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On Thursday 5th March, Laureate na nÓg, Eoin Colfer will bring 5 storytellers and 300 schoolchildren on a magical steam train journey along the beautiful north Dublin coast as part of the Laureate na nÓg’s, ‘ONCE UPON A PLACE’ programme for young readers. The steam train journey is one of a series of once off events bringing stories to children in extraordinary and memorable settings, sparking their imaginations and bringing the magic of stories and books to young people in an experiential way.

The Fingal Steam Train journey has come about through collaboration between Fingal County Council Libraries, Children’s Books Ireland (which administers the Laureate na nÓg project) and Irish Rail and working with the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland. Yvonne O’Brien, Senior Executive Librarian with Fingal County Council, who first proposed the idea, explained her thinking in planning this event; “Of the themes identified by Eoin Colfer for his time in residence, the standout one for us in Fingal Libraries was ‘Special storytelling events in fantastic and unusual places’, hence we came up with the idea of storytelling and capturing the imagination of children on a magical steam train journey through Fingal.”

“The Fingal coast from Howth to Balbriggan is a bit of a hidden gem and the scenery is truly mesmerising”, Yvonne said. “Nothing can match the magic of a steam train journey in such a beautiful setting”, she continued, “and with an event like this we hope to steal the imaginations of our youngest readers and give them a lifelong interest in reading”, Yvonne O’Brien said.

Young readers from ten Fingal primary schools, representing the diversity in Ireland’s fastest growing and youngest County will join the Laureate and 5 storytellers at Dublin Connolly on Thursday morning and travel to Drogheda and back with readings along the route. As a keepsake, each child who takes part will receive a souvenir train ticket from the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland, who are providing the steam train, with “Once upon a Place on the Fingal Express” on it. They will also get a copy of Warp Book 1 by Eoin Colfer.

“I am delighted that Fingal Libraries responded so imaginatively to my Once Upon A Place storytelling project. What could be more magical than steaming through North Dublin with a train packed to the brim with children and stories,” said Laureate na nÓg Eoin Colfer. “I’m very grateful to the Arts Council whose support is making this tour happen throughout the country.”

David Franks, Chief Executive of Iarnród Éireann said: “We are delighted to be involved in this initiative, we have many train stations in Fingal and these children will be the commuters of tomorrow. There is a real magic in railway journeys and what is more magical than mixing a steam trip with wonderful story telling”