The Stars Come Out For Stairs

The Eurythmics are BACK!!

or anyone who has read one of his many hilarious children’s books, it would have come as no surprise to find that Alan Nolan is full of beans.

And chuckles. And contortions. And sudden jumps.

And farty noises.

It meant that the kids at the official launch of Greystones’ brand new children’s bookshop, Halfway Up The Stairs, were squealing with delight when they weren’t asking the author yet important another question about that rock’n’roll granny. Or how Sam became a dog for a week. Or where do cavemen go to the toilet…?

It made for a fine day out for everyone present, the fun having started earlier in the day with illustrator Gerry Daly hosting a morning session all about illustration, and how his children’s book, Where Are You Puffling?, came about.

A few hours later, it was the turn of the wiry and wired Mr Nolan, this jumping jack flash bringing his Dahl-esque stories to life, and sparking a roomful of enthralled kids to shout, and hoot, and put their hands up if they had a stinky sibling. Naturally, pretty much every single one of them answered in the affirmative.

For Trish Hennessy, seeing all these children being enraptured by these visiting authors and illustrators just reaffirmed her lifelong belief that there is nothing quite like a book when it comes to igniting a child’s imagination.

For Alan Nolan, it’s a chance to let his imagination leap off the page and onto a stage, and, despite being a married man with three strapping sons, the man clearly – and happily – refuses to grow up…

You can check out the full gallery of photos from today here, and find out more about Halfway Up The Stairs right here, about Gerry Daly here, and about Alan Nolan here.