The Birdies for Books initiative at the KPMG Women’s Irish Open has delivered a library of 100 books to each of 20 schools around Limerick and Clare.
For every birdie recorded since June by Leona Maguire and subsequently by every player at the 2023 KPMG Women’s Irish Open, KPMG have donated one children’s book to local schools in the area, reaching a grand total of 1,564 books following the conclusion of the tournament earlier this month.
These books, selected for their diverse characters and inclusive themes, with many featuring empowering stories of women in sport, are being delivered to twenty local and DEIS schools.
In a gesture of thanks towards Dromoland and the wider community, KPMG added a further 436 books to the final total, with each school receiving a little library of 100 books.
KPMG has been a proud partner of Children’s Books Ireland since 2017, running a number of initiatives such as BOLD GIRLS, which promotes gender equality, and Free To Be Me, which encourages the celebration of diversity through children’s books, as well as sponsoring the KPMG Children’s Books Ireland Awards since 2020.
The Awards have been running for over thirty years and offer a total prize fund of €16,000 across six categories. This year’s KPMG Children’s Books Ireland Awards took place in May in Merrion Square.
The first of the deliveries of the Birdies for Books libraries took place at Clonmoney N.S, Newmarket-on-Fergus, with KPMG ambassador Leona Maguire there for their arrival.
Maguire has been a KPMG ambassador since she turned professional in 2018.
“Growing up with two teachers as parents, the importance of books and reading were instilled in me from a very young age,” she said.
“I’m thrilled that my performance at the KPMG Women’s Open, and that of my co-competitors, will make such a lasting impact for the young readers I’ve met today in Clonmoney school, and in all of the schools that will benefit from this initiative.”
“We are very proud of Leona and her performance throughout this year’s KPMG Women’s Irish Open,” added Seamus Hand, Managing Partner at KPMG.
“We are thrilled to give back to the Dromoland community through our partners at Children’s Books Ireland, and hope that these books inspire their readers for many years to come.”
“Gifting a new book to a child, watching them discover the magic and the excitement of reading, is such a joy,” said Elaina Ryan, CEO of Children’s Books Ireland.
“Thanks to Leona’s efforts this summer, and to our partners at KPMG, we can share this joy with the pupils of twenty schools, inspiring young readers for life. We are delighted to have been a part of the Books for Birdies initiative and cannot wait to see where these journeys through reading will take them.”
“Here in Clonmoney N.S., we are absolutely thrilled and honoured to have received the very generous donation of children’s books through the ‘Books for Birdies’ initiative, said school principal David McLoughlin.
“These empowering stories aim to encourage children, especially young girls, to dream big, break stereotypes, and pursue their passions fearlessly. We believe that a love for reading is one of the most valuable gifts we can give to children, and no doubt these books will captivate our young minds, encouraging them to explore the magic of literature. We are extremely grateful to Leona Maguire, KPMG and Children’s Books Ireland for visiting us and giving us this truly wonderful gift.”
It was great to see the number racking up around the course during the tournament and this really is one of the smartest and potentially most impactful sponsorship initiatives of the year.
