Departures
Discover a new episode online each Tuesday, from July 6th
This summer Dublin Book Festival welcomes you to Departures—conversation and music set amidst some of our most beautiful natural places.
Landscape is integral to much artistic expression, and over recent times people have connected more deeply to the natural world around us. This series reflects on this intense connection between landscape and all art forms.
Filmed in three locations around Ireland the series celebrates this connection and inspiration with some of our most talented contemporary artists, including: Mike McCormack; Billy O’Callaghan; Michael Fewer; Alice Taylor; Jane Clarke and Alice Kinsella, with music from Cormac MacDiarmada (of Lankum) and Ruth Clinton (Landless), Anna Mieke, Jack O’Rourke and cellist Aisling Fitzpatrick.
Join presenter Manchán Magan as he takes viewers on a journey through Ireland to discover the places and spaces that have stirred the artistic spirit of some of Ireland’s most loved authors, poets & musicians.
The journey begins in Macreddin, Co. Wicklow, moving across to Westport Co. Mayo and finishing in Cobh, Co. Cork.
Experience free online at www.dublinbookfestival.com (booking essential)
Stream on Tuesday 6th July
Author: Michael Fewer
Poet: Jane Clarke
Musician: Anna Mieke
Filmed in Brooklodge in the Wicklow Mountains, Manchán Magan will be joined by author Michael Fewer exploring his connection with the landscape and the inspiration behind his work throughout his career. Manchán’s second guest is poet Jane Clarke, discussing the impact of the natural beauty of her surroundings on her poetry, and reads her poems “Ballinabarney” and “Mullacor”. Interwoven with scenes of the stirring landscape, musician Anna Mieke delivers a spellbinding performance of two songs from her debut album Idle Mind, independently released in 2019 and inspired by her connection to her surroundings.
Stream on Tuesday 13th July
Author: Mike McCormack
Poet: Alice Kinsella
Musicians: Cormaic McDiarmuid (of Lankum) & Ruth Clinton (Landless)
Filmed in Westport, Co Mayo
Manchán Magan travels to Westport, Co. Mayo to speak with novelist Mike McCormack and poet Alice Kinsella. On the shores of Clew Bay, Mike and Alice discuss the power and resonant beauty of the Irish landscape in their art, as actor Paul O’Brien reads some of their work. There will be musical interludes throughout from Town Hall Theatre in Westport from Cormac MacDiarmada (from RTE Folk Award) and Choice Music Prize winning band Lankum, and Ruth Clinton from Landless as they combine forces to perform their own songs from the landscape.
Stream on Tuesday 20th July
Author: Billy O’Callaghan
Poet: Alice Taylor
Musician: Jack O’Rourke and Aisling Fitzpatrick (cellist)
Filmed in Cóbh, Co Cork
From Cóbh harbour in Co. Cork host Manchán Magan is joined by acclaimed writer Billy O’Callaghan and author and poet Alice Taylor to discuss the impact of the harbour landscape on their writing, how they draw inspiration from their surroundings, and the effects of the changing landscape in Cork. Filmed at Cobh’s Sirius Arts Centre, with imagery from the dramatic Sipke Island. Cork musicians Jack O’Rourke and Aisling Fitzpatrick treat us to a performance of two new songs from Jack’s upcoming album. This episode reflects the beauty and contrasts of Cork and includes actor Irene Kelleher reading from Billy’s novel Life Sentences (Jonathan Cape, 2020) and a selection of Alice Taylor’s poems.
The Dublin Book Festival is supported by Arts Council of Ireland, Irish Copyright Licensing Agency, Dublin City Council, Dublin UNESCO City of Literature.Venue partners include Brooklodge Hotel, Westport Townhall Theatre, Sirius Arts Centre in Cobh and Spike Island Tours. Departures is made possible by funding from The Arts Council of Ireland
