Patricia Forde facts for kids

Patricia Forde (born c. 1960) is a talented Irish writer. She is well-known for writing exciting books for children. Patricia also used to be the Director of the famous Galway Arts Festival.

About Patricia Forde

Early Life and Creative Beginnings

Patricia Forde grew up in Market Street in Galway. She learned to speak Irish very well from a young age. When she was just ten years old, she joined An Taibhdhearc. This is a special Irish-language theatre. For the next ten years, she acted in plays and even helped direct them!

After school, Patricia became a primary school teacher. She taught children for ten years. During this time, she also joined Macnas. Macnas is a famous street theatre company known for its big, colourful parades and performances. One of the people who started Macnas, Pádraic Breathnach, saw her talent. He encouraged her to write stories for Macnas's amazing street shows.

A Career in the Arts

While working with Macnas, Patricia decided to take a break from teaching. She wanted to write her very first book. This book was called Tír faoi Thoinn. It was a big step for her.

Around 1990, a new opportunity came up. Ollie Jennings suggested she become the Director of the Galway Arts Festival. This was a huge role! Because of this exciting job, Patricia never went back to teaching. She led the festival until 1995.

After leaving the festival, Patricia continued to work in the arts. She worked on popular Irish TV shows. These included Ros na Rún, Aifric, and the RTÉ soap opera Fair City.

Helping Young Artists

Patricia Forde also created a special programme for children at the Galway Arts Festival. This programme grew into something even bigger. It became the Baboró International Arts Festival for Children. This festival is now a very important event. It brings arts and culture to young people from all over the world.

Patricia Forde is married and has two children. She lives in Moycullen, a town in County Galway.