EVENTS FOR FAMILIES
With thanks to our funders: The Arts Council, Wicklow County Council and Wicklow Arts Office
And our supporters: The Whale Theatre, Children’s Books Ireland, Greystones Library, Walker Books, Scholastic, Gill Books, Guppy Books and Futa Fata
Friday 2nd October
Meet the Comic Book Makers at Halfway up the Stairs
Free but booking required – Book Here 2pm
Please only book one time slot!
Date: Friday 2nd October
Venue: Halfway up the Stairs
Time: 2.00pm to 3.00pm and 4:00pm to 5:00pm
Age: 7+
With Sarah Bowie, Gary Northfield, Nene Lonergan, Alan Nolan, Leona Forde and Karen Harte
Meet the Jumping off the Page Comic Book Makers, show them your own work and get a book signed. They will also be doing live doodling and window painting during the afternoon. The perfect event for all young comic book fans!
Award Ceremony for the Jumping off the Page Young Comic Makers’ Competition
Date: Friday 2nd October
Venue: Halfway up the Stairs
Time: 3.15pm to 3.45pm
All shortlisted young comic book makers will be invited to attend
(If they would also like to attend the 2pm or 4pm Meet the Comic Book Makers slot, please book them in separately to the relevant age group)
Link for the Young Comic Makers’ competition entry form here
Friday 2nd October – Evening
Jumping Off the Page Comic Book Talk and Artists’ Meet Up with Sarah Bowie and Gary Northfield (Over 18s only please)
With thanks to Children’s Books Ireland for their support
Are you an adult who is interested in creating comic books? Are you a parent, teacher or librarian who would like to find out more about the world of comic books? This is the perfect event for you!
Date: Friday 2nd October
Venue: Greystones Library
Time: 6pm to 7.15pm
Age: Adults
Tickets: €20
Booking: Book Here
Join us for an illustrated, interactive event with two highly experienced comic book makers from Ireland and the UK: Sarah Bowie and Gary Northfield. They will talk about creating comic books for children and teenagers and how they got into, and continue to work in, the industry. They will also share some of their comic book favourites for all ages.
Afterwards, there will be a chance to chat with other comic book makers and exchange experience and ideas. All new and emerging comic book makers are welcome.
Pop up bookshop on site.
Saturday 3rd October – Family Workshop with Greystones Library
Amelia Cheesehart and Friends Comic Book Workshop with Nene Lonergan
Date: Saturday 3rd October
Venue: Greystones Library, Mill Road, Greystones, Co. Wicklow, A63 KN52
Time: 11am to 11.45am
Age: 8+
Tickets: This event is free of charge (with thanks to Greystones Library)
Booking: Please email: greylib@wicklowcoco.ie or telephone 01-2873548 or call into the library in person *
Join Nene Lonergan for a fun, interactive comic book workshop. Discover how Nene creates her animal characters and create some animal characters of your own! Perfect for any child who loves art and comic books.
*Please note each child must be accompanied by an adult (no ticket required for adults).
SATURDAY 3 OCTOBER FAMILY EVENTS AT THE WHALE
Squid Squad and Other Stories with Aoife Dooley (Relaxed Event)
Date: Saturday 3rd October
Venue: The Whale Theatre, Greystones
Time: 10.15am to 11.15am (Signing 11.15am to 12.00pm)
Age: 9+
Tickets: e13 children, e16 adults
Booking: BOOK HERE
An event for children and teens (and parents) who enjoy a calmer, less crowded event. Aoife was a huge hit at the last Jumping Off the Page Comic Book Festival and is back by popular demand!
Aoife will share her brilliant comic books from Frankie’s World to Squid Squad and will also talk about the challenges she faced at school and her autism diagnosis as a young woman. And inspiring event for all ages!
Mighty Mega Pets and Amelia Cheeseheart Chat and Draw Along with Gary Northfield and Nene Lonergan
Hosted by Alan Nolan
Date: Saturday 3rd October
Venue: The Whale Theatre
Time: 1pm to 2pm (Signing 2pm to 2.45pm)
Age: 7+
Tickets: e13 children, e16 adults
Booking: BOOK HERE
Would you like to discover how Gary and Nene create and draw their brilliant comic book characters, from dogs with hundreds of legs (Mighty Mega Pets), to hairy spiders (Amelia Cheeseheart) and where they come up with their zany ideas? Listen to them talk to Alan Nolan and then take part in a brilliant draw along.
We can’t wait for this fun, interactive event!
Please bring a notebook and pencil for the draw along (grown ups too!)
Comic Book Extravaganza
Our Favourite Comic Books and Ready, Steady, Draw!
With Sarah Bowie, Alan Nolan, Karen Harte and Aoife Dooley
Hosted by Leona Forde
Date: Saturday 3rd October
Venue: The Whale Theatre
Time: 4pm to 5pm (Signing 5pm to 6pm)
Age: 9+
Tickets: e13 children, e16 adults
Booking: BOOK HERE
Listen to the panel talk about their favourite comic books and why they love them. Then it gets lively with Ready, Steady, Draw!
Two comic book teams, one goal – to win the Jumping off the Page crown! Who will be the best at drawing sharks? Who can create the silliest monster character?
Watch our teams create magic (and mayhem!) right before your eyes.
The best fun you can have outside of reading comic books!
Saturday 3rd October – Event at Halfway up the Stairs
Meet the Comic Book Makers and GET A BOOK SIGNED – (FREE – no booking required)
Meet our festival comic book makers, ask them about their work and get a book signed. You can also show them your own comic books and there might even be some live doodling to watch!
Date: Saturday 3rd October
Venue: Halfway up the Stairs Bookshop
Age: All ages welcome
Tickets: Free of charge
Booking: No booking required
| Gary Northfield and Alan Nolan | 10.45am – 11.45am |
| Sarah Bowie | 12pm – 1pm |
| Leona Forde and Karen Harte | 1pm – 2pm |
| Aoife Dooley | 1pm – 2pm |
| Nene Lonergan | 3pm – 4pm |
SCHOOL EVENTS – PLEASE CONTACT THE SHOP FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
Dog Man Irish/English Dual Language Event for Schools with Máirín Ní Mhárta (Online Event for Schools)
Venue: Live Online
Date: Thursday 1st October
Time: 12pm to 12.40pm
Age Group: 4th class to 6th class
Tickets: e10 per class (1 booking = 1 screen)
Booking: info@halfwayupthestairs.ie
Máirín will do an event in Irish and English around the hugely popular comic book, Dog Man, published in Irish by Futa Fata.
Imeacht Dog Man – imeacht dátheangach Gaeilge/Béarla beo ar líne do scoileanna le Máirín Ní Mhárta (Imeacht Scoile)
Déardaoin 1 Deireadh Fómhair – Imeachtaí ar Líne
12in go 12.40in
Aoisghrúpa: Rang 4 ar aghaidh
Beidh imeacht le Máirín i nGaeilge agus i mBéarla bunaithe ar an tsraith iomráiteach Dog Man, atá ar fáil anois i nGaeilge, foilsithe ag Futa Fata.
Chris Judge and Nene Lonergan: Evil Duck and Amelia Cheeseheart (In Person Event for Schools)
FULLY BOOKED – CONTACT US TO BE PUT ON THE WAITING LIST
Venue: The Whale Theatre, Greystones
Date: Friday 2nd October
Time: 10am to 10.45am (followed by a signing, pop up bookshop on site)
Age Group: 3rd class and 4th class
Tickets: e150 per class (max 30 students)
Booking: info@halfwayupthestairs.ie
Karen Harte and Gary Northfield: Meet the Mighty Mega Pets and Efie Offline (In Person Event for Schools)
FULLY BOOKED – CONTACT US TO BE PUT ON THE WAITING LIST
Venue: The Whale Theatre
Date: Friday 2nd October
Time: 12.00pm to1.00pm (followed by a signing, pop up bookshop on site)
Age Group: 5th class and 6th class
Tickets: e150 per class (max 30 students)
Booking: info@halfwayupthestairs.ie
A lively, fun, interactive event for schools with book chat, readings, lots of art and images to look at, and a draw along.
Please bring a notebook and pencil for each child for the draw along.
Our 2026 Jumping Off the Page Speakers:
Sarah Bowie is a bestselling author and illustrator based in Waterford. Her comic book series for children, Nina Peanut, has been a huge hit both her and in the UK. The latest in the series is Nina Peanut: Major Drama Alert.
She is co-founder of The Comics Lab and of Ireland’s first Graphic Short Story Prize in partnership with The Irish Times.
Aoife Dooley is an award-winning illustrator, writer and comedian. She is well known for her graphic novels for children, Frankie’s World and Finding My Voice. The stories are loosely based on her young self and feeling different from others. Aoife shares her own experiences around autism after getting a diagnosis in her late 20’s. She credits this discovery to helping her to finally understand herself for the first time.
Her new graphic novel series for younger readers, Squid Squad, is hugely popular.
Leona Forde is the bestselling author of the Milly McCarthy series and an English and History teacher from Bandon, County Cork. She wrote Milly McCarthy for her daughter, who wanted to read a Wimpy Kid style story but not one set in the US or UK. Milly McCarthy and the Doggie Daycare Drama will be published in September.
Karen Harte is an illustrator, comic creator and arts educator from Dublin. Her illustrations focus on playful visual storytelling and are informed by finding joy in the everyday. She illustrates the best-selling Milly McCarthy series written by Leona Forde. Effie is Offline is her debut graphic novel.
Chris Judge is an illustrator, artist, and children’s picture book author from Dublin, Ireland. Since 2011 Chris has written and illustrated over 35 children’s books, many of which are in collaboration with authors like Roddy Doyle, David O’Doherty, Jarvis and Eoin Colfer. His first book, The Lonely Beast won the Specsavers Irish Children’s Book of the Year 2011 in the Bord Gáis Energy Irish Book Awards. His Evil Duck comic books are hugely popular with young readers.
Nene Lonergan is a Thai/Chinese artist based in Ireland. She started drawing comic books at age 7 and has not yet stopped. Her comic works have been published in the OPArts Anthology, the HOME Anthology and Inis Magazine, for which she has been nominated for the Eco de Literatura prize (2021), the Ignatz awards (2022) and the Le Blanc Literature prize (2022). After art college, she won the Prize in Illustration from the Irish Institute of Designers Graduate Awards for her short comic in 2023.
Máirín Ní Mhárta is a professional translator from An Cheathrú Rua, Co. Galway. She is best known for bringing the Dog Man and Diary of a Wimpy Kid series to young Irish-language readers. She loves bringing books to life in a new language!
Alan Nolan is a comic creator and is the author and illustrator of children’s books such as Fintan’s Fifteen, Conor’s Caveman and the Sam Hannigan series. He is the illustrator of the popular Gordon’s Game books written by Gordon D’Arcy and Paul Howard, as well as Animal Crackers by Sarah Webb. His new book, Lights, Camera, Mayhem in The Grand Central Cinema Club series is out in September.
Gary Northfield is the award-winning London-based author/illustrator of the Julius Zebra series. His comic strip Derek the Sheep appeared in The Beano and Gary has also created comics for The Phoenix, The Dandy, The DFC, National Geographic Kids magazine, Horrible Histories magazine and The Magical World of Roald Dahl.