Jean Kelly Book Launch, Belfast, Northern Ireland : 26 November 2009 

Friends and supporters of Jean Kelly – Founder of The Speedwell Trust established in 1991 to bring together Protestant and Catholic children to work towards building peace through joint environmental projects – were in Belfast, Northern Ireland on Thanksgiving Day to launch her new book, Charlie Crow Sorts It!, which was underwritten by The American Ireland Fund.

Charlie Crow Sorts It! is packed with characters children will love, such as Charlie Crow himself, a rather snooty hedgehog by the name of Marie-Claire and, Lexi Lightpaw, a very vain fox, to mention only a few.  But this story also encourages children to think – of others and the planet.  Its author, Jean Kelly says, “Having spent most of my adult life bringing children together and teaching them to respect themselves, each other and the world we share, I suppose it was inevitable the book would reflect this.”  Jean’s vision of Charlie Crow was realized by publisher Fintan Mullan and illustrator Emma Colbert.

Book Launch
The launch at Belvoir Forest Park Education Centre took place before a capacity crowd of press and well-wishers who came from all over Northern Ireland and as far away as Dublin in the Republic.  Most of the significant organizations devoted to Peace and Reconciliation in the North turned out to support Jean, including Integrated Education, The 174 Trust, PeacePlayers International, and Speedwell Trust. Personal letters of invitation from Mike Corboy of Dallas, whom Jean refers to as her archangel, ensured all of the importance that the AIF placed on the event. 

Special thanks to Ged Pierse and Terry Browne, both great supporters of Speedwell, who traveled up from Dublin for the event.  Terry made a speech on behalf of the Texan members of AIF whose financial support made the publication possible. Maebeth Fenton PR consultant to Tourism Wales presented Jean with a dozen yellow roses from National AIF Board director Mike Corboy and his fellow Irish-Texans.  The program finished with a rendering by a group of Catholic and Protestant schoolchildren of the Postcrow Posse’s Song.  There was not a dry eye in the house as all tucked into tables laden with homemade refreshments made by Jean’s Dungannon friends.

Charlie Crow Sorts It! is published by Tall Tale Books of Belfast, the new imprint of the Ulster Historical Foundation, an educational non-profit organization and publisher whose honorary president, His Grace the Duke of Abercorn is a strong supporter of The Ireland Funds and Jean Kelly’s peace efforts.    Buy online >

Photos

1 - Publisher and executive director Fintan Mullan, author Jean Kelly, illustrator Emma Colbert, and Ulster Historical Foundation board chairman Denis Desmond
2 - Ged Pierse, Jean Kelly, Maebeth Fenton, Terry Browne
3 - Jean Kelly and Emma Colbert with the children of Dungannon