Irish Writers Centre Brings Literary Programme and Top Authors to Cavan

Minister for Arts Heather Humphreys joined Valerie Bistany, Director of the Irish Writers Centre, Cllr. Fergal Curtin, Cathaoirleach, Cavan County Council, Rhonda Tidy, Public Art Manager, Cavan Arts, Eoin Doyle,  Director of Service, Cavan County Council and Sinéad O’Reilly and Liz Meaney from the Arts Council on Tuesday 9 May to announce the launch of the Irish Writers Center Cavan Literary programme. The group was also joined by writers Mia Gallagher and Louise Phillips and blogger Ketty Elizabeth who will be facilitating workshops and courses as part of the Cavan programme.

The programme will be launched on Wednesday 17 May with an information session hosted by Valerie Bistany of the Irish Writers Centre and Catríona O’Reilly of Cavan County Council Arts Office who will also discuss the upcoming courses that the Centre is providing in the Townhall Arts Space, Cavan for the coming year. The information session will be followed by one-on-one Creative Clinics with well-known Irish writers Pat Boran, Mia Gallagher and Brendan O’Brien and a creative writing taster with Louise Phillips.

Catríona O’Reilly of Cavan County Council Arts Office said of the launch

“I am delighted to work with the Irish Writers Centre in Cavan. We have a proud tradition of literature in Cavan from the work of Cathal Buí Mac Ghiolla Gunna, Charlotte Brooke, Mary Ann Sadlier to the recently departed Dermot Healy and the ground breaking playwright Tom Mac Intyre. Windows Publications have over 25 years promoted emerging talent and creative writing for children. There is a genuine interest in the county to explore words and give voice and I believe that this partnership supported by the Arts Council will bring new dimension and strength to the literary landscape of county Cavan.”

Among the courses on offer in Cavan will be workshops on blog writing with Ketty Elisabeth,  the author, editor and eater behind French Foodie in Dublin, the multi-award winning blog about Dublin’s food scene and a one-day novel editing course with Brian Langan, editor at Transworld/Doubleday Ireland, an imprint of Penguin Random House. Writing for radio will also be on offer, facilitated by Brian Leyden, past winner of the RTÉ Radio 1 Francis MacManus Award and author of the best-selling memoir The Home Place.

Find more information on the Irish Writers Centre Cavan Literary Programme here.