Reminder: Prestigious Writers to Speak at Waterford Libraries
It’s going to be an exciting autumn at the Waterford Libraries as five highly esteemed writers, Megan Nolan, Kevin Barry, Claire Keegan, Russ Parsons and Ethel Crowley, joining Senior Executive Librarian Mary Conway to discuss their work and writing lives at Waterford County Libraries between August and November 2023. All events are free, but bookings must be made by calling the library directly.
Megan Nolan, Irish journalist and author from County Waterford, debut novel Acts of Desperation, was long-listed for the Dylan Thomas Prize and shortlisted for the Betty Trask Award for debut novels. Meghan will be speaking on 17 August at 7:00PM at the Carrickphierish Library about her work and latest novel Ordinary Human Failings. Free of charge but booking required. Call at 051 849696.
Irish writer Claire Keegan is best known for her short stories which have been published in “The New Yorker”, “Best American Short Stories”, “Granta”, and “The Paris Review” and have been translated into 30 languages. “Antarctica” won the Rooney Prize for Irish Literature. “Walk the Blue Fields” won the Edge Hill Prize, awarded to the best collection of stories published in the British Isles. “Foster” won the Davy Byrnes Award, one of the richest literary prizes in the world, and was last year chosen by The Times as one of the top 50 works of fiction to be published in the 21st century.
The award-winning film The Quiet Girl (An Cailín Ciúin) is based on the same story. Keegan’s novel, Small Things Like These, was shortlisted for the 2022 Booker Prize, and has been adapted for an upcoming film starring Cillian Murphy and Emily Watson. Claire will be speaking on 28 September 7:00PM, Dungarvan Library and discuss her work and latest short story So Late in the Day. Free of charge but booking required. Call at 058 21141.
Kevin Barry is the author of three collections of short stories and three novels. His debut novel City of Bohan was the winner of the 2013 International Dublin Literary Award. Beatlebone won the 2015 Goldsmiths Prize and was one of seven books by Irish authors nominated for the 2017 International Dublin Literary Award, the world’s most valuable annual literary fiction prize. His 2019 novel Night Boat to Tangier was longlisted for the Booker Prize. Kevin will be speaking on 14 September 7:00PM at Tramore Library. Free of charge but booking required. Call at 051 849594.
Waterford resident and The Irish Times food columnist Russ Parsons served as the food editor and columnist of the Los Angeles Times for more than 25 years. Among other honors, in 2008 Parsons was inducted into the James Beard Foundation‘s Who’s Who of Food and Beverage, the hall of fame of American cooking. His first book, How to Read A French Fry was a finalist for two Julia Child cookbook awards. How to Pick a Peach, published in 2007, was named one of the best 100 books of the year by both Publisher’s Weekly and Amazon. Russ will be speaking on 12 October, 7:00PM at Ardkeen Library. Free of charge but booking required. Call at 051 849755.
Ethel Crowley, PhD and an Irish sociologist, is the author of Land Matters: Power Struggles in Rural Ireland, Daring to Dream and Your Place or Mine? Community and Belonging in 21st Century Ireland, as well as other journal articles, book chapters and newspaper articles. Over the years, she has combined university lecturing and academic writing with travels in Latin America, the Middle East and India. She is currently working on a book on Spain. Edith will be speaking about her friendship with Dervla Murphy and her forthcoming book Life At Full Tilt: The Selected Writings of Dervla Murphy on 28 November, 3:00PM at Lismore Library. Free of charge but booking required. Call at 051 849755.
