MAY 2024 SPEAKING TOUR JAPAN 

Announcement of speaking tour in English-language online edition of Asahi Shimbun, one of Japan’s 3 top newspapers, with a sample of my haiku:

With 7 books translated into Japanese and published by Kodansha, Japan’s leading house, with several reprints, this was a dream come true and a highlight of my writing career. The venues were universities and libraries, all open to the public.  

My talk included Q & A after a PowerPoint presentation in English with smatterings of Irish and Japanese. Slides displayed Japanese book covers and maps along with photographs of places and artefacts around Ireland mentioned in the stories.  

Sample Slides: 

UNIVERSITIES

TOKYO:

Waseda University, May 10, 2024

Host: Professor Tochigi Nobuaki

Waseda flyer, front and back.

Professor Tochigi (Nobi) in his office.

Meiji University, May 14, 2024

Host: Professor Toraiwa Naoko

Professor Toraiwa and myself.

Presentation to Professor Toraiwa’s class. Q & A afterward.

University of the Sacred Heart, May 16, 2024

Hosts: Professors Fuse Mikio and David (Dáithí) McNeill

Book signing after talk.

Write-up of event on university website by Professor McNeill. (Full write-up:     https://www.u-sacred-heart.ac.jp/news/20240610/17622)  

KAGOSHIMA (Kyushu): 

International University of Kagoshima, May 24, 2024

Host: Professor David McMurray

Kagoshima flyers.

“Librarians created a book display & flyer. 50 students borrowed The Hunters Moon.” (Professor McMurray). 2nd photo shows author with students onstage. 

LIBRARIES

Yamanashi Prefectural Library, Kofu, May 5, 2024 

I was invited by librarians and artist/author/illustrator Nishina Sachiko (one of my readers) whose picture book exhibition was on display at Yamanashi. Took a train trip to Kofu. Afterwards, Sachiko arranged for the two of us to have bento box lunch at the magical Yumeya Children’s Bookstore.  

Yumeya Children’s bookstore.

With Sachiko & librarians in front of stand with library copies of my books. 

Sachiko & I hold each other’s books. 

Itabashi Bologna Picture Book Museum, May 18, 2024

Library with 30,000 children’s picture books in 70 languages from around the world. My talk, arranged between the library and the Irish Embassy, was booked out 3 weeks beforehand. 

Host: Event co-ordinated by Aisling Braiden of the Embassy of Ireland in Japan (who provided an interpreter) and Central Library Director, Matsuzaki Eiji and Book Section Chief, Umesato Yuko. 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

A dinner was held in my honour May 20, 2024, hosted by His Excellency Damien Cole, Ambassador of Ireland. My many hosts and friends in Japan – Japanese, Irish and Canadian – were all invited.  A wonderful evening with delicious food and great conversations. 

After a delicious dinner, a dessert with ice–cream in colours of the Irish flag .

Note: for my travels in Japan see ADVENTURES – ASIAN – JAPAN.

MAY 2024 SPEAKING TOUR JAPAN 

Announcement of speaking tour in English-language online edition of Asahi Shimbun, one of Japan’s 3 top newspapers, with a sample of my haiku:

With 7 books translated into Japanese and published by Kodansha, Japan’s leading house, with several reprints, this was a dream come true and a highlight of my writing career. The venues were universities and libraries, all open to the public.  

My talk included Q & A after a PowerPoint presentation in English with smatterings of Irish and Japanese. Slides displayed Japanese book covers and maps along with photographs of places and artefacts around Ireland mentioned in the stories.  

Sample Slides: 

UNIVERSITIES

TOKYO:

Waseda University, May 10, 2024

Host: Professor Tochigi Nobuaki

Waseda flyer, front and back.

Professor Tochigi (Nobi) in his office.

Meiji University, May 14, 2024

Host: Professor Toraiwa Naoko

 Professor Toraiwa and myself.

Presentation to Professor Toraiwa’s class. Q & A afterward.

University of the Sacred Heart, May 16, 2024

Hosts: Professors Fuse Mikio and David (Dáithí) McNeill

Book signing after talk.

Write-up of event on university website by Professor McNeill. (Full write-up:     https://www.u-sacred-heart.ac.jp/news/20240610/17622)  

KAGOSHIMA (Kyushu): 

International University of Kagoshima, May 24, 2024

Host: Professor David McMurray

Kagoshima flyers.

“Librarians created a book display & flyer. 50 students borrowed The Hunters Moon.” (Professor McMurray). 2nd photo shows author with students onstage. 

LIBRARIES

Yamanashi Prefectural Library, Kofu, May 5, 2024 

I was invited by librarians and artist/author/illustrator Nishina Sachiko (one of my readers) whose picture book exhibition was on display at Yamanashi. Took a train trip to Kofu. Afterwards, Sachiko arranged for the two of us to have bento box lunch at the magical Yumeya Children’s Bookstore.  

Yumeya Children’s bookstore.

With Sachiko & librarians in front of stand with library copies of my books. 

Sachiko & I hold each other’s books. 

Itabashi Bologna Picture Book Museum, May 18, 2024

Library with 30,000 children’s picture books in 70 languages from around the world. My talk, arranged between the library and the Irish Embassy, was booked out 3 weeks beforehand. 

Host: Event co-ordinated by Aisling Braiden of the Embassy of Ireland in Japan (who provided an interpreter) and Central Library Director, Matsuzaki Eiji and Book Section Chief, Umesato Yuko. 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

A dinner was held in my honour May 20, 2024, hosted by His Excellency Damien Cole, Ambassador of Ireland. My many hosts and friends in Japan – Japanese, Irish and Canadian – were all invited.  A wonderful evening with delicious food and great conversations. 

Thank-you speech in Irish, Japanese and English. Dessert with ice-cream in colours of the Irish flag.

Note: for my travels in Japan see ADVENTURES – ASIAN – JAPAN.