Dublin literary centre would be self-financing, says Deenihan

THE IRISH Writers’ Centre was a “brave and important building” which “does mysterious work in the engendering of literature”, writer Sebastian Barry said last night.

He was speaking at the start of celebrations marking the 20th anniversary of the opening of the centre on Parnell Square, Dublin.

Barry described the centre as having “an element of the sacred”.

In private moments even economist Colm McCarthy might admit that literature was “not a commodity like other commodities”, Barry said. “Eras and times are often read through their literatures,” he added.

Barry spoke of the “magical” but at times “overwhelming task” of Minister for Arts Jimmy Deenihan, who had “the present and future” in his hands in his “important task”.

“People have become writers and better writers because of this centre,” Mr Deenihan said.

Because of places like the writers’ centre, Dublin had been named a Unesco City of Literature, he said, adding that the city may have to go a step further with a new literary centre. The centre would be “self-financing”, he said.

While recognising the “tough times” financially, Mr Deenihan said a “good solution with a good proposal”, with help from philanthropists at home and abroad, could “create something very special”. But he said it would not compete with the writers’ centre.