THURSDAY - April 1st at 7:00pm (No Foolin')

WEDNESDAY 31 March @ 7pm: Flash! with Gina Pralou

Join us for part two of this delightful story of royal children Kim and Ryan and their adventures with the gentle Irish dragon Flash!! (Part 2 of 4)

In this enchanted kingdom, the adventures are exciting, and the company they keep is grand.

To read more about the book, click here

Story presented in voice.

Tues, March 30, 7 pm SLT • Charles de Lint

My last reading of Charles de Lint's marvelouly quirky contemporary fantasies was marred by ongoing voice issues, and I promised to return soon with more of his work ... "soon" is tonight!

Charles de Lint experiences the world as a multidimensioned, magical, surprising, dangerous, damaging, and redemptive place full of amazing beings only some of whom are human.

For tonight, I've chosen passages from his novel Someplace to be Flying, which is about ... what, exactly? Hard to say. It's some about the power of story, and about bloodlines and history, and about trying to do what's right. Oh yes, it's also about birds. Sort of.

Live reading in voice, chat in voice or text ... all welcome!

MONDAY, MARCH 29 at 7pm: Selections from "Inkheart"

Join Caledonia Skytower and Shandon Loring as they share selections from Cornelia Funke's popular Inkheart, the first book in her trilogy about books coming to life by the mere enchanted reading of their words out loud.

Learn more about Author Cornelia Funke

Or at Cornelia Funke's Website

And though this entry is specifically about the motion picture Inkheart, it also provides a lot of interesting detail about the world Ms. Funke creates, along with a few disputed facts (so look upon it as interesting fiction- gotta love it!) so click here.

Presented Live in Voice Chat.

THIS WEEK at the WOI Library: March 28 - April 3

The WOI Library celebrates the coming of Spring (it IS coming, isn't it?) and so should you. Celebrate with a story . . .

All Stories read live in voice. All times are SLT.

Monday, March 29 at 7:00pm: Selections from: Inkheart with Caledonia Skytower & Shandon Loring

Tuesday, March 30 at 7:00pm: An Evening with Charles DeLint with Aoife Lorefield

Wednesday, March 31 at 7pm : Part II: Flash an Irish Dragon Fantasy with Gina Pralou

Thursday, April 1 at 7:00pm: Aboriginal Tales from Australia with Seanchai Shandon Loring

And More WOI Story events across the Grid . . .


Sunday, March 28th at 3pm: More Mertales with Derry, Marian and Elder in the Citrus Abyss int he Fruit Island Estate

Sunday, March 28th at 6pm: Caledonia in Magicland with It's All About the Frog!

Stories all read Live in VOICE. Click on the Celtic Cross Window Ornament or the Large Green Leather Book by the Librarian's desk at the WOI Library for a notecard with this schedule and embedded landmarks for events happening "off-campus."

Thursday March 25th @ 7pm

Tues, March 23, 7 pm SLT • Joys of Reading!

Join me tonight as I read excerpts from essays and memoirs about one of my favorites pastimes ... reading :)

OK, I'll admit it ... reading is more than a pastime. It's been a lifeline, a refuge, a source of enlightenment and joy. A life without books? Not mine!

Come to the library at 7pm SLT and we'll compare notes about our favorite best reads ... maybe we'll all go home with new books to explore.

Live reading in voice, chat in voice or text ... all welcome!

Thanks to All Who Joined us on Sunday, as We Celebrated and Dedicated!

For more great shots of this event, compliments of our friend Crap Mariner (Thanks Crap!) visit his flickr page . . .

MONDAY, MARCH 22 at 7:00pm: The Conclusion of "The Irish Dresser"

Tonight brings the odyssey of Nora McCabe to its conclusion. Will Nora be punished for stealing food to distribute to her fellow passengers on the Star? Where is the rest of her family, and will she ever be reunited with them again? As the ship moves closer and closer to America, what other unknown adventures await Nora?

Find out tonight at 7pm. Presented live in voice chat.

Learn more about the author and the book at
http://www.cynthianeale.com/


Next Week: Caledonia is joined by Shandon Loring to present excerpts from Cornelia Funke's "Inkheart." And expect Pooh Bear and Alice of Wonderland fame to appear on Monday night's again very soon.

THIS WEEK AT THE WOI LIBRARY: March 22 - 28

The WOI Library celebrates it's second birthday and first official week with its new expanded facility with these great stories . . .

All Stories read live in voice. All times are SLT.

