Madam, – Jeremy Addis (August 20th) is quite right when he complains of Irish publishers sending their books abroad for printing. Indeed, one wonders what the Singaporean printers of my book of Irish cookery made of the recipes for coddle and boxty.
However, if the publishing industry wishes to help itself, may I suggest a quick trip to Scotland, where a lesson can be learnt from the organisers of the Edinburgh International Book Festival. This is one of the most stimulating and accessible of the Edinburgh Festival events, and having just returned from there, I don’t know why a city with Dublin’s literary heritage isn’t doing something similar.
All that would be required would be a central space – like, for instance, the quad in Trinity College – and a few marquees to serve as lecture theatres, bookshop and restaurant.
The Edinburgh event serves the Scots very well, drawing in some of the biggest names in the industry and making a hefty profit for the city – no small consideration in these straitened times. – Yours, etc,