In The Irish Times tomorrow, Sally Rooney expresses her support for Palestine Action; Kevin Barry celebrates The Glorious Heresies by Lisa McInerney on its 10th anniversary; Tara McEvoy praises Belfast poet Padraic Fiacc in the week a plaque is unveiled in his memory; Nicola Sturgeon discusses her memoir with Mark Paul; there is a Q&A with author Triona Campbell; and surfer Al Mennie tells Ian O’Riordan about his new book, Night Swimming: How to Swim Through the Darkness.
Reviews are Daniel Mulhall on Frankly by Nicola Sturgeon; Mark Hennessy on Des Lee’s My Saxophone Saved My Life and Eugene Reavey’s book The Killing of the Reavey Brothers; Ruby Eastwood on The Compound by Aisling Rawle; Frank Wynne on the best new translations; Conor Brady on Operation Sandworm by Andy Greenberg; Jessica Traynor on Delusions of Paradise: Escaping the Life of a Taliban Fighter by Maiwand Banayee; Vic Duggan on Nordic Socialism: The Path Toward a Democratic Economy, by Pelle Dragsted; Andrew Roycroft on Christ Alive: Reflections from the Shadows of Life into the Light of God by John Deane-O’Keeffe; Helena Mulkerns on Night of the Living Rez by Morgan Talty; Oliver Farry on How to Save The Amazon by Dom Phillips; Emily Goulding on The Imagined Life by Andrew Porter; Ted Smyth on The Haves and Have-Yachts: Dispatches on the Ultrarich by Evan Osnos; and Kevin Gildea on Capitalism and its Critics by John Cassidy.
This weekend’s Irish Times Eason offer is The Glass House by Rachel Donohue, just €5