Amazing response to festival

This year Dromineer Nenagh Literary Festival was a roaring success with over 1,000 tickets sold in 13 venues in the Dromineer Nenagh area.

Kicking off on Wednesday, October 7, with a brand new event ‘Poetry in the Pub’; a large audience gathered in the iconic Una Powell’s to hear Jan Brierton, Nicola Clare, Conor Killeen, Raphael Olympio read and perform their poetry. In partnership with The Irish Writer’s Centre.

Thursday night saw crime debut writer Cormac Quinn read from and discuss his work with writer and former librarian Jackie Lynan in Lough Derg Yacht Club, Dromineer. It was an apt venue in every sense - the festival was launched there 24 years ago, and Cormac's book, Murder on Lough Derg, is set around the glamour days and nights of the club's legendary Midsummer's Balls when the in-crowd decamped to the lakeside village to dance the night away into the small hours of the morning. Sponsored by The Wine Buff.

Friday night saw the first of three packed houses at Nenagh Arts Centre when Paul Howard took to the stage to discuss his new novel A Nation Once Again with broadcaster Ryan Tubridy. The pair engaged in a warm and sometimes hilarious conversation starting with Paul’s career to date and then focusing on his new novel which casts a satirical eye on nationalism, the civil service and the glacial pace of politics.

A packed Saturday started with Will Govan’s performance of Work is the Curse of the Drinking Classes. Actor Will Govan brought the life and tragic death of Oscar Wilde to the stage at Nenagh Arts Centre on Saturday at lunchtime. Govan entranced the audience with his sympathetic portrayal of a very complex character’s meteoric success and downfall which lead to his living in poverty in Paris in the 1880s before his death in 1900.

HERITAGE CENTRE

Later in the afternoon – over in the Heritage Centre – Neil Tully, Barbara Leahy and Jessamine O’Conner discussed their debut novels with arts journalist Aoife Barry. This event was in partnership with the Irish Writers’ Centre. The audience (and Aoife Barry) just had time after that event to head over to Nenagh Castle to hear the hilarious comedian and writer Justine Stafford discuss her new work The Irish Art of It’ll be Grand with beautiful music provided by harpist Clodagh Moylan.

This year’s lecture was delivered by the broadcaster and writer Myles Dungan who has just released his critically acclaimed The Plot Against Ireland: The Forger, Spies, Conmen and Terrorists Who Conspired Against Irish Home Rule. In this powerful talk he concisely laid out the complicated plot to bomb the Houses of Parliament in the late 19th century.

DISCUSSION ABOUT FOOD

No festival would be complete without a discussion about food lead by the proprietor of Country Choice, Peter Ward. This year he assembled scholar and linguist Mairtín Mac Con Iomaire, author and academic Dorothy Cashman, James Beard award-winning chef Robb Walsh to discuss the importance and uniqueness of Irish food focussing on the award-winning book Irish Food History: A Companion with author, chef edited by Mairtín Mac An Iomaire.

This event was kindly sponsored by The Abbey Court Hotel.

On Saturday night to a packed Nenagh Arts Centre, Mark Little discussed his important new book The Last Good Day on the Internet: Finding Hope and Humanity in a Superhuman World with writer and journalist Patrick Freyne. Although it sometimes made for grim listening – the final message was one of hope in humanity.

This year’s cruise on the Ku-ee-tu helmed by festival friends, Teddy and Edel Knight on Sunday, October 11, was hosted by biographer Anne Chambers. She discussed her new memoir Living Lives: A Biographer’s Journey with scholar Nathan O’Donnell and also spoke about her mist famous work – her biography of Grace O’Mally, Pirate Queen.

NATURE-RELEATED EVENT

This year’s nature related event in the Muintir na Tíre Hall in Ballycommon was hosted by broadcaster Anja Murray. She discussed Jane Clarke and Catherine Cleary’s beautiful new book about land, tradition, farming and wildlife The Hare’s Corner with both authors. Jane also read some of her very moving poetry. It was followed by a lively discussion about how we treat and mistreat land in Ireland and what we can do to improve.

The very generous William and Emma Kenndy hosted a very special event in Tullamore Park on the Sunday afternoon. Doireann Ní Ghríofa read from her beautiful & moving new book Said The Dead backed the most ethereal soundscape written and performed by Linda Buckley. This was followed by a fascinating and very frank discussion about Ní Ghríofa’s life work and art with broadcaster Rick O’Shea.

The annual afternoon tea sponsored by The Abbey Court Hotel was hosted by musician, broadcaster and Hothouse Flower, Fiachna Ní Bhraonáin, who interviewed Dara Waldron about his recent bestselling book A Sheepdog Named Oscar.

Fiachna also brought two guitars and his low whistle and performed beautifully including a magnificent version of Bob Dylan’s Shelter from the Storm – a key song throughout Waldron’s book.

The musical theme continued though to the finale event – Brendán Begley both in conversation and performing with Brian Morrisey. This was a truly special event. Soaring, uplifting music punctured brilliantly with words, wisdom and wonder. The audience left on a high already looking forward to DNLF 2027.

Other events included a talk about and a walk to the rath at the original site of Aonach Urmhumhan at Rathsallagh house with archaeologist Caimin O'Brien kindly sponsored by Faye and Andrew Coman/ Writing workshops with Victoria Kennefick and Patrick Holloway/ juiot detective workshop with Fiona Sherlock and a prize presentation and launch with poetry pamphlet publisher Three Pillars Press

It was a beautiful festival. Geraldine McNulty (Festival Chair and Curator) and her excellent team have taken a few days off but are now looking to DNLF 2027 to build once again on this year’s success.