Bealtaine book "a really special little gem"

Praising Offaly County Council Arts Officer Sinead O'Reilly, editor of Bealtaine-inspired book "Tales from the Kitchen Table" Caroline Barry said this week the book was "a really special little gem". The book, which was compiled by Offaly County Council and edited by Caroline Barry, was officially launched in Banagher library last week by Offaly County Council Leas Cathaoirleach Peter Ormond. It takes the form of an anthology of remedies and recipes from Offaly, and at the launch Cllr Ormond said it's essential to understand how important it is to retain an insight into how information was passed through generations, in an era before our current digital age. "I've edited an awful lot of anthologies," Caroline Barry told the Offaly Independent this week. "I loved this project. It was one of my favourite anthologies to edit." In the foreword of the book Caroline echoes these thoughts, saying she felt privileged and honoured to have the opportunity to edit the anthology celebrating the contribution and wisdom of the elderly in our community. "We could learn so much more from those elder members of our community who did with far less and were none the worse for it," she said. In fact, Caroline goes so far as to say that if she could have a wish right now, it would be that a huge midlands folklore project could take place. "Gold is just being dropped away," she said. Tales from the Kitchen Table is €5 and can be bought in any of Offaly's eight libraries.