Reading in Farmleigh - Free Tickets

Anyone in Dublin next Wednesday night 24th September, there's a reading in the ballroom at Farmleigh at 8pm. The tickets are all gone, absolute gold dust, I tell you but I have two tickets up for grabs. First come, first served. County Lives. Should be good.

Frank O'Connor International Short Story Festival

There's a great line up for this festival.

Wednesday 17th September

Opening Reception and launch of Stingingfly Press anthology. Refreshments and readings.
Venue: Triskel Arts Centre, Tobin Street. Time: 7pm. Admission: Free.
Yiyun Li- Reading and Interview
Beijing-born Yiyun Li, 2005 winner of the inaugural Frank O’Connor International Short Story Award, makes her first appearance in Cork.
Venue:Triskel Arts Centre, Tobin Street. Time: 9pm. Admission: Suggested donation €5.

Thursday 18th September

What does an editor want? - Reading and Discussion
Jon Boilard, Vincent McDonnell & Nuala Ní Chonchúir, three fiction editors of Southword and former judges of the Sean O’Faolain Short Story Competition each will read a story of their own, then discuss the experience of assessing manuscript submissions, talk about what they were looking for and how the editorial experience has shaped how they now view their own work.
Venue: Triskel Arts Centre, Tobin Street. Time: 2.30pm. Admission: Free

Ian Wild & Clare Wigfall - A Reading
A reading by two young exiled British short story writers, County Cork-based Ian Wild who has also written for radio and the stage and published a collection of poems and Berlin-based Clare Wigfall who has just won the BBC National Short Story Prize.
Venue: Triskel Arts Centre, Tobin Street. Time: 7pm. Admission: Suggested donation €5

William Wall & Adam Marek - A Reading
A reading by distinguished Cork-based novelist and man of letters William Wall, joined on this occasion by young British short story writer Adam Marek who has just published his first collection.
Venue: Triskel Arts Centre, Tobin Street. Time: 9pm. Admission: Suggested donation €5

Friday 19th September

Flash Fiction Workshop
Southword fiction editor Nuala Ní Chonchúir presents a how-to session on Flash Fiction - the micro short fiction form sometimes called short-shorts or sudden fiction.
Venue: Munster Literature Centre, Douglas Street. Time: 10am - 12pm.
Fee: €40. Participation limited to eight individuals. Phone 021-4312955 to book.
Southword Showcase - A Reading
Southword is establishing itself as a journal which publishes great short fiction by complete unknowns as well as international stars such as Colm Toibín, Haruki Murakami and James Lasdun. On this occasion we would like to feature three writers who have featured in Southword and have not yet published a book of short fiction in English. Julian Campredon, Tania Hershman and Denise O’Keefe.
Venue: Triskel Arts Centre, Tobin Street. Time: 2.30pm. Admission: Free.
Rachel Trezise & Mary O’Donnell - A Reading
Young Welsh iconoclast Rachel Trezise reads with Co. Kildare-based poet, novelist and broadcaster Mary O’Donnell.
Venue: Triskel Arts Centre, Tobin Street. Time: 7pm. Admission: Free for Culture Night!

Mary Leland & Wena Poon - A Reading
Cork-based novelist Mary Leland shares the stage with San Francisco-based Wena Poon, originally from Singapore reading from her first collection of stories.
Venue: Triskel Arts Centre, Tobin Street. Time: 9pm. Admission: Free for Culture Night!

Saturday 20th September

Starting Short Stories - A Workshop
An introduction to writing Short Stories given by Jon Boilard, former fiction editor of Southword and winner of the Sean O’Faolain Short Story Prize.
Venue: Munster Literature Centre, Douglas Street. Time: 10am -12pm. Fee: €40. Participation limited to eight individuals.
Phone 021-4312955 to book.
Don’t Drone On - a Workshop on Reading the Short Story Aloud
The days when you could get a on a stage and read aloud a poem or story in a soporific monotone are passed. Simon Robson gives you pointers on how to improve your performance and develop a reputation where festival and reading curators can’t resist including you on their programmes.
Venue: Munster Literature Centre, Douglas Street. Time: 10am -12pm. Fee: €40. Participation limited to eight individuals.
Phone 021-4312955 to book.
Who has won the Sean O’Faolain Prize?
The announcement and reading of the winning short story of the €1500 2008 Sean O’Faolain Short Story Prize.
Venue: Triskel Arts Centre ,Tobin Street. Time: 12.30pm. Admission: Free.
The State of the Art - a Discussion Chaired by Rosalind Porter Senior Editor at Granta and including the participation of Stinging Fly editor Declan Meade, Jen Hamilton-Emery, commissioning editor at Salt, Seamus Hosey RTE Radio producer and organiser of the Francis McManus Awards and Lucy Luck, literary agent.
Venue: Triskel Arts Centre, Tobin Street. Time: 2.30pm. Admission: Free.
Salt no Vinegar Please: Carys Davies & Vanessa Gebbie - A Reading
Readings by two of the eight Salt authors longlisted for the Frank O’Connor Award this year. Salt is now the world’s most prolific publisher of short story collections and we are delighted to be able to showcase both the publisher and their authors Carys Davies and Vanessa Gebbie.
Venue: Triskel Arts Centre, Tobin Street. Time: 4.30pm. Admission: Free.

