Marita Conlon-McKenna facts for kids

Marita Conlon-McKenna (born 5 November 1956) is a famous Irish writer. She writes exciting books for both kids and adults. She is best known for her children's book Under the Hawthorn Tree. This book is about the Great Famine in Ireland. It was published in 1990 and became very popular right away.

Under the Hawthorn Tree is special because it tells the true story of the Famine in a way that kids can understand. It has been translated into many languages and is taught in schools all over the world. Marita Conlon-McKenna has written over 20 books. Her first book for adults, Magdalen, came out in 1999.

About Marita Conlon-McKenna

Marita Conlon-McKenna was born in Dublin, Ireland. She grew up in a place called Goatstown. She went to school at the Convent of the Sacred Heart in Mount Anville. She was a great student. After school, she chose to help care for her father instead of going straight to university.

Early Life and Writing Journey

When she was 20, Marita married James McKenna. She worked in different jobs, like in her family's business, at a bank, and with a travel company. She became interested in writing and took classes at UCD, a university in Dublin. She studied things like Irish literature and children's books.

While raising her own young children, she started writing a picture book for her daughter. A teacher from her writing course, Dr. Pat Donlon, really encouraged her to publish her work.

Inspiration for Under the Hawthorn Tree

The idea for her first children's novel, Under the Hawthorn Tree, came from a radio story. She heard about an old grave found under a hawthorn tree. Three children from the Famine time were buried there. This sad discovery inspired her to write their story. Under the Hawthorn Tree became a huge success around the world. It sold over 250,000 copies in Ireland alone. It is now a classic children's book.

Other Books for Young Readers

After her first big success, Marita Conlon-McKenna wrote many more books for young people. Her characters often face difficult situations or big life changes. Some of her historical books for kids include Safe Harbour. This book is set during World War II and was nominated for an award. She also wrote two more books that continued the story of Under the Hawthorn Tree. These are Wildflower Girl and Fields of Home, which complete the Children of the Famine series.

Other popular children's books by her include The Blue Horse. This book won the Bisto Irish Book of the Year Award in 1993 and became a bestseller. She also wrote No Goodbye and A Girl Called Blue.

Books for Adults

Marita also writes popular books for adults. Her first adult novel, The Magdalen, was a number-one bestseller in 1999. It tells the story of young women facing tough times in Ireland's past. Marita said she felt it was important to write about this topic.

She also did a lot of research for her novel Rebel Sisters. This book is about the Gifford sisters, Nellie, Muriel, and Grace. They were involved in the 1916 Rising in Dublin, a very important event in Irish history. Rebel Sisters became a number-one bestseller when it came out in 2016. This was 100 years after the 1916 Rising.

In 2020, Marita Conlon-McKenna published The Hungry Road. This historical novel is also set during the Great Famine, in Skibbereen, County Cork. It was inspired by the diaries of a doctor who worked during the Famine.

Marita and her husband James have four children. They live in Stillorgan in County Dublin. Marita also helps promote the arts and used to be the head of Irish PEN, a group for writers.

Marita Conlon-McKenna's Books

The Children of the Famine Series

• Under the Hawthorn Tree (1990)
• Wildflower Girl (1991)
• Fields of Home (1996)

Children's Novels

• The Blue Horse (1992)
• Safe Harbour (1995)
• No Goodbye (1997)
• A Girl Called Blue (2003)

Novels for Adults

• The Magdalen (1999)
• Promised Land (2000)
• Rebel Sisters (2016)
• The Hungry Road (2020)

Picture Books

• Little Star (1993)
• The Very Last Unicorn (1995)

Awards and Recognition

Marita Conlon-McKenna's books have won many awards.

Under the Hawthorn Tree Awards

• International Reading Association Award (USA, 1991)
• Reading Association of Ireland Award (1993)
• Frankfurt Book Fair Children's Choice Book Prize (Germany, 1993)

Other Book Awards

• Wildflower Girl won the Bisto Book of the Year Award for Historical Fiction (1992).
• The Blue Horse won the Bisto Book of the Year Award (1993).
• Safe Harbour was shortlisted for the Bisto Book of the Year Award (1995).