iBbY Ireland Committee Members
Committee elected 25 May 2016
President: Jane O’Hanlon
Committee Members:
Seamus Cashman, Tatyana Feeney, Emma McDonald, Sue Miller, Joseph Peelo, Juliette Saumande, Debbie Thomas, Andrew Whitson
President: Jane O’Hanlon
Committee Members:
Seamus Cashman, Tatyana Feeney, Emma McDonald, Sue Miller, Joseph Peelo, Juliette Saumande, Debbie Thomas, Andrew Whitson
Jane O’Hanlon is the Education Officer with Poetry Ireland/ Éigse Éireann, co-ordinating its education and outreach work. She is a former board member of Children’s Books Ireland and of IMRAM bi-lingual Festival, and a former tutor on the NYCI Certificate in Youth Arts.
A publisher, editor and poet, Seamus Cashman founded Wolfhound Press in 1974 and was its publisher until 2001. His poetry books include That morning will come: new and selected poems (Salmon Poetry, 2007), and a book length poem, The Sistine Gaze: I too begin with scaffolding (Salmon Poetry 2015). He has compiled and edited key anthologies for young readers, including Something with P: New Poems from Irish poets (The O’Brien Press, 2004). He facilitates creative writing workshops and is a publishing consultant.
A publisher, editor and poet, Seamus Cashman founded Wolfhound Press in 1974 and was its publisher until 2001. His poetry books include That morning will come: new and selected poems (Salmon Poetry, 2007), and a book length poem, The Sistine Gaze: I too begin with scaffolding (Salmon Poetry 2015). He has compiled and edited key anthologies for young readers, including Something with P: New Poems from Irish poets (The O’Brien Press, 2004). He facilitates creative writing workshops and is a publishing consultant.
Tatyana Feeney is originally from North Carolina but has lived in Ireland (Trim ) for the last 11 years. She has written and illustrated four picturesbooks, including Small Bunny's Blue Blanket, Little Owl's Orange Scarf and Small Elephant's Bathtime. She has also illustrated a number of books with Irish publishers – The O'Brien Press, An Gum, and Moinin. She has been a member of the Illustrators Guild of Ireland for the last 8 years.
Tatyana Feeney is originally from North Carolina but has lived in Ireland (Trim ) for the last 11 years. She has written and illustrated four picturesbooks, including Small Bunny's Blue Blanket, Little Owl's Orange Scarf and Small Elephant's Bathtime. She has also illustrated a number of books with Irish publishers – The O'Brien Press, An Gum, and Moinin. She has been a member of the Illustrators Guild of Ireland for the last 8 years.
Joseph Peelo is JCSP Librarian (Junior Certificate School Programme) in Kylemore College since 2007. He is also the Chairperson of the School Library Association (ROI branch of SLARI).
Juliette Saumande is a French writer and translator of children’s books living in Dublin. She has over 30 titles to her name, ranging from picturebooks to documentaries, game books to middle grade novels and book apps, available in French and English. She has been involved with Children’s Books Ireland for the past 10 years and is the current Reviews Editor for Inis magazine.
Debbie Thomas is a former BBC radio reporter. She has lived in Bangladesh and South Africa working in radio and for aid agencies such as Actionaid and Oxfam. Now based in Celbridge, she has written 4books for 9-11 year-olds (Dead Hairy, Jungle Tangle, Monkie Business and Class Act, Mercier Press). She works in schools on Poetry Ireland’s WorldWise development education project and is a director of Nepal Leprosy Trust Ireland, an NGO that supports people affected by leprosy in Nepal. She has just started volunteering with the children of asylum seekers at Mosney Accommodation Centre.
Andrew Whitson is an award-winning illustrator whose books include: The Creatures of Celtic Myth, The Field Guide to Irish Fairies, Gaiscíoch na Beilte Uaine (Bisto shortlist, Ibby Award and Réics Carló Award 2007), Balor (Réics Carló Award 2009), An Gréasaí Bróg agus na Sióga (Bisto & Réics Carló shortlists 2010, R.A.I winner 2011), Mac Rí Éireann (Réics Carló Award, Bisto illustration winner and R.A.I winner 2011, Ó Chrann go Crann (CBI shortlist, Réics Carló Award 2012 and R.A.I. award 2013), Pop! (Réics Carló shortlist 2014), An tÉan Órga (R.A.I. shortlist 2015). In 2011, Andrew received the Bisto honorary award for book illustration. In partnership with Caitríona Nic Sheáin, he has co-written and illustrated three books of fiction for children, Cogito, Pop! and Cúraille i gCeannas. In 2005, he established his own publishing house called An tSnáthaid Mhór. To date he has published nine titles for children, winning various awards both at home and abroad.
Emma McDonald is from Roscommon but is now Dublin-based. She has a BA in Arts from UCD and has been working for South Dublin Libraries for about 14 years. Her post-graduate qualification is in Library and Information Studies (2008), also from UCD. She has worked in all of the South Dublin Libraries including mobile libraries and has been in Ballyroan Library in Rathfarnham since the opening of the new building in 2013 as children’s librarian.
Sue Miller is a professional librarian with a personal and professional interest in children's literature, in particular picturebooks, pop-ups and non-fiction texts. She is currently Head of Library Services at Church of Ireland College of Education, which provides undergraduate and post-graduate teacher education programmes accredited by TCD and DCU and the College Library is known for and is very proud of its specialist collection of juvenile literature. She has worked in CICE Library on the National Collection of Children's Books Project led by Keith O'Sullivan and Pádraic Whyte.
