The Magic Within, a new book by primary school children inspired by the poetry of W.B. Yeats, launched on June 12th, the day before Yeats’ birthday, at Clarion Hotel, Sligo. This publication is part of Yeats2015, a yearlong programme of arts and cultural events and one of Ireland’s official decade of commemorations events. The project was commissioned by Yeats2015 in partnership with Sligo Education Centre.

The “Yeats Among Schoolchildren” competition, organised by the Association of Teachers’ Education Centres in Ireland (ATECI),  invited children to draw, paint or write a poem based on one of W.B. Yeats’ poems.  The aim of the competition was to honour the legacy of Ireland’s National Poet by raising awareness among primary school children about the works of Yeats and their cultural and historical importance.

“Yeats Among Schoolchildren” is one of the primary events taking place this year in celebration of the 150^th anniversary of the birth of the Nobel Prizewinning poet.

The resulting book, The Magic Within, with all the winning entries is published by Yeats2015 in conjunction with Kids’ Own and the ATECI. The book will be distributed to all primary schools and libraries nationwide.

For more information on “Yeats Among Schoolchildren” and other Yeats2015 events, visit www.Yeats2015.com.

Yeats2015 has been funded by the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht as part of the national decade of commemorations initiative.  The Western Development Commission (WDC) has been appointed as secretariat by the Department to deliver the programme on their behalf.