Yeats at the NCH
John Banville, Eavan Boland and John Montague are among a strong line-up of speakers for a Yeats 150th anniversary event at the National Concert Hall this September. Written and hosted by historian Roy Foster, Beautiful Lofty Things: An evening with WB Yeats will take place on Saturday, September 12th at 8pm. Directed by Alan Gilsenan, the evening will feature performances by actor Lisa Dwan, with music from The Gloaming's master fiddler Martin Hayes and vocalist Iarla Ó Lionáird. The event is presented by Poetry Ireland in partnership with Yeats2015 as part of a year-long series taking place world-wide to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the birth of the poet. Tickets from €25 can be booked at www.nch.ie.
Poetry Ireland is also publishing a special Yeats 2015 anniversary edition of Poetry Ireland Review, which can be pre-purchased at a reduced price with a concert ticket for the event. Edited by Vona Groarke, the publication includes responses to Yeats's legacy and readings of his poems from authors Neil Jordan, Colm Tóibín, Frank McGuinness, Joe O'Connor, Fintan O'Toole, Mary Costello, John Banville and Rowan Williams. New poems by Irish and international poets such as Margaret Atwood, Sharon Olds, Philip Schultz, Sinéad Morrissey and Harry Clifton will respond to Yeats's work. And there's a Maud Gonne crossword too.
Cork mid-summer readings
Two popular literary magazines join forces for an event in Cork city this Friday, July 3rd. Gorse journal and The Penny Dreadful will host a mid-summer event featuring readings from past contributors of both journals. Taking place at The Roundy Bar on Castle Street at 8pm, the line-up includes writers Cal Doyle, Elaine Cosgrove, Hugh Fulham-McQuillan, Pat O'Connor, Michael Shanks and Victoria Kennefick. The series is running throughout the summer, with more information at https://www.facebook.com/events/655840604549192/.
Books and brunch in Bantry
Top of the billing for July's literary events is the West Cork Literary Festival in Bantry as Irish and international talent descend on the scenic town. Michel Faber, David Nicholls, Rachel Cusk, Neel Mukherjee and Graham Norton are among the guests announced for this year's festival, which runs from July 12th – 18th. The programme features a number of Irish authors with recent releases or new books on the way. Belinda McKeon, Christine Dwyer Hickey, Paul Murray and Louise O'Neill will read at various events throughout the week.
Local author Sara Baume and her publishers from Tramp Press, Sarah Davis-Goff and Lisa Coen, will host a discussion on "The Myth of Overnight Success". Declan Meade of Stinging Fly Press gives his experiences working as an editor and publisher. Irish Times cartoonist Martyn Turner looks at what it means to be a political cartoonist in the modern age. John Fitzgerald and Thomas McCarthy will present an afternoon of poetry, while Irene O'Mara coaches writers on how to be better public readers. The Children's Festival remains as popular as ever with events this year featuring Sarah Crossan, Shane Hegarty, Judi Curtin, Sarah Webb, Yasmeen Ismail and the return of the Book Clinic.
Other highlights include an evening with Nick Davies, who exposed the phone-hacking scandal in Rupert Murdoch's newspaper empire; a literary brunch hosted by the travel writer Dervla Murphy; and readings on Whiddy Island in Bantry Bay. Literary agent Lucy Luck will share her expertise on the publishing industry, with Julia Churchill giving an agent's perspective on children's literature. Anna Kelly, commissioning editor at 4th Estate, will be Editor in Residence at the festival. John Boyne, Tessa Hadley, Carlo Gébler, Anthony Sattin and Deirdre Kinahan are among those facilitating workshops on novel writing, investigative reporting, playwriting and poetry. Bookings and event listings at www.westcorkliteraryfestival.ie.
Culture Club at Liberties
Culture Club is a new series of literary evenings hosted by Liberties Upstairs, in association with independent publisher Liberties Press. Each evening will feature a variety of author readings, Q&A sessions, a glass of wine and a €5 ticket that's redeemable against a purchase of a Liberties published title. Last week's inaugural event saw Irish authors Catriona Lally and Daniel Seery discuss their roads to success through the Irish Writers Centre Novel Fair initiative. The next event takes place on Thursday, July 30th at 7.30pm in the publisher's office in Terenure, Dublin 6W. "The Publishing Process - from the inside" will be hosted by Liberties managing director Seán O'Keeffe, who will cover general aspects of publishing from submissions to promotion. O'Keefe will also discuss the submissions process in relation to Liberties specifically, while presenting his argument against self-publishing. Further information at http://www.libertiespress.com/events/2015/6/24/the-liberties-upstairs-culture-club.
Competition for new writers
The poet and editor Dave Lordan will judge the 2015 Over The Edge New Writer of the Year competition. The competition is open to poets and fiction writers worldwide, with a total prize fund of €1,000. The overall winner receives €700 and will present their work at the Over The Edge reading series in Galway City Library. The deadline for entries is Wednesday, August 5th.
The July Over The Edge Writers' gathering will have readings by Horslips drummer Eamon Carr, Máire T. Robinson, John Fogarty, Mary Madec, Lorne Patterson, and Paul O'Reilly. The event will also showcase authors published by Galway-based publishers Doire Press and Wordsonthestreet. The public reading, with no entry fee, takes place at Galway City Library on Thursday, July 9th from 6.30 - 8pm. More information at http://overtheedgeliteraryevents.blogspot.ie/.
Happy Days in Enniskillen
World premieres directed by Max Stafford-Clark, Adrian Dunbar and Sophie Hunter are among the highlights of this year's Beckett festival in Enniskillen. Giving Ronseal a run for its money, the Happy Days Enniskillen International Beckett Festival 2015 takes place over two long weekends, from July 23rd to August 3rd. Other highlights include the Berliner Ensemble's first visit to Ireland with their controversial production of Beckett's Warten auf Godot by the Hungarian-born playwright and director George Tabori. France's leading choreographer Maguy Marin will also present in Ireland for the first time. May B is a classic work inspired by Beckett's writing, with music by Franz Schubert, Gilles de Binoche and Gavin Bryars.
Stafford-Clark will direct a new production of All That Fall featuring Rosaleen Linehan, commissioned by the festival and co-produced with Out of Joint Theatre Company. Festival associate Adrian Dunbar is at the helm of a new production of Ohio Impromptu, with performances at sunset on Lough Erne's Devenish Island, a monastic site founded in the 6th century. An extensive programme of music will include a new production of Benjamin Britten's last vocal work, Phaedra, a short cantata for mezzo-soprano and chamber orchestra, directed by Sophie Hunter and starring Ruby Philogene. The film programme features Ian Christie talking on Beckett and film; a rare opportunity to see the BFI re-make of Beckett's FILM, introduced by Patsy Nightingale who worked on the production; and screenings of Polanski's The Fearless Vampire Killers and Cul De Sac, starring the renowned Beckett actor Jack MacGowran. More information on events and bookings at happy-days-enniskillen.com.
Dubray’s favourite books
Harper Lee's To Kill a Mocking Bird has topped the list of the best loved books of all time, compiled by independent bookseller Dubray Books. Chosen by over 75 staff in its eight shops across the country, the list includes books for readers of all ages, from childhood classic Winnie the Pooh to teen favourite The Fault in Our Stars. Classic literature also featured prominently, with titles such as The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas and Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice ranking highly. First published almost 2000 years ago, the oldest book on the list was The Campaigns of Alexander, with recent publications like The Miniaturist and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo also making an appearance.
"We pride ourselves on the book knowledge we offer our customers, from classics to crime and everything in between," says Maria Dickenson, MD at Dubray. "To Kill a Mockingbird was a particular favourite, with excitement building for Harper Lee's Go Set a Watchman, which will be on our bookshelves from July 14th." Dickenson, who will go on maternity shortly, hands over the reins to former WH Smith books director Michael Neil. Neil has previously held directorial positions at Waterstones, Blackwell's, Bertram Books and HMV. The full list of recommended reads can be found at http://www.dubraybooks.ie/our-favourite-books-of-all-time.