Alison McLeod and Simon Robson - A Reading
British-based Canadian novelist Alison McLeod and actor, playwright and fiction writer Simon Robson read from their very different flavoured works.
Venue: Triskel Arts Centre, Tobin Street. Time: 7pm. Admission: Suggested donation €5
Julie Orringer and Bernard MacLaverty - A Reading
Erstwhile San Francisco resident Julie Orringer reads from her massively admired debut collection, followed by one of the Irish giants of the short story form Bernard MacLaverty.
Venue: Triskel Arts Centre, Tobin Street. Time: 9pm. Admission: Suggested donation €5

Sunday 21st September

Presentation of the 2008 Frank O’Connor International Short Story Award
Jhumpa Lahiri, this year’s O’Connor laureate will read from her winning book and conduct a public interview with Irish Times Literary Critic Eileen Battersby.
Venue: Millennium Hall, Cork City Hall. Time: 7.30pm. Admission: Free. Refreshments will be served.

Culture Night

Culture Night is on in Dublin and (I think) Cork and is it Galway?
There are a multitude of events on, all free. Some need prebooking so check what's on. I don't know about the Friday idea. I'm always knackered and ready for nothing more demanding than a pizza and a bottle of Heineken.
When: Friday 19th September
What: From Dance classes at Dance Ireland, the usual museums and galleries, acting workshops, join-in comedy shows, talks in the Goethe-Institut and Alliance Francaise, visits to Leinster House, art studios, National Archives etc.
The Irish Writers Centre has readings by a mixture of writers, from new and emerging to older established writers and covering a vast genre of subjects.

Each will read for between 5 and 10 mins as we realise that the audience on Culture Night is very transient and so with these short readings this will create a buzz and flow around the Centre and you are all welcome along to enjoy the evening or part of the evening with us. Among the readers will be June Considine, Hugh McFadden, Claire Hennessy, Iggy McGovern and Ulick O'Connor.

Oxfam Books has music and a reading by someone, not sure who actually. Anyone know? Some of Ireland's newest talent, apparently.

Poetry Ireland has an open mike night at the Unitarian Church on St. Stephen’s Green which sounds great. Limited to 6 minutes per reader. I wonder do they have a big hook for people who like the sound of their own voice?

Sculpture in the Botanical Gardens

The Botanical Gardens are a place to lose yourself. The hothouses, the walkways, the rose garden, the poison garden. Currently there is an exhibition of sculptures that sounds wonderful. I love coming upon sculptures in the open. There are some wonderful permanent open air sculpture gardens including the one in the Hoge Veluwe next to the Van Gogh Museum and the one in the Forest of Dean. I never forget coming upon some glass sculptures by Dale Chihuly in the citadel in Jerusalem. And isn't there a sculpture park somewhere in Wicklow?

3rd September – 17th October 2008

'Sculpture In Context' is the largest outdoor Sculpture exhibition held in Ireland. The sculptures on display are the work of more than one hundred leading artists, displayed in the beautiful surroundings of the National Botanic Gardens. Artists contributing the exhibition are challenged to respond creatively to the Gardens and to specific locations in the Gardens. This is the 7th year that the Exhibition has been held at Glasnevin.
Free admission. No booking necessary.
Where: Daily, throughout the Gardens, in the Glasshouses and in the Gallery of the Education and Visitor Centre

Revising is Cake

Check out this video blog from Jackson Pearce on revision. She has some others worth snacking on. Yum. One on finding time, characters. Don't miss Imaginary Writing Process. I wish.

Write your first draft with fire in your heart. Edit it with ice in your veins.

Ranelagh Arts Festival

Ranelagh Arts Festival goes from strength to strength thanks for an enthusiastic volunteer committee.

This year, the emphasis is on the village, with loads of events around Ranelagh, making the festival hard to ignore. Walking tours, cycling tours, comedy circuits, an art exhibition that will loop around the village, street art and a magnificent engine puffing away on the Triangle.

Family Fun Day and Children’s Pirates Parade to Ranelagh Gardens. Children of all ages are encouraged to get the old pirate costume down from the attic and join in the festivities.
Online Ticket Sales

Literary based events include:

Stories of the Irish in the Great War
Friday Multidenominational School 7:30 Free and
Sunday McSorley's Pub. 6:30 pm Free.
Thursday 25th September
6pm Writers on Racing in Boylesports. Prebook your free tickets for this.
8pm Poetry Speakeasy in Starbucks. Prebook your free tickets for this. Hosted by Macdara Woods and Elaine Ní Chuilleanain.

Sunday 28th September
4pm Sandford Parish Church. Under Milk Wood a reading by 42 residents. 5 Euro.

Leaves Arts Festival Dunamaise

Next weekend, get thee to Laois (again) for Leaves in the Dunamaise Arts Centre from Friday September 12th to Sunday September 14th.

Fri 12th September
Readings By Pat Boran, Kevin Gildea and Claire Keegan with music from Andreas Balke 20:00. 10 Euro.

Sat 13th September
Children's Poetry Workshop led by Seamus Cashman editor of 'Something Beginning with P' 11:00 5 Euro
Writing for the Stage and Screen with Peter Sheridan and Eugene O'Brien 16:00 15 Euro
An evening of Readings By Mary O'Donnell, John Maher and Peter Sheridan
with Music and Dance from John Davidson and Aisling Walsh 20:00 10 Euro

Sun 14th September
Universal Declaration of Human Rights- A Celebration 12:00 15 Euro including Brunch