The free news paper in Cork City, the Cork News, wrote a short piece on the upcoming Ghost of Shandon book launch. Id like to thank the Cork News for supporting my work and the Ghost of Shandon by publishing the piece in Friday June 22nd's edition of the paper.

You can also view the article online at the following link:

http://thecorknews.ie/articles/corks-first-graphic-novel-due-august-launch-6108

The Ghost of Shandon is a graphic novel and children's book based mainly in 18th Century Cork City. This is a fascinating period of Cork’s history in which French Huguenots, Dutch merchants, British land owners and the local Irish made Cork the second largest port in the world.

The city serves as a backdrop for the tale of two children, Ronan and Aisling. Ronan lived in a lighthouse in modern day Castletownbere, West Cork but moves to the city when his father loses his job. Bullied in his new home, he comes in contact with Aisling, who works as a maid for a Dutch merchant family on Tuckey Street in 18th century Cork and their adventure begins.

Alan Corbett  graduated with an MA in Children’s Book Illustration from Cambridge School of Art in 2010 following a BA in Graphic Design at Cork IT. Taking inspiration from classical Irish illustrators such as Harry Clarke, Richard Doyle and Daniel Maclise, he has exhibited in Ireland and the UK.

Born close to St Catherine’s graveyard in Kilcully, County Cork, Alan’s imagination was fired by playing there. While friends looked forward to Christmas, he found Halloween much more fascinating. His first book, The Ghost of Shandon, is his dream come true. “Creating an adventure, a fairytale based in my home city of Cork brings many of my interests together. I can recall as a child noting that New York had Spiderman, London had Sherlock Holmes, Paris had the Hunchback of Notre Dame and Cork had nobody! Illustration and writing have always been a huge passion in my life and my ambition was to re-create historical Cork City as this magical place, full of unique characters.” Extensive research in libraries and archives revealed that Cork had narrow laneways, canal systems and European architecture which made Cork look more like Amsterdam than an Irish city back then, with locals living alongside French Huguenots, Dutch merchants and British landlords. He wrote his story around this rich heritage in language easily understood by the children of ages he has taught in schools and illustration workshops.

Further information and images: Roz Crowley, Onstream Publications info@onstream.ie 086 82 42 191

Launch date: 11 August 2012 2pm Cork City Library

The Ghost of Shandon

Written and illustrated by Alan Corbett

Price €14.99

64 A4 pages all colour paperback

ISBN 978 1 897685 59 4

For sale in selected shops and www.onstream.ie

In the lead up to the Ghost of Shandon book launch on Saturday August 11th at the Cork City Library, I have been asked to do a number of Ghost of Shandon related workshops in the different branches of the Cork City Libraries. On Tuesday July 17th, I will be visiting the Bishopstown Library and on Tuesday July 24th, I will be visiting the Douglas Library to offer cartooning workshops for children. On Saturday August 18th I will also be visiting the Blackpool Library for another cartooning workshop. 

More details can be found in the Cork City Library children's books Summer Brochure for 2012.

This Friday June 15th see's the launch of the new Dublin Art Gallery, Art for Art's Sake at 30 Avenue Road, Portobello, Dublin. In what will be my first time ever exhibiting any of my illustration work in Dublin, I will be showcasing an illustration as part of the galleries launch night. The launch event starts at 6.00 PM this Friday and is completely open to the general public. I would like to thank gallery curator Jennette Donnelly for inviting me to participate in the launch event. 

More information about the launch night and directions to the gallery can be found here-

http://www.artforartsake.org/art-for-arts-sake-gallery.html

I have been asked to help launch the exhibition I AM by final year Visual Communications and Multimedia students of Cork IT next Friday June 8th. The event starts at 6.30 PM and is open to the public. The I AM exhibition is being held at the Cork School of Music and will run until June 13th. I, myself am a former Visual Communications student and Im very happy to be speaking on the night as a former graduate of the course. Id like to encourage anyone in the Cork City area to pay a visit. Id also like to thank Aileen Swansen for arranging my involvement with the I AM exhibition.