by Rose Rushe
Barry, not O’Brien
Photo: Matt Kavanagh
WE introduced the starry national and international content at this weekend’s Limerick Literary Festival previously.
It’s known now that Edna O’Brien had, regretfully, to bow out of the traditional ‘Kate O’Brien annual lecture’ slot on Sunday 23 and is now replaced by as plum a prize, poet, playwright, novelist Sebastian Barry.
Check out more familiar names taking part: Arlen House poet Vivienne McKechnie, ‘Poetry Now’ editor Niall MacMonagle, novelist Peter Cunningham, visual artist David Lilburn, author Robert O’Byrne, novelist Siobhan Parkinson, neuroscientist Elaine Fox and playwright, Professor Frank McGuinness.
Finghin Collins plays at Lime Tree for just €20 this Friday 21. Then there’s list of literary luminaries taking part in a day-long seminar, Saturday 22 at 69 O’Connell Street.
The Duchess and Duke of Magenta launch all on Thursday 20, 6.30pm, at No. 69 followed by Beoure Theatre’s lively reading of Kate O’Brien’s ‘Distinguished Villa’.
On Sunday 23, Lime Tree hosts Niall Mac Monagle 10am; Michael Longley 11am; Mike Murphy interviews Barry in place of a frail Edna O’Brien as the week’s highlight, noon.
There’s a detailed programme, biographies and the option of ticket sales per session or weekend at www.limerickliteraryfestival.com.
Artist’s note: Sebastian Barry was born in Dublin in 1955. His novels and plays have won, among other awards, the Kerry Group Irish Fiction Prize, the Costa Book of the Year award, the Irish Book Awards Best Novel, the Independent Booksellers Prize and the James Tait Black Memorial Prize. He also had two consecutive novels, *A Long Long Way* (2005) and *The Secret Scripture* (2008), shortlisted for the MAN Booker Prize.
He lives in Wicklow with his wife and three children. The film of ‘The Secret Scripture’, starring JessicaChastain and Vanessa Redgrave, will begin shooting in Ireland this year.
Rock and Higgins
FOR a monthly literary gathering, On the Nail in Locke Bar has considerable presence. It’s coming around again on Tuesday March 4, 8pm with “performance poet Dave Rock and Kevin Higgins who will read from his new collection,” reports organiser Dominic Taylor.
Dave Rock is an award winning poet, storyteller and actor. He is mastering the form of pure spontaneous poetry and freestyle hip-hop, co-creating with artist and audience.
Kevin Higgins facilitates poetry workshops at Galway Arts Centre and teaches creative writing at Galway Technical Institute.
Beautiful Beatty
THE Hunt Museum has “an exquisite selection of 19th century French paintings,” reports director Dr Hugh Maguire. “We have 29 works of art on loan from Chester Beatty Collection from the National Gallery of Ireland to make up this beautiful exhibition which is on display until March 30”.
Visitors can view daily for free; check out the permanent collection also on www.huntmuseum.com
Hansel and Gretel
ONCE again it is pantomime season in Sixmilebridge as the local youth club takes to the stage with its production of ‘Hansel and Gretel’.
The popular event takes place over the next two weekends, with 8pm starts on Friday February 21, Saturday 22, Friday 28 and Saturday March 1.
More than 50 young people from Sixmilebridge are set to dazzle audiences with captivating musical numbers, sensational dance routines and, as always, witty and lively comedy.
The pantomime follows the story of Hansel and Gretel as they set off on an adventure to find a house of candy owned by Witch Winnie Wonka.
Hansel and Gretel’s father Sonny Day decides to bring a slice of colour and singing to the household, so he hires a nanny named Mary Poppins, portrayed in the guise of the traditional panto dame. Tickets for a modest price for Sixmilebridge Youth Club’s ‘Hansel and Gretel’ are available from members and local shops
