According to Google, Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon) is an island nation south of India in the Indian Ocean with a population of 20 million. Its diverse landscapes range from rainforest and arid plains to highlands and sandy beaches.
Not surprisingly, the family use social media a lot to communicate with family – Duleeka has siblings in Sri Lanka and Australia, Nalin has a sibling in Japan, and both the couple’s mothers still live in Sri Lanka. “We use Facebook, so we know everything that is happening in our families and we use Viber to call each other, so we manage!”
Here in Gorey, the family are very involved in the local community, between badminton and Irish dancing, piano and, yes, publishing a book. When she was eight, Senuri wrote and illustrated a book, The Lost Creature. When she was 11, she published it in Sri Lanka and Ireland, with its Irish launch in Gorey Library on 15 October.
She has three more books ready to publish and, when you see her illustrations, it is no surprise that she has also won drawing competitions. Even more impressive is that Senuri donated the proceeds of her self-published book to her school, Loreto School Gorey. A name to watch for the future!
In the meantime, it’s business as usual for Senuri’s parents, who get to enjoy “the best tea in the world” when they holiday in Sri Lanka!
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