HISTORY, ARCHITECTURE AND LITERATURE IN THE MIX AT
TREVOR / BOWEN LITERARY FESTIVAL, MITCHELSTOWN 20/07/2012 to 22/07/2012.
“Heritage, History and Literature will be intertwined at this year’s Wm Trevor / Eliz Bowen Literary Festival when Eoghan Harris officially opens the 6th annual weekend of literary activity on Friday 20th July. Outside of the opening ceremony and talk by Tom McCarthy, who has chosen “ Bowen, De Valera and the Neutrality of the Dead” as his topic, all the other events over the weekend will be held in buildings, some of whose origins date back to the 12th Century.
Kingston College was built in the late 18th Century, originally to provide accommodation to the less well-off members of the Church of Ireland community. Its chapel will host readings by members of our local creative writing group earlier on Friday afternoon.
Other venues include Farahy Church, originally built in the 12th Century, then rebuilt as a rare example of an 18th century rural Church of Ireland church, where Sophia Hillan, from Belfast, will speak about “Elizabeth Bowen’s sense of place” on Saturday afternoon.
The Kingston Arms, located in Kings’ Square, was built in the 18th Century as an hotel and on the Saturday and Sunday mornings will be the venue for Creative Writing Workshops for Adults. Our facilitators are John MacKenna and Mary O’Donnell who will be in the main concentrating on helping those who are at an earlier stage of their writing efforts. Eoghan Harris will, on the other hand, be concentrating on the plot as the basis for all good story writing.
Mitchelstown Town Hall which was originally built as a Catholic Church in the late 18 century and when the church was replaced 50 years later, it became a school, will house all of the remaining weekend’s activities.
These events include:
Talks: “A Childhood friendship with ELIZABETH BOWEN”
Sally Phipps, daughter of Mollie Keane, will talk about her memories
of the Elizabeth Bowen she remembers as a child
Screenings: “THE FILMS OF WILLIAM TREVOR”
Stephanie McBride presents her very successful talk as well as showing excerpts from various films made of Trevor’s works.
“THE BALLROOM OF ROMANCE”
Followed by the eponymous Dance with a three piece band.
“THE LAST SEPTEMBER”
Jim Ryan presents his interpretation of the great Bowen novel as a reader
and, after showing the film, will chair a discussion regarding the film presentation of the book as against the readers’ interpretation.
Readings:
Danielle McLaughlin, winner of Trevor/Bowen Short Story Competition 2012, reads her winning entry.
Admission per person (excluding workshops):
Individual Events €10.00 Saturday only ticket €25.00 Weekend Ticket €45.00
Creative Writing Workshops Adults: See prices on programme/website
Further details: Tel: 025/84969 086/8248736 cusackliam@eircom.net
See: www.mitchelstownlit.com for full details.
There will be a cheese and wine reception and a short, musical performance by local folk group, Eistigi, on the opening night.
There will be a Festival trad/folk session in Auntie Mae’s pub on the Saturday night at 11.00pm.”
