The Primary 7 pupils were involved, with a number of schools from across the province, in a live webcast with Martita Conlon-McKenna, the author of the current Primary 7 class novel 'Under The Hawthorn Tree'. This provided excellent background knowledge both on our topic. the Famine, and on Martia's own motivations and thoughts when writing her novels. The Primary 7 pupils have written recount pieces realting to the webcast and a few are collected below.
Marita Conlon-McKenna Webcast
Although I already knew that the characters were not real people, they were created. Also the ships were called 'coffin ships' and many people died on them. I learnt some new points from our webcast with Marita Conlon-McKenna. First she just thought she would write Under The Hawthorn Tree for he daughter Amanda, then it got published and was popular. Whenever she was 10 years old she started writing short stories. I think she said she wrote Under The Hawthorn Tree when she was 30 years old. She got emotional whenever she was writing about Brigid's death.
If Marita Conlon-McKenna hadn't made Brigid die in her book the story would have changed. On purpose she decided she had to have a big event to grab the readers. Finally she made up Duneen and Castletaggart. Brigid's disease was call typhus, which caused her to die. She said that some of her mum's family might have been in the famine.
I thought it was good that we got to webcast with Marita Conlon-McKenna because we got to find out more about her and the book.
by Mary Ann Smyth
Martia Conlon-McKenna Webcast
Although I already knew that if she didn't make Brigid die the book would be completely different, I learnt some new points from our webcast with Marita Conlon-McKenna. First Marita was planning to make only one Under The Hawthorn Tree tale and it was only ever meant for her daughter. The reason she wrote more than one is that the publisher loved it and demanded the story was continued.
Then I found out she originally had a happy 'movie' style ending but took it out to make it more realistic. It made the book come together and it made more sense. Next, I discovered Brigid probably died of Typhus because she wasn't fed properly. Marita had deep emotions when she made Brigid die.
Finally, she made up the names of Duneen and Castletaggart, so all Ireland's counties could identify with them and feel that it relates to them. I always thought Duneen and Castletaggart were real, and that there was only one book in the series.
By Lucy
Marita Conlon-McKenna Webcast
Although I already knew that during the famine they used to use 'coffin boats' to travel this webcast made me want to find out more. I learnt some new points from our webcast with Marita Conlon-McKenna. First I found out she liked all her characters the same and that she feels that if Brigid hadn't died the book would not have been the same. Then I found out that when aged 10 she began writing for fun and when aged 30 she wrote Under The Hawthorn Tree.
Next I found out that she wrote the book for her daughter Amanda and she didn't think that other people would want to read it. Finally I found out that she didn't mean for it to be a trilogy but the publisher kept asking her for more books.
I thought that the webcam was a very good idea because it is very rare that you get to have a webcast in school with a famous author.
By Jonah
Marita Conlon-McKenna Webcast 24th September
Although I already knew that coffin ships were the name given to the ships that took you over the sea to emigrate. I learnt some new points from our webcast with Marita Conlon-McKenna, firstly Marita wrote Under The Hawthorn Tree when she was 30 but it was for her daughter, Amanda. Then we found out she made up Castletaggart and Duneen so every county in Ireland would own Under The Hawthorn Tree.
Next she told us her inspiration for writing the story was a news story of a big tree where three sets of bones were dug up. She also told us Brigid probably died from not getting enough to eat or typhus. We were also told by a historian that Daisy Hill hospital was built over an old workhouse.
I thought that the webcast was interesting because we learnt many good facts about her books.
By Holly
