We went to Fighting Words on Monday 9th January. We walked a long way to get to Terenure Village. Then we took the 16 bus to get there. Fighting Words was set up by Roddy Doyle. When we finally arrived we were welcomed by Tess and Djamel. They were both really nice. Djamel helped us to get through the “Magic Door”. Fergus took our pictures for our books. Our password for the Magic Door was Caitlin Unicorn Sea Horse. Tess helped us to write our story. It was an exciting day and I really enjoyed it. Tim was our illustrator and John was our typist. The editor, Mrs McConkey, read out some stories and mine was one of them. When Ms McConkey was reading out my story it was very embarrassing. A few minutes later Ms McConkey was finished reading out the stories and everyone got a blue bag and a printed story booklet with our story in it. After we walked to the bus stop we ate our lunch while we waited for the bus because everyone was very hungry. There was a subway across the road from the bus stop and everyone looked at it longingly. Finally when the bus came we got on and went back to school. I really enjoyed the day. It was a really fun experience.
(Maia Ms Fitzgerald’s 6th Class)
On the first day back to school we went to Fighting Words, a writing programme set up by the author Roddy Doyle. We walked to Terenure village. Then we took the 16 bus to Drumcondra. We were all very excited to go to Fighting Words because it was more exciting than any regular Monday.
At 10 o’clock we arrived at Fighting Words and it seemed very small. We took off our bags and coats and waited to be introduced. There was a “Magic Door” which we needed to make a password up to unlock. Caitlin picked the password “Caitlin Unicorn Seahorse”. The door was opened to reveal a spacious room, where we were to write our stories.
As a class we worked together to come up with the introduction to the stories. Together we started the story together and all came up with individual endings. After that we all took the story in different directions. Before long everyone had a unique ending to their stories
Tim, who worked at Fighting Words, drew illustrations to match our story. At the end we were given booklets to write our stories on back at the school. The booklets included a picture of us, Tim’s illustrations and our stories
Everyone had an enjoyable day and felt it was a great experience. It gave everyone the opportunity to be creative. I was disappointed when it was time to go back to school but I’m excited to write more stories in the future.
Alex Ms Fitzgerald’s 6th Class
On Monday 9th January we walked all the way to Terenure Village. After waiting a few minutes we got the 16 bus to Drumcondra where we walked all the way to Fighting Words. When we reached the building we all shuffled inside (to the small space) where lots of adults were waiting. They each introduced themselves and Djamel told us we were going to go get rid of our coats and bags and get a picture taken, move into a bigger area (thankfully) and get name labels.
After I got my label with my name and got rid of my bag and coat I went to get my photo shoot by Fergus. After everyone got their photo. We made up a password to go through a “Magic Door”, so we decided on “Caitlin Unicorn Sea horse”. Then some of us closed our eyes and turned around and poof! It opened. We went into a room with more adults. They were Tim a tots amaze artist, a friendly typist named John and a woman named Tess. After we had plonked down on cushions we were introduced to the editor, Mrs. McConkey, who was rather unpleasant at our first encounter.
We then decided to do a story called “Silencing the Drums” Our character was Henrietta the observer who had lost her husband. We then made up a beginning of the story together and then split up and made individual endings. Some people at the end read theirs aloud and they were really interesting, but then it was time to face Ms. McConkey again, so we held our breath with anxious thoughts flying in our minds
“Oh no, will she like mine?”
“Please say yes” (with fingers crossed)
While others talked about the latest gossip my thoughts were
“Don’t read mine out, don’t read mine out”
She then read out one story while thoughts were flying through my mind “phew, not mine”. I noticed the start of the second one was like mine. At the end ….she said”That was by Heidi “and I had lots of feelings. I just thought to myself 1 out of 30 “so unlucky “. After that we each got our own book printed out thanks to the typist. We thanked everyone dearly and marched back to the bus stop.
Finally we saw the 16 bus driving down the road and all I could think about was my lunch. My thoughts stopped abruptly when the bus driver informed us we wouldn’t fit and drove off. We then went back to waiting. Some of us gave into the temptation of food by eating their lunch while the rest of us continued to wait and wait until the 16 bus was driving towards us “Yes!!”We all got ready but the bus driver said all thirty of us wouldn’t fit so ten of us bundled ourselves up and the ten of us got on the bus. My thoughts yet again thinking of lunch!!
It was definitely a day I won’t forget, from getting a label with my name on it to receiving my own book with only 31 copies of it. It was an unforgettable outing.
Heidi Ms Fitzgerald’s 6th Class
On Monday the 9th of January our class went to Fighting Words. Fighting Words is a centre created by the author Roddy Doyle. It encourages children to express their imagination through writing.
Our day began by walking to Terenure village and taking bus number 16 to Dorset Street. When we got to Fighting Words, a nice man named Djamel welcomed us in. We got name tags as well as having individual photos taken. Standing before us was what we thought was a book case, but it turned out to be a “Magic Door”. Our class had to create an original code to let it “Work its magic”. Our code was Caitlin Unicorn Seahorse.
When we got through the magic door our class put our heads together and wrote a story with the help of Tess, Tim and Dave. Tess helped us expand and develop our story, Dave typed it out for us and Tim was the illustrator. Once we had our idea, we wrote the beginning of the story as a class and finished the story individually. Before long we had thirty one creative stories to hand into Ms. McConkey. Ms McConkey is an obstinate, grumpy lady who had to approve our stories before they could be published. To our delight she gave our books the thumbs up!
Our class thoroughly enjoyed the experience of being authors. Perhaps it can be a future career for us! It was a lovely way to ease us back into school after the long Christmas break.
Anika Ms Fitzgerald’s 6th Class
