sadbh@irish-times.ie
Alongside all that summer reading, why not be inspired to do a bit of summer writing? The short-story genre - traditionally the most difficult to sell to publishers - has had a fine critical renaissance lately. The first collections from Irish writers Claire Keegan (Antartica) and Blanaid McKinney (Big Mouth), have attracted much praise and prizes, with Keegan receiving the Rooney Prize earlier this year. The RTE Radio One Francis MacManus Short Story competition has been running for 15 years now, and it was on foot of Keegan's winning story that Faber picked up her collection. The closing date for entries to the competition this year is September 29th. There is a prize fund of £4,250, and some 30 stories will be broadcast over the coming year, so even if you don't pick up some loot, there's still a chance to have your 15 minutes of fame. For details and entry forms, send an SAE to Francis MacManus Awards, RTE Radio Centre, Dublin 4.
NEWS from the treasure trove antiquarian bookshop that is Cathach Books on Dublin's Duke Street, which sells out-of-print and rare books of Irish interest. Owner Eanna Mac Cuinneagain tells Sadbh they are engaging in a new venture, publishing a small number of antiquarian and scholarly titles under the name of Four Masters Press. The first was launched this week, The Cliff Scenery of South-West Donegal (£25). This is a reprint of an 1867 travel book by T.C. MacGinley, a teacher who was born in Meenacrosie in 1830. The book originally appeared as a series of columns in the Derry Journal. Future titles will include publication of 29 Ordnance Survey Letters, which were correspondence written in the 19th century, reporting on progress with the work of detailing placenames for the maps which were then being drawn up. The Ordnance Survey Letters Donegal will be launched in September by Brian Friel, who has written an introduction to the book, and who based his play, Translations, on these very letters.
THE theme of this year's Patrick MacGill Summer School, which runs August 13th to 18th in Glenties, is Women of Ireland. On top of the attractions of Glenties in August, there will be a series of debates and lectures nightly, chaired and attended by prominent public figures including former MP Bernadette McAliskey, Monica Barnes TD, Sister Stanislaus Kennedy and Dana Rosemary Scallon, MEP. There will also be forums, readings from MacGill's work, workshops, and exhibitions. For more information about the week, call 075-51103, or 074-21160.
Sadbh