The Lady Gregory Autumn Gathering, now in its 19th year, will this year include a tribute to women writers around the world. This year’s event will take place in Coole Park over five days in October.
Lady Gregory blazed a trail for the Irish Literary Revival, founded the Abbey Theatre, and mentored WB Yeats, George Bernard Shaw, and JM Synge. The Autumn Gathering plans to honour her contribution to Irish arts and culture by inviting famous women writers of Irish descent from around the world to follow in her footsteps. The event is expected to attract a wide international audience of both men and women.
Taking place over five days instead of the traditional three, the Lady Gregory Autumn Gathering will take place from Thursday October 3 to Monday October 7, and aims to attract overseas visitors to south Galway as part of The Gathering Ireland 2013 initiative.
One of the main speakers, Prof Marc Conner of Washington and Lee University, Virginia, will deliver a lecture connecting Lady Gregory to modern Irish women writers. A number of renowned women will speak at the event including Angela Bourke, senior lecturer in modern Irish at University College Dublin and member of the Royal Irish Academy; Prof Meg Harper, Glucksman Professor of Contemporary Writing in English at the University of Limerick; Dr Eimear O’Connor, art historian; Dr Cecily O’Neill, international authority on process drama and the arts in education; Lelia Doolan, film producer; and Sinéad McCoole, historian and author.
Other highlights include a talk on finding your ancestors through an easy to use genealogical path; a historical tour of the ancient market town of Gort and its hinterland; walks through Coole Park; Over The Edge, Galway’s famous writers’ gathering and open reading; a kitchen reading of Me and Nu by Anne Gregory, performed by writers and poets Hedy Gibbons-Lynott and Geraldine Mills; Lady Gregory’s Ingredients, a three-woman play; a creative writing workshop, and a literary lunch with local writers. In addition, visitors can enjoy the country market in Gort on Saturday, a special photographic exhibition, a film evening, the candlelit dinner, and other entertainment.
For further information and booking contact Marion Cox, 1 Kiltiernan East, Kilcolgan, phone 086 8053917, email [email protected]. Updates will appear regularly on www.thegatheringireland.com
