Graphic Novel, Prince:The Tail of Prince Charming

30 May 2017 / News
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Prince: The Tail of Prince Charming is the culmination of a three month project where Traveller children attended dlr LexIcon weekly between January - April 2017 and worked on both artwork and stories about a dog named Prince. The book was officially launched on Thursday 25th May in dlr LexIcon by  Cathaoirleach Councillor Cormac Devlin.

After the great success with ‘Demons in Disguise’, a graphic novel project we worked on with local young people in 2015, we knew we wanted to create another graphic novel and decided to work with the Travelling community in the dlr area. We got in touch with STAG, Southside Travellers Action Group who were delighted to come on board.

 

Why a project with Travellers you might ask? We have many members of the travelling community that use our services in dlr Libraries, but we had never worked with them as a group on such a specific project.  We were also inspired by the ‘Days Long Gone’ replica trailer project created as part of Traveller Pride week that visited dlr LexIcon in 2016 for both Traveller Pride Week and for Culture Night.

We wanted to engage with Traveller children in our library space and open them up to the possibilities of learning and creating. We also wanted them to feel welcome and at home and to know that libraries are an inclusive, open space for all. We wanted them to have fun. We like to think we achieved all of these objectives!

Travellers gained ethnic recognition in Ireland on March 1st 2017. It was a momentous occasion and we had the group in the very next day to dlr LexIcon for celebratory chocolate cake! At all times during the project there was a great sense of pride in their own culture. Enthusiasm is the word we would most associate with this project. Enthusiasm from the group leaders, the children themselves and the facilitators.   There was a sense of warmth, colour and movement with this group, energy was always high; the colours in the book reflect the vibrancy of the project.

Huge thanks are due to our facilitators, Alan and Natascha. They brought positive energy, commitment and fun to every aspect of this project. Every picture and idea that the girls suggested, every little piece of creativity was embraced and welcomed. A special thank you to Alan Nolan who brought the work together to create this special graphic novel.

We would also like to thank the group leaders Anne Marie and Elizabeth, their mentorship and professionalism was evident throughout. Finally a huge thanks to the girls themselves. They brought colour, fun and a wonderful array of JoJo bows every week to the LexIcon. We really hope to see them back again in dlr Libraries!

 

Prince: The Tail of Prince Charming is available to buy in dlr Library branches for €5.

There are limited copies available.

 

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