Potato Peel author’s daughter fires cannon to open first festival

Friday 13th May 2011, 2:29PM BST.

Liz Froneberger, the daughter of Mary Ann Shaffer, opened the first Guernsey Literary Festival yesterday by firing Castle Cornet’s noonday gun.

THE first Guernsey Literary Festival began yesterday as the daughter of the woman who started to write The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society sounded the noonday gun.

Liz Froneberger, the daughter of the late Mary Ann Shaffer, is visiting the island for the first time.

As part of a vin d’honneur to celebrate the start of the festival, Mrs Froneberger was invited to sound the cannon at Castle Cornet. She said it was a proud moment.

The festival began yesterday and will finish on Sunday. More than 70 events, including workshops, readings and exhibitions, will take place.