Students in Co Longford have discovered a new love of reading, after a project saw everyone in their local community reading the same book, The Case of the Vanishing Painting, at the same time.
The ‘One Book – One Town’ project aims to encourage reading and storytelling, as well as promote community, creativity, and connection.
Students from St Mary’s National School and St John’s National School were involved, as well as the wider community.
Co-ordinated by Home School Community Liaison Enda Ward and Librarian at Edgeworthstown Library Kim Taylor, the project highlighted the educational and social benefits of shared reading.
“Before we started, I surveyed all the children, and we found that over 100 of them weren’t members of the library and another 100 were members but weren’t active,” said Mr Ward.
“This project has changed all that, and now we’ve kids coming to this library, because they’re interested and they want to read,” he added.
The initiative encourages discussion across generations, strengthens family-school-library partnerships, and offers creative opportunities through writing, art, and problem-solving activities.
“The whole community is involved in the discussion. We’re getting people coming in to rejoin the library and take the book out,” Ms Taylor said.
“Everyone is asking lots of questions. Everyone from the age of six up to 60 years of age is active in taking the book out, and that’s what it’s all about,” she explained.
Oluwayanmife Sotunde, Lorcan Tracey and Damien Skaskiv from St Mary’s National School
‘Anything that gets children reading is really to be admired’
For Brian Gallagher, the author of ‘The Case of the Vanishing Painting’, it’s been a really positive experience.
“It seems like the whole community has become really involved in reading the book, and the kids have done cover designs and all sorts of projects as well as reading,” he said.
“Anything that gets children reading is really to be admired, and I think they’ve done a great job here in Edgeworthstown.” Mr Gallagher added.
“I’ve been involved in a few projects, and I think you have to do things like this to make reading different and exciting, because you’re competing with tablets and all the other distractions that are out there.
“When you get kids involved, they love reading, so you just have to make it exciting and interesting for them,” he said.
Enda Ward said the project has seen more children using the library
‘I don’t even like reading books, but this book is so interesting’
So, what did the children most enjoy about the project?
“I enjoyed the ending of the book, how the kids were brave. They found the painting at the end, and I think it was really good,” Alex Vanga from St Mary’s National School said.
“I really liked the book because there was so much action in it and I got more curious with every chapter I read,” Lorcan Tracey said.
Third-class student at St Mary’s National School, Shauna Cullen, said it brought her whole class together and “it made everyone fond of reading”.
Author Brian Gallagher with students from St Mary’s National School
Some of the other students said it changed their attitudes towards reading.
“Sometimes when you read books alone, it is quite boring, but in the class with friends, it was really nice,” Damien Skaskiv said.
“I don’t even like reading books, but this book is so interesting and I’m so curious to see if there’s another book like this,” Oluwayanmife Sotunde said.
County Librarian Martina Needham said the gift of reading is one the children will have forever.
“Reading is the one gift we can all give ourselves.”
“It’s a gift for life, and you’ll always have a friend when you have a book in your bag,” she said.
The project was funded by Longford County Council and Creative Ireland.