News
MARTY AND MILLIE THE MICE CELEBRATE INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S BOOK DAY WITH DEPUTY LORD MAYOR
- Monday, 2nd April 2007
Marty and Millie the mice, who feature in the book 'Room to Read', joined the Deputy Lord Mayor of Dublin, Councillor Aodhn 'Rordin and a number of young children, to celebrate International Children's Book Day, at City Hall in Dublin today.
Photo: Aodhán Ó'Ríordáin, Marty and Millie the Mice join children to celebrate International Children's Book Day, 2nd April 2007
Marty and Millie are the main characters of the book 'Room to Read', which was written by broadcaster Eanna Ni Lamhna in support of The Right to Read campaign. Councillor Rordin has made tackling educational disadvantage central to his term as Deputy Lord Mayor. In October 2006, he launched the Right to Read Campaign, which identified the need for improvements in library services, homework clubs and social housing.
At today's event, the Deputy Lord Mayor read the book to a number of children from all over Dublin. Marty and Millie were present at the event, and gave every child present a free copy of the book to take home.
According to Cllr Ó'Rordin, the campaign has been a huge success, since being launched, the campaign has gone from strength to strength. The campaign was endorsed by Dublin City Council in November, mandating the Council to invest in libraries, homework clubs and housing to improve the environment in which children learn to read and write. In addition, the Council must ensure that social housing delivers adequate space in family homes to allow for the allocation of a study area for children says Aodhn.
In the last week, library opening hours were extended in a number of libraries on Dublins Northside, as a direct result of the campaign. The campaign has also extended to other parts of the country, and Cllr Ó'Rordin presented the campaign to a meeting of Limerick City Council recently.
The campaign has also received the backing of the family of Alfie Byrne, who was among Dublins most famous Lord Mayors. Pat Maxwell, a son-in-law of Alfie Byrne, and founder of Maxwell Photo Agency has donated 400 copies of his book, Stories behind my News Pictures, which tells the stories behind the many photographs he took over his years as a photo journalist. Copies of the book were distributed to adults who were in attendance today.