by Jane Buckley | Aug 4, 2026 | Events
Three Launches. One Incredible Story.
We’d Love You to Come Along…
Every so often a book comes along that isn’t really about the author.
This is one of them.
Project Children – The Legacy belongs to the thousands of people whose lives were changed by one simple act of kindness.
For over fifty years, Denis and Pat Mulcahy’s vision gave more than 23,000 children from Northern Ireland the chance to spend six weeks with 16,000 American families across 22 states.
Over the last few years I’ve had the privilege of sitting in kitchens, living rooms, cafés and community halls, listening to those stories. There were plenty of tears, lots of laughter, and more cups of tea than I could ever count!
Those memories deserve to be remembered. That’s why I wrote this book. Whether you were one of the children, a host family, a volunteer, or simply someone who believes kindness can change lives, I’d love you to join us.
After all… this isn’t really my story.
It’s yours.
Pre-order Your Signed Copy
If you’d like a signed copy, you can pre-order directly from Oakleaf Press and I’ll have it ready for collection at your chosen launch, or post it out afterwards if you can’t make it.
👉 Pre-order your signed copy here
https://oakleafpress.co.uk/product/the-project-children-story/
Monaghan Book Launch
Tuesday 13 October 2026
Monaghan Peace Campus
🕡 Meet & Greet – 6.30 pm
📖 Book Launch – 7.00 pm
We’re kicking everything off in Monaghan, and I couldn’t think of a better place to begin.
Come along, meet old friends, make some new ones and help us celebrate an extraordinary story that deserves to be told.
🎟 Reserve your free place
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/project-children-the-legacy-book-launch-at-monaghan-peace-campus-registration-1995149837873?aff=oddtdtcreator
Belfast Book Launch
Wednesday 14 October 2026
🕡 Meet & Greet – 6.30 pm
📖 Book Launch – 7.00 pm
If Belfast suits you better, we’d be delighted to see you there.
Bring your memories, bring your family… and if you know someone who travelled with Project Children, why not bring them too?
Who knows who you’ll bump into!
🎟 Reserve your free place
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/project-children-the-legacy-book-launch-tickets-1991309614662
Derry Book Launch
Thursday 15 October 2026
St Columb’s Park House
🕡 Meet & Greet – 6.30 pm
📖 Book Launch – 7.00 pm
And finally… home.
There’s something rather special about launching this book in Derry.
So many of the Project Children journeys began here, and it feels only right to celebrate them together.
I’d love to see as many familiar faces as possible.
🎟 Reserve your free place
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/project-children-the-legacy-book-launch-tickets-1991312289663
Were You One of the 23,000 Children?
If you were… Come and say hello.
If your family hosted… Come and say hello.
If you volunteered… Come and say hello.
If you’ve never heard of Project Children but love a good story… Come and say hello.
There’ll be old friends to catch up with, stories to share, books to sign and, knowing us, plenty of chatting!
One thing’s for sure…
You won’t leave without a smile.
I really hope you can make it.
See you in Monaghan, Belfast or Derry.
Jane
by Oakleaf Press Admin | Jun 19, 2026 | Events
AI: An Author’s Friend or Foe?
Artificial Intelligence is changing the way we write, publish and market books, but is it a threat to authors or simply another tool in the creative toolbox?
Join author and publisher Jane Buckley for a practical, honest and often entertaining discussion about what AI can and cannot do. Drawing on her experience as both a novelist and founder of Oakleaf Press, Jane explores how writers are already using AI to assist with research, editing, marketing and publishing, while examining the concerns around creativity, copyright and the future of storytelling.
This session cuts through the hype to offer a balanced, common sense look at one of the most talked about developments in publishing today.
Whether you’re excited by AI, sceptical of it, or simply curious, this talk will help you understand how authors can adapt, benefit and continue to thrive in a rapidly changing world.
Suitable for: Writers, aspiring authors, publishers and anyone interested in the future of creativity and technology.
by Oakleaf Press Admin | Feb 6, 2026 | Events, Press & Media
I’m really looking forward to attending Ireland’s Publishing Show 2026, and not just for the talks and workshops, though they’re always brilliant.
Events like this matter because they bring people together. Writers, publishers, editors, designers, marketers, all in one place, sharing experiences and learning from one another.
For Oakleaf Press, networking is not about business cards and quick chats. It’s about conversations. Listening to writers talk about their ideas, their struggles, their half written novels and their very real hopes of seeing a book out in the world. Many writers are working quietly, often alone, unsure where to turn next. That’s where these gatherings become so important.
Ireland’s Publishing Show creates space for those conversations to happen naturally. Over coffee, between sessions, at the back of a room, or during a slightly lively St Patrick’s Day chat. It’s often in those moments that writers realise they are not on their own, and that support does exist.
Oakleaf Press was built to support authors through the publishing process, from first draft to finished book and beyond. Meeting writers face to face helps us understand what they really need, whether that is guidance, reassurance, practical help, or simply someone to say, yes, this is possible.
I’m looking forward to meeting new writers, catching up with familiar faces, and coming home inspired, with new ideas and new connections. That sense of shared purpose is what keeps this industry alive.
If you’re attending, do say hello. I’d love to chat.
by Oakleaf Press Admin | Aug 1, 2025 | Events
Feile Belfast
Thursday 7 August 2025
19:00 20:00
St Galls GAC
14 Milltown Row Belfast, Northern Ireland, BT12 6EP
I can’t wait for this! If you’re curious about our past, hungry for the truth, or just love a hard-hitting tale with a powerful love story at its heart, then this is for you. Join me for a wonderful night of laughs, craic and memories.
by Oakleaf Press Admin | Jul 10, 2025 | Events
John Hewitt Society
Thursday 31 July 2025
19:00 20:00
Panel Discussion: Beyond Traditional Routes, Independent Publishing: Sue Divin, Jane Buckley,
James Simpson and Angeline King
Source: VisitArmagh.com
