Q .When did Sophie decide to come to Cork?  What was the idea to form a French community at the beginning?
 
A. She came nine years ago having met an Irish man in Paris and they now have three children. At the beginning, the idea was to find a way, together with some other French mothers, to spend time playing, singing, reading, talking French to our children, to give them an opportunity to preserve their language and culture, as there are no French schools in Cork yet. Year after year, our group became bigger and bigger and allowed us to get funding from the French Government. 

Q. What are you doing exactly with the children? Do you have meetings?

A. Since1998, we meet once a week, every Friday afternoon, at “ l’Arche Community” in Togher from 16.30 until 18.00. We do art and craft, games, shows, singing, acting, reading, all in French…Also we celebrate traditions like Halloween Christmas, Easter, la Chandeleur in a French way. Children are usually from bilingual families (Irish/ French), but there are also some Francophones from all around the world: Canada, Africa…
At the beginning it was a way to meet other people linked in some way to French culture, on an informal basis. Then, four years ago, we applied for funding from the French Government, through an educational program called “FLAM”(French Language Native Speakers) managed by the French Minister for Foreign affairs. Our project was convincing enough for us to establish the first French Children Library in Ireland and to keep running our Friday meetings under the name ENFANTS FRANCOPHONES DE CORK.

Q. If children want to participate in these weekly activities, do they have to pay?

A. Yes, there is a small charge for our Friday activities, but when you join, you automatically get free membership to the French library.

Q. What about the French library? Is this a part of the same project? When was it open? Who is the library dedicated to?

A. With the financial support from the French government, Sophie set up the French Children’s library, just three years ago in Tigh Fili Art Centre, on Mac Curtain Street. Called “Sophie’s World of Books”, her tiny hideaway managed to host one thousand French Children Book.
From the beginning, Sophie has been the librarian, selecting and sourcing this wide selection of contemporary French Literature for children. Because she was primary school teacher in France and had also previously worked in a publishing company, she was full of ideas and energy and she managed to select a range that would appeal to anyone interested in speaking and reading in French.

Q. How is the library going ? What about the users, and which nationality are they?

A. Originally, Sophie purchased six hundred books, and then four hundred more the following year, meaning if you are a bit of a Francophile, you have access to a great range of French books. It is unique in Ireland; nowhere else has such a range of French books for children. Most of the books are recent editions, and you can find a great variety of formats, albums, illustrated stories, “Bandes Dessinées” such famous as Tintin and Asterix. More and more Irish families are coming to the library because their children are learning French, as a second language, and they can find a great selection of modern French books, ideal to learn basic French.
Last September, Sophie relocated to the Children Section of the City Library in Grand Parade, right in the centre of town , she now welcomes you in the Round room every Saturday. She is delighted to be there, feeling this is the perfect place to attract anybody interested in French. Indeed she has enjoyed the great atmosphere and welcome at the City Library from her fellow librarians.

Q. Are you organizing some specific project for children, right now?

A. We organize READING SESSIONS every Saturday, from 10.30 until 12.30am and from 1.30pm to -3.30pm.
 
We are also involved in the Eurochild Project, a poetry anthology by young European children published every year in Cork. So far 30 children from our association have been published, having written their poems in French. Last week, we even presented the 2006 Eurochild Anthology to the Lord Mayor in the City Hall with the EUROCHILD Team.

One of the biggest challenge for children speaking French is the written language and grammar. Sophie, using her knowledge and experience of the French curriculum, has begun teaching the equivalent of Junior Infant to 6th class level in the Alliance Française every Wednesday afternoon.

She is also promoting her French Library in Cork primary schools and runs workshops for young audiences in partnership with the City Library, usually during the Children Book festivals.

Q. How much does it cost to be a member of the French Library?

A. It costs 25 euros per year and you can borrow all the books you want, but maximum six books at a time.

Q. Which person do you have to contact to be part of this French association?

A. For the Friday sessions of ENFANTS FRANCOPHONES DE CORK, you can contact Pascale: 087 286 02 77 but if you feel like joining the French Library, for sure call Sophie: 086 386 46 04 or you can also write an e-mail to efc.cork@gmail.com.

Q. What do you think about Cork people? Did you have any problems to organize meetings or events?

A. We, as French people living abroad, aim to pass on our language, traditions and culture to our children. Because most children were born in Cork, they usually feel more Irish than French: for instance, they love Thierry HENRI not only because he plays soccer for France but because he plays for Arsenal in the Premiership!  Links between our two countries have always been very strong, many Corkonians choosing to go to France for their holidays, so the French community 
has always felt welcome in Cork.