The Aishlings - Sarah Breen and Emer McLysaght.

Aislings coming to Dromineer Nenagh Literary Festival

Exclusive event with Sarah Breen and Emer McLysaght on October 1

The Dromineer Nenagh Literary Festival will host an exclusive event on October 1 with Sarah Breen and Emer McLysaght.

Their new novel ‘Aisling and the City’ won’t be published until October 8 so festival visitors will be the first to hear them live and get a signed copy! They’ll be in conversation with Roisin Ingle. So, if you are a small town girl living with “notions” then it’s time to hear from fellow Aislings, this ever glamorous literary duo. Sarah and Emer will share their very own dedicated evening at Nenagh Arts Centre.

The new book picks up where the last left off. With her café BallyGoBrunch flying and the door firmly closed on her relationship with John, Aisling accepts an unexpected job offer and boards a business-class flight to New York in her best wrap dress and heels. As she finds her feet in the Big Apple, she throws herself into the dating game, grapples with ‘always-on’ work culture, forges and fights for new friendships and brings her good wedges to a party in the Hamptons, much to Sadhbh’s dismay.

But catching up with family and friends on WhatsApp and email is not the same as sitting in Maguire’s, putting the world to rights over mini bottles of Pinot Greej and a shared bag of Taytos. And yet, New York has so much to offer, not least in the ridey fireman department.

Friends and co-authors, McLysaght and Breen created the character of Aisling as an in-joke many years ago and she quickly grew to capture hearts through a viral Facebook group, eventually becoming an iconic Irish character in her own right. They were approached by Gill Books in 2017 to write a book featuring Aisling and a best-selling series was born.

The previous three books in the series have sold over 300,000 copies and won two Irish Book Awards.

Emer has worked extensively in journalism and radio and is a columnist at The Irish Times. She lives in Dublin and drives a Nissan Micra, like a good Aisling.

Sarah’s background is in print journalism, specifically magazines. She lives in Dublin and dreams of the day Oasis will reunite.

This festival this year also includes events with historians Diarmaid Ferriter and Catriona Crowe, musician Peter O’Toole of the Hothouse Flowers, novelists Eimear Ryan and Louise Nealon, journalist Susan McKay and poets Aifric McGlinchey and podcasters The Bad Bridgets.

Looking forward to this, the 18th Dromineer Nenagh Literary Festival, Chairperson Geraldine McNulty said: “Despite the restrictions and limitations of the past year, we have been working continuously to be ready to bring you a real live festival again this autumn. We are so happy to be in a position to host and support so many talented writers and performers after the challenges lockdown imposed on the arts sector in the last 18 months.

“We remain devoted to bringing together writers and audiences at unique and innovative events in the historic and intimate surroundings of Nenagh and Lough Derg. We are proud to present a packed programme, rich in imagination, designed to entertain, stimulate and excite you.

“We are delighted to introduce the best of our talented new young writers along with many household names. We know they will delight, inspire and surprise you.”

FESTIVAL DETAILS

See www.dnlf.ie for full details.