require the reader to solve puzzles before moving on to subsequent pages. The book is aimed at a nine to thirteen-year-old readership. In this volume, the heroes, Sam and Lisa, are somehow transported back in time to the 8th century and get involved in a Viking adventure.

ID number(s): 1842100858  / 9781842100851

WW Connection #1: The author is a native of Stratford-on-Slaney in West Wicklow.

Extra #1: Opening lines: ”The old bus chugged towards the Heritage Museum. Only five minutes to go. It was school tour time again and amid the shouting, paper flicking, singing and general chaos that existed on the bus sat two best friends, Sam and Lisa. Of course they were sitting away from each other because teachers never allow friends to sit together. “You’ll only get each other into trouble”, explained Miss Fussy……

Extra #2: Check Libraries Ireland for this publication.

Extra #3: Check OCLC WorldCat.org for this publication in libraries worldwide.

Extra #4: Contains illustrations by the author.

Extra #5: Link to the Author’s website [http://www.kieranfanning.com/]

Two Centuries of Stratford on Slaney History

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Full title: A Guide to Stratford on Slaney History and Folklore 1780-1974 : a Backward Glance of 200 Years

Creator / Author: Stratford on Slaney I.C.A. Guild, edited by Tommy Bourne

Item Type / Page count: Booklet / 16p

When Published: 1974

Publisher / Place of Publication: Tommy Bourne / Stratford on Slaney, Co. Wicklow.

About: This booklet was conceived as an entry in a history and folklore competition in 1974. It went on to win a National Arts Award. It calls on the memories of various families to build up a guide to what the area was like from the mid 1700’s to the 1970’s.

ID number(s): None

Contents: Introduction — History and folklore — Flora and fauna — Place names — Family names — Peculiar features.

Extra #1: Includes sketch map and photographs.

STOP PRESS: This booklet was reprinted in 2019 and copies may still be available in shops in Stratford and Baltinglass. Please check locally,

A Puzzle on Every Page

© The Publisher

Full title: Trapdoor to Treachery [a novel]

Creator / Author: Kieran Fanning

Item Type / Page count: Book / 128p

When Published: 2000

Publisher / Place of Publication: Mentor Books / 43 Furze Road, Sandyford Industrial Estate, Dublin 18.

About: A children’s novel which takes the form of a puzzle book. This is the first of four titles in a series called Code Crackers which require the reader to solve puzzles before moving on subsequent pages. The book is aimed at a nine to thirteen-year-old readership. The heroes, Sam and Lisa, go on the trail of a mysterious thief and are led into a strange and exciting world full of puzzles, elves and gobbledegooks.

ID number(s): 1842100238 / 9781842100233

WW Connection #1: The author is a native of Stratford-on-Slaney in West Wicklow.

Extra #1: Opening lines: ”Lowtown was a small quiet place. Sam and Lisa lived there. They were best friends and because neither of them had any brothers or sisters they spent most of their free time together. It was the summer holidays and they were out in Sam’s back garden. They were bored. ‘Let’s play detectives’, suggested Sam….”

Extra #2: Check Libraries Ireland for this publication.

Extra #3: Check OCLC WorldCat.org for this publication in libraries worldwide.

Extra #4: Contains illustrations by the author.

Extra #5: Link to the Author’s website [http://www.kieranfanning.com/]