An entrepreneurial husband-and-wife team who have built up a bilingual publishing house on the Falls Road will recount their business journey at the March meeting of the West Belfast Small Business Roundtable.
Caitríona Nic Sheáin and Andy Whitson, founders of An tSnáthaid Mhór imprint, have seen their Rita series for children explode in popularity and make the move from print to TV. They will address the West Belfast Small Business Roundtable in An Chultúrlann on 31 March at 8am — attendance is open to all interested in the economic promotion of the area.
Last year, the couple's bilingual offering, Cailín Sinséir Bhéal Feirste - The Belfast Gingerbread Girl by Marieanne McShane (and their first book to feature Belfast as a backdrop), moved hearts — and filled Christmas stockings, flying off the company's stall at the St George's Christmas market.
Cailín Sinséir Bhéal Feirste built on the success of the Rita series which has seen the impish lead character wrestle Ninjas, battle dinosaurs and befriend aliens.
RITA RASCÁNTA: Andy Whitson, illustrator of the Rita books with author Máire Zepf and Lord Mayor Tina Black (centre) in City Hall with young fans of Rita
To date, in collaboration with Rita author Máire Zepf, An tSnáthaid Mhor has published nine picturebooks, toured schools and libraries, won awards, made an activity book, printed T-shirts and seen translations to English and Welsh by Graffeg and to braille by Vision Ireland, formerly National Council for the Blind of Ireland. And now Rita has her own TV show on TG4!
Tá an comhlacht bunaithe sa Chultúrlan ach feictear a gcuid leabhar in achan chearn den tír agus tá Rita le feiceáil ar an Beeb agus ar TG4.
To mark Seachtain na Gaeilge, the West Belfast Small Business Roundtable on 31 March in An Chultúrlann will be conducted bilingually with both Caitríona, who hails from the Shaws Road Gaeltacht, and Andy taking turns to tell their story.
Tickets on sale via Eventbrite.
The West Belfast Small Business Roundtable allows local small business owners to network and to hear from compelling speakers.