Monday, March 22 at 7:00pm: The Conclusion: The Irish Dresser with Caledonia Skytower

Tuesday, March 23 at 7:00pm: The Joys of Reading with Aoife Lorefield

Wednesday, March 24 at 7pm : Flash an Irish Dragon Fantasy with Gina Pralou

Thursday, March 25 at 7:00pm: More Tales from Mongan with Seanchai Shandon Loring

And More WOI Story events across the Grid . . .

Sunday, March 28th at 1pm: Scaipthe Flanagan with Irish readings at the John Hewitt Literary Pub on Connemarra

Sunday, March 28th at 3pm: More Mertales with Derry, Marian and Caledonia in the Citrus Abyss int he Fruit Island Estate

Sunday, March 28th at 6pm: Caledonia in Magicland with It's All About the Frog!

Stories all read Live in VOICE. Click on the Celtic Cross Window Ornament or the Large Green Leather Book by the Librarian's desk at the WOI Library for a notecard with this schedule and embedded landmarks for events happening "off-campus."

SECOND ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION AND DEDICATION Sunday, March 21st beginning at 2pm

Put on your party hats and come on down! It is a big day for the West of Ireland Library & Cultural Center. Not only is the Library two years old, but we are nearly tripling our floor space! While the main Library structure will remain our primary story location ("The Story Floor") you will now be able to descend down a discrete stairway where the food table and bookcases used to be and enter a whole new spacious area.

Explore the interactive map, the multiple exhibits, discover objects linked to internet resources off the grid, and see our new re-organized literature collection. That's not even all of it. We'll also have a space for more informal presentations like the increasingly popular open mics and meet the author sessions.

An Open House will begin at Noon, and at 2pm we'll kick off the party with live voice presentations about stories, storytelling, and literature and their power to enrich our lives. No less than ten different voices will present everything from poetry, to fiction, and who know? Maybe an original work!

After the program, join us for "Dancing in the Stacks" with WOI DJ Conall McGinnis. The Library is not just the building, it's the people in it . . . A celebration at the Library just won't be the same without you. Join us!















Presented Live in Voice Chat.

Thursday March 18th @ 7pm

Check out these links for more about Newgrange!

http://www.mythicalireland.com/ancientsites/newgrange/

http://www.mythicalireland.com/ancientsites/newgrange-facts/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newgrange

http://tr.im/shandon

TUESDAY 16 March @ 7pm: More Fine Irish Stories!

While Aoife is away, Caledonia and Derry share more fine Irish stories...stories of the wee folk and giants, and everyone in between. Two stories will have something to do with the Giant's Causeway in the North of Ireland and the rest will be a surprise!

For more information about the Causeway:

http://www.giantscausewaycentre.com/

http://www.giantscausewayofficialguide.com/

and be sure to visit the replica of the Causeway in the West of Ireland!

MONDAY, MARCH 15 at 7:00pm - Part III "The Irish Dresser"

Nora's family has made the painful decision to emigrate. Eoin McCabe has had to scrimp and maneuver to find passage for every member of his family. Now as they are set to embark, with wee Nora hidden in the Blue Irish Dresser, a new odyssey begins for them.

What will Nora discover on her way to America? Will there be fine food, ribbons, and soft furniture as she imagines? Find out . . .

Presented live in Voice Chat.

For more information on "The Irish Dresser" and author Cynthia Neale, visit: www.cynthianeale.com/

THIS WEEK at the WOI Library

The WOI Festival of Saint Patrick is underway, and here we are with a gaggle of Irish Tales to celebrate . . .

All Stories read live in voice. All times are SLT.

Monday, March 15 at 7:00pm: Part III: The Irish Dresser with Caledonia Skytower

Tuesday, March 16 at 7:00pm: More Irish Stories with Derry McMahon & Caledonia Skytower

Wednesday, March 17 : HAPPY SAINT PATRICK'S DAY! nothing planned, but who knows what surprises might pop up?!

Thursday, March 18 at 7:00pm: Part II: The Architect of Newgrange from IRELAND: THE NOVEL with Seanchai Shandon Loring

Sunday, March 21st at Noon: Library Open House

at 2pm: WOI Library Anniversary Celebration and New Library Dedication with a cast of thousands (okay, maybe only dozens) followed by "Dancing in the Stacks" with DJ Conall McGinnis.


Stories all read Live in VOICE. Click on the Celtic Cross Window Ornament or the Large Green Leather Book by the Librarian's desk at the WOI Library for a notecard with this schedule and embedded landmarks for events happening "off-campus."

SUNDAY, March 14th at 6pm Caledonia in Magicland

What is it with these girls? This one accepts food from questionable strangers and keeps house for seven little men (all older than she, I bet) and it is "strictly platonic!" Wouldn't you be a little nervous with all those little men around YOUR bed?

Another Fairy Tale Adventure with Caledonia in Magicland sharing some of the different versions of the Snow White Tale. Not quite as prolific as Cinderella, the Snow White archetype still emerges across several cultures (those wacky Slavs and Celts again!) and is thought by some to have had its origins in Greece. Take THAT Grimm Brothers!

Caledonia will read a few of these at Magicland tonight at 6pm. What next after that? Maybe tales that involve frogs : )

Presented Live in Voice Chat.
Donations accepted to benefit Project Children.

West of Ireland Celebrates Second Anniversary of Library and Expanded Cultural Facilities

(Photo by Annie Whalen)

The Second Life charity estate West of Ireland’s (WOI) Festival of Saint Patrick will conclude its sixteen day annual event with a dual celebration: the second anniversary of the West of Ireland Library and Cultural Center, and the dedication of its new expanded facilities on Sunday, March 21 beginning at 2pm SLT.

The West of Ireland’s mission in Second Life (SL) is to promote Irish and Celtic cultural awareness, and to raise funds for the real world charity Project Children. The Library and Cultural Center was created two years ago in the ongoing development of that mission. “Legends, stories and poetry are deeply rooted in the Irish cultural tradition,” said WOI Librarian Derry McMahon. “We chose to make our programming focus on the spoken word, and two years ago began with just a few people doing live voice readings and presentations.” This has blossomed, with the Library currently presenting as much as ten hours of live voice presentations to a growing audience in any given week. “Stories of all kinds are the firm core of our program – we bring great literature to life in Second Life,” continued McMahon. Audiences have continued to grow steadily with a current average attendance that is twice what it was for the same period a year previous.

(Photos of "Poe: A Reading" from October 2009 & the 2009 presentation of "A Christmas Carol" by Shandon Loring and Crap Mariner respectively)

The Library will reflect that success on March 21 with a presentation that will feature over a dozen live voices celebrating the power of stories and storytelling. The program will include Corwyn Allen, Marian Dragovar, Aoife Lorefield, Shandon Loring, Derry McMahon, Gyro Muggins, Gina Pralou, Elder Priestman, Onyx Plutonian, Dubhna Rhiadra, Caledonia Skytower and Elegia Underwood. This diverse cast of performers will present everything from poetry and prose, to the short story How to Write an Epic Novel, and an excerpt from Cornelia Funke’s popular Inkheart.

The WOI Library’s new expanded lower level will be dedicated as part of the program and will be officially open for exploration. This addition to the original library build will provide accessible information on Ireland, its history and culture, in a variety of formats. There will be opportunities for visitors to connect with, and explore virtual creations of real-life Irish cultural sites within the WOI estate, as well as providing diverse environments for different kinds of programs within the library itself.

“The real miracle,” said McMahon,” is that we have accomplished this expansion without significantly changing the ground level profile of the original library build.” “I love it!” said West of Ireland’s CEO Sioban McMahon, "It's bright, organic, and draws inspiration from Celtic cultural linkages to both stone and water.” The Anniversary Celebration and Dedication will be followed by “Dancing in the Stacks” to music provided by one of West of Ireland’s popular DJs.

All presentations at the West of Ireland Library and Cultural Center are done live in voice chat. All the performers are volunteers and donations are accepted to support Project Children, a real world non-profit positively affecting the lives of children in Northern Ireland: Second Life activity, with meaningful Real Life results.

(Aoife Lorefield Hosts A Virtual Whiskey Tasting, March 2, 2010, Photo by Shandon Loring)

Thursday, March 11th @ 7pm

Check out these links for more about Newgrange!

http://www.mythicalireland.com/ancientsites/newgrange/

http://www.mythicalireland.com/ancientsites/newgrange-facts/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newgrange

http://tr.im/shandon

WEDNESDAY 10 March @ 7pm: Irish Tales with Onyx and Derry

Join your friendly neighborhood tiger and the redheaded librarian for some foin ould tales from Ireland. What will it be tonight? Monsters, banshees, ghosts, princesses, leprechauns? All are possible. Stories read in voice.

Tues, March 9, 7 pm SLT • The Red-Haired Girl

In the midst of West of Ireland's Festival of St. Patrick, I turn again to Patricia Monaghan's marvelous memoir, The Red-Haired Girl from the Bog. Tonight I'll read the chapter called Wildish Things which includes ... in Ireland especially but worldwide, really, women!

Join me for a live reading in voice of this incisive and engaging book exploring Ireland, the Goddess, and heritage all Irish women share. All welcome!

MONDAY, March 8th at 7pm: Part II: "The Irish Dresser"

The reality of the potato blight has once again come upon Nora and her family. For people who subsist on an endless diet of potatoes and buttermilk, what happens when there are no more potatoes, and no money for buttermilk? Nora watches as the poor of Ireland painfully starve, and many like the McCabe's have to seriously consider whether to continue their struggle and die of hunger, or seek life away from the land of their fathers.

During "An Gorta Mor" over one million Irish were estimated to have died of starvation, and some two million left Ireland in search of a life across the sea. This week the McCabe family decides which it will be.

For more information on The Great Hunger visit some of these online resources:

http://www.thegreathunger.org/html/main/indexa.htm
http://www.abitoblarney.com/potatofamine.htm
http://history.wisc.edu/archdeacon/famine/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Famine_(Ireland)


How much do you know about "An Gorta Mor?"
Take this online quiz and see:
http://www.funtrivia.com/trivia-quiz/History/An-Gorta-Mor--the-Terrible-Irish-Famine-141168.html

Presented Live in Voice Chat.

THIS WEEK at the WOI Library: March 8 - 14

The WOI Festival of Saint Patrick is underway, and here we are with a gaggle of Irish Tales to celebrate . . .

All Stories read live in voice. All times are SLT.

Monday, March 8 at 7:00pm: Part II: The Irish Dresser with Caledonia Skytower

Tuesday, March 9 at 7:00pm: The Red Haired Girl from The Bog with Aoife Lorefield

Wednesday, March 10 at 7:00pm: Fine Irish Stories with Derry McMahon and Onyx Plutonian

Thursday, March 11 at 7:00pm: Part I: The Architect of Newgrange from IRELAND: THE NOVEL with Seanchai Shandon Loring

Saturday, March 13th at 7:00pm & Sunday, March 14th at Noon: Annual Saint Patrick's Prayer Service at Cork Cathedral.


And here are some other WOI Storytelling events taking place across the Grid to benefit Project Children:

Wednesday, March 10 at 6:00pm: Irish Stories with Derry McMahon & Marian Dragovar at SL New England.

Sunday, March 14 at 3:00pm: More Stories with the WOI Storytellers at the Fruit Island Estate.

Stories all read Live in VOICE. IM the Storytellers for Landmarks to readings not taking place at the WOI Library, OR at the Library click on the Celtic Cross Window Ornament or the Large Green Leather Book by the Librarian's desk for a notecard with this schedule and embedded landmarks.

THE FESTIVAL OF SAINT PATRICK STARTS TODAY!

West of Ireland's annual Festival celebration of Ireland's patron Saint officially begins today. There'll be sixteen days of more music, stories, and general Celtic "craic" than usual. It all begins today with the opening of the Auctions at the Quay and on Bundoran, and tonight's "Wonderland" themed dance in the Glen, chugs straight through Saint Patrick's Day itself, and concludes on March 21st with the dedication of the new library wing. For schedule information click on any of the Festival posters to be found throughout the sim, or visit http://www.irelandsl.org/the-festival-of-saint-patrick/

WEDNESDAY 3 March @ 7pm: Derry's Favorite Irish Chick Lit

Join Derry for snippets from Marian Keyes...an author of wonderful Irish chick lit stories! (Chick lit, like chick flicks, is devoted to the female of the species; exploring their likes and dislikes, triumphs and foibles). Stories in voice!

Slavic Folktales @ 6pm Tuesday

Happy Rez Day to Sioban!!

MONDAY, March 1 at 7:00pm - Part I: "The Irish Dresser"

Tonight, Caledonia starts Cynthia G. Neale's book "The Irish Dresser" about hope and Irish spirit during "The Great Hunger," also known as The Great Potato Famine of 1845 - 1850. During "An Gorta More" over one million Irish people perished from starvation and disease, and over two million had no choice but to leave Ireland and emigrate to new lands across the sea. Ireland, and English colony at that time, was profoundly changed socially and culturally by the Famine. This event was among the greatest human tragedies of the nineteenth century. Come hear about it through the words and experiences of 13 year old Nora McCabe.

"'The Irish Dresser' is a powerful look at the Great Hunger....Neale fleshes out the bones of history with the experiences of one family, one young girl..." (Rebecca Rule)

"The Irish Dresser is an exciting, entertaining, and highly recommended story of taking risks and facing new challenges for the sake of hope." (Midwest Book Review)

"To forget the hunger, 13-year-old Nora McCabe hides in her family's big dresser and daydreams about food and a richer life...she stows away in it for a long journey filled with sickness, hunger, and unfair treatment of the poor. In addition to the gripping plot, the story is told in the cadences of Irish speech." (Washington Parent)

Presented Live in Voice Chat.