Galway: The City's Contribution to the Literary Culture in Ireland

Wed, Apr 05, 2023

Galway is known as the cultural heart of Ireland and is revered for its history, festivals, and arts. The city has been one of the pioneers of literary culture in the country.

The city is renowned for its annual International Arts Festival every July. It is spread across two weeks with highlights of events ranging from art and cultural displays, live music street performances, dancing and everything in between.

Crannóg magazine launch its 58th issue upstairs at The Crane

Thu, Mar 23, 2023

Crannóg, Galway’s international literary magazine, is launching its 58th issue upstairs at The Crane on Friday, March 31 between 6.30pm and 8pm. The launch will feature readings of poetry and fiction from a selection of contributors.

Spiddal Author, Fearghas Mac Lochlainn nominated for Book Award

Thu, Feb 23, 2023

An Slipéar Gloine, an Irish story based on Cinderella and told in rhyme, is on the KPMG Irish Children Book Award shortlist for 2023. Fearghas Mac Lochlainn, the Spiddal author of this scintillating book, is delighted. He says: "I'm chuffed. It is fantastic that a book written in the Irish language has been shortlisted. Paddy Donnelly, the brilliant artist who illustrated the book, deserves much of the credit here! I am also much indebted to Tadhg Mac Dhonnagáin and Futa Fata who asked me to write the book in the first place and then put An Slipéar Gloine into the hat for the Reics Carló award (which it won), and for the KPMG award."

Joseph O’Connor in conversation at Kennys Bookshop

Thu, Jan 12, 2023

One of Ireland’s great authors, the award-winning Joseph O’Connor, will join Tomás Kenny in conversation at Kennys Bookshop on Thursday, January 19, to celebrate the publication of his new novel, My Father’s House.

Moya Roddy celebrates Nollaig na mBan

Thu, Jan 05, 2023

January 6, the twelfth and final day of Christmas, was always known in Ireland as Nollaig na mBan, Women’s Christmas or Little Christmas. As a reward for their hard work over the festive season, women were rewarded with a day off from the house work and traditional roles were meant to be reversed in the home - the men did the women’s house work while the women rested and gathered together casually.

Brush up on your Irish this spring at Áras na nGael

Thu, Jan 05, 2023

Want to brush up on your Irish skills? Or perhaps you have a passion for languages and want to learn Irish from scratch? Áras na nGael are offering a brand new set of Irish language classes this spring. From beginners to more advanced, they have a wide range of classes available so there really is something for everyone!

Over The Edge Celebrates 20th Birthday this month

Thu, Jan 05, 2023

The event will feature Ferdia Mac Anna, Terri Metcalfe & Séan Gibbons

Treats at the final Over The Edge: Open Reading of 2022

Thu, Dec 08, 2022

Over The Edge, Galway City's literary events organisation, organise readings of poetry and fiction at a variety of venues around Galway City. The December ‘Over The Edge: Open Reading’ will take place in Galway City Library on Thursday, December 15 from 6-7.30pm.

Galway writer, Maureen Gallagher, launches her debut novel Limbo

Thu, Oct 20, 2022

Having long had an interest in writing short stories and poetry, which she loved, it was not until Gallagher's children were in their late teens that Maureen "dipped her toe in the literary world."

Described as an "accidental crime writer", the foray into the social climate of Ireland during that time was no accident for Gallagher, who as an activist has lent her voice to a multitude of causes over the decades. She found that due to the structure of novel it "allowed her to explore social issues, something dear to her heart."

Autumn poetry workshops via Galway Arts Centre

Thu, Sep 01, 2022

Starting in September, Galway Arts Centre is offering aspiring poets a choice of three online poetry workshops, all facilitated by poet Kevin Higgins, whose best-selling first collection, The Boy With No Face, published by Salmon Poetry, was short-listed for the 2006 Strong Award for Best First Collection by an Irish poet.

Book an online creative writing class

Thu, Aug 18, 2022

Creative Writing for Beginners with Kevin Higgins takes place one evening per week (Monday) from 7-9.30pm (10 weeks). It commences on Monday, September 12, 2022. Advance booking is essential. Places cost €140. Kevin Higgins will provide writing exercises for, and give gentle critical feedback to, those interested in trying their hand at writing stories, poems, or memoir.

Time to choose your favourite bookshop

Thu, Aug 11, 2022

Galwegians have the chance to choose their favourite bookshop in the search for the ‘An Post Bookshop of the Year’ 2022.

An inspiring journey — McMenamin book to be launched in Oranmore tomorrow

Thu, Jul 14, 2022

From the cages of Long Kesh in the 1970s, to the lecture halls and classrooms of NUI Galway this century, a love of writing and a passionate belief in the importance of education has been central in the life of Paddy McMenamin.

Book review - Unforgiveable by Barbara McKeon

Literature Reviews Thu, Jul 07, 2022

A young woman falls for a married man, and as their relationship slides towards its inevitable collapse, she is drawn into a chain of events that will have devastating consequences for her and everyone around her.

This is the premise of Unforgiveable, a new novel by journalist, author, and Galway Advertiser proofreader Barbara McKeon. In it, she takes us on a journey of disfunction, remorse and, ultimately, redemption. And it is quite the ride.

From the drill to the quill

Wed, Apr 27, 2022

Des Kavanagh’s poems are full of the names of people and places he knows or has known well. Names are great familiarisers and Kavanagh’s Ireland is a close and familiar place. But it also bears within it the ache of absence, not just for specific people, but for the world they inhabited, a world that made them and that they also made. Kavanagh’s ancestral Inishowen in Donegal, his family, in it’s old and new generations, often provide the pivot that turns him to the past, although it also allows for glimpses of the future, through children and grandchildren — so said the late Seamus Deane of the Galway poet.

Brian Arkins - new poetry collection

Thu, Mar 24, 2022

BRIAN ARKINS, professor emeritus of Classics at NUI, Galway, will launch his new collection of poems, Towards a Credo, tomorrow evening, Friday March 25.

Poetry and fiction at Over The Edge

Wed, Mar 16, 2022

TWO POETS and a fiction writer will be the main readers at the next Over The Edge: Open Reading on Zoom on Thursday March 24 at 6.30pm.

Groundbreaking new book on Irish trad to be launched

Thu, Mar 03, 2022

A GROUNDBREAKING new book on Irish traditional music, particularly the music of the Aran Islands, will be launched next week.

Galway author nominated for European Union Prize for Literature

Thu, Mar 03, 2022

MADAME LAZARE, the Irish language novel by Galway author Tadhg Mac Dhonnagáin, has been nominated for the European Prize for Literature 2022.

Russian writer to read at Over The Edge

Thu, Feb 17, 2022

THE WRITERS Polina Cosgrave, Sharon Black, Claire Loader, and Vincent Flannery will read from their work at the February Over The Edge: Open Reading on Zoom.

E-paper

Read this weeks E-paper. Past editions also available from within this weeks digital copy.