Bray Literary Festival going out with a bang
This may be the last year for Bray Literary Festival, but it’s certainly not going quietly.
The festival kicks off this Thursday, the 29th September, and runs until the 2nd of October. Here is just a taste of what’s going on—you can find the full programme on their website.
Highlights
Saturday 1st October: 13.00 at the Mermaid Arts Centre
Tanya Farrelly in discussion with Donal Ryan
Regarded as one of the most decent skins in the literary world as well as being one of the most gifted, Donal Ryan‘s novels have won him readers across the world along with the respect of his peers. Join Tanya Farrelly in conversation with the author at the Mermaid Arts Centre.
Saturday 1st October: 14.30 at Bray Town Hall
The Stinging Fly Lecture in association with Bray Literary Festival
The Stinging Fly annual lecture has been exciting in previous years, remembering in particular Sean O’Reilly‘s Safe Words in 2018.
This year Kevin Power takes to the floor, exploring the idea of the writing self or selves—how we can spend years trying to shape ourselves, sometimes going so far as to attempt to shake off the past that has defined us.
He will address issues such as how to build a new self that takes account of the past, and in doing so, how to find a new path to future writing.
Friday 30th September: 19.30 at Bray Town Hall
David Butler in conversation with One Dublin One Book choices Rónán Hession (Leonard & Hungry Paul, 2021) and Nuala O’ Connor (Nora, 2022)
This event is kindly supported by Dublin UNESCO City of Literature.
A great pairing sees two warm and inspiring souls Rónán Hession and Nuala O’Connor in conversation with David Butler.
Rónán Hession has published two novels, Leonard and Hungry Paul and Panenka, which have been shortlisted for several major awards in Ireland and the UK.
Nuala O’Connor‘s fifth novel NORA (New Island), about Nora Barnacle and James Joyce, was a Top 10 historical novel in the New York Times and the One Dublin One Book choice for 2022.
We are sorry to see Bray Festival come to an end, but wish its founders and curators Tanya Farrelly and David Butler all the very best with whatever the future holds—and by the looks of things the festival is going to be brighter and better than ever.
