GALWAY WRITERS will feature in this year’s Cúirt International Festival of Literature through readings, booklaunches, and The Cúirt Literary Brunch.
Two of the Galway based writers featured this year are Mike McCormick and Mary Costello, who will take part in a public interview with editor and publisher of The Stinging Fly, Declan Meade, in An Taibhdhearc, on Sunday April 28 at 2pm.
Mike is originally from Sligo but lives in Galway. He has participated in previous Cúirt festivals and was on its organising committee for several years.
Mike has won The Rooney prize for Irish Literature and his 1998 novel, Getting It In The Head, was voted a New York Times notable book of the year. His new book, Forensic Songs, was published to critical acclaim in 2012.
Galway born Mary Costello launched her collection of short stories The China Factory during Cúirt 2012. The short story collection enjoyed positive reviews and was shortlisted for The Irish Book Awards and a Guardian First Book prize. Admission to the interview is €8/6.
To mark the launch of Galway Stories, an anthology of stories set in Galway city and county, published by Doire Press, there will be a literary walk. The walk begins at 4pm on Friday April 26 at Il Vicolo Café & Wine Bar, Buttermilk Walk, before proceeding to McCambridges, St Nicholas’ Collegiate Church, and Tigh Neachtains.
The walk concludes in Monroe’s where Galway Advertiser arts editor Kernan Andrews will launch the publication. Galway Stories includes work by Celeste Augé, Jim Mullarkey, Shaun Leonard, Olaf Tyransen, and John Walsh. They will read outside buildings and businesses that feature in their works. Admission is free and all are welcome.
Another event featuring local writers is The Cúirt Literary Brunch in Viña Mara on Sunday April 28, with Celeste Augé, Michéal Ó Conghaile, and County Mayo’s Martin Dyar. Admission is €15.
Cúirt will also host the Over the Edge Showcase in the Town Hall Theatre on Thursday April 25 at 4.30pm.
The Cúirt workshop programme will feature an editing seminar with Neil Astley; a fiction workshop with Keith Ridgway; a crime writing workshop with Stuart Neville; and a poetry workshop with Leanne O’Sullivan. Places are limited. Those interested in taking part must send a CV with a short cover letter explaining their interest in the class to; Workshop Applications, Cúirt, Galway Arts Centre, 47 Dominick Street, Galway. The deadline for applications is Friday April 5 at 3pm.
