INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY: TOP WOMEN WRITERS
GATHER TO CELEBRATE AT DUBLIN BOOK FESTIVAL
Some of Ireland’s leading women writers and feminists will gather at the Dublin Book Festival on Monday to celebrate International Woman’s Day.
A posthumous book from Nuala Ó Faolain, A More Complex Truth: Selected Writings will be launched on the final day of the festival, which commenced on Saturday, while the legacies of feminism will be debated by Susan McKay, Ivana Bacik, Caitríona Crowe and Margaret MacCurtain, chaired by Anthea McTeirnan.
Over 100 writers have been flocking to Dublin City Hall for the three-day festival, which features contributions from leading Irish authors, poets and journalists. Over the weekend top Irish writers, including Nell McCafferty, Gordon Snell, Thomas Kilroy, Mary Kenny and Eileen Battersby were interviewed by fellow authors, while poets Theo Dorgan, Geraldine Mills, Paddy Bushe, Pól Ó Muirí and Rosita Boland read from their work.
The festival is also playing host to a series of lively public debates. On Saturday Diarmaid Ferriter, Ruan O’Donnell and Niamh O’Sullivan lead a charged discussion on Ireland’s rebel history and Caroline Walsh, Carlo Gébler, Greg Baxter and Siobhán Parkinson explored the role of the literary critic. On Monday sports journalists Gavin Cummiskey, Gerry Thornley and Liam Toland will examine the state of sports writing in Ireland and employment experts and authors Lisa O’Callaghan, Andrew McCann and Frank Scott-Lennon will lead a discussion on surviving redundancy.
A specially constructed bookshop showcases the best of Irish publishing and the festival café will serve refreshments daily between 10am and 6pm.
Entry to all festival events is free and no booking is required, but seats can be reserved for certain events (see www.bookfestival.com for details).
The Festival’s Artistic Director, Alan Hayes, says the festival has been a huge success. “Early indications are that a record number visited the festival this year. The recession seems to have reignited people's interest in books and literature," said Mr Hayes.
Now in its third year, the Dublin Book Festival celebrates the diversity and creativity in contemporary Irish writing and publishing, and is organised by Publishing Ireland, supported by the Department of Art, Sport and Tourism; the Irish Times; Foras na Gaeilge; the Arts Council, Dublin City Council; Dublin City Libraries and the Arts Council of Northern Ireland.
The festival programme is available at www.dublinbookfestival.com. The festival opens on Saturday at noon and closes on Monday at 6pm.
NOTE TO EDITORS:
Alan Hayes, the festival’s Artistic Director and President of Publishing Ireland, and selected authors are now available for interview. Please contact the festival's press officer, Gert Ackermann: M: 086 176 9287 E: gert.ackermann@gmail.com. Images are available.
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