Reimagining Granny’s Wonderful Chair

Reimagining Granny’s Wonderful Chair is a creative heritage project that reinterprets Frances Browne’s Granny’s Wonderful Chair and Its Tales of Fairy Times for contemporary young audiences. Working in partnership with a primary school in the Stranorlar / Ballybofey area, children will creatively respond to Browne’s characters, settings, and themes through a series of facilitated workshops. The project will culminate in the production of a printed booklet showcasing the students’ work, aligned with the Frances Browne Festival.

The project builds on existing Frances Browne engagement within Donegal libraries and responds directly to teacher feedback highlighting the inaccessibility of Victorian writing styles for modern children.

This project addresses that need by placing children at the centre of a creative reinterpretation process. Rather than simplifying or rewriting the original text, participants will be guided by writer Isla McGuckin to respond creatively to Browne’s work, generating new material that reflects their own voices, experiences, and imaginations.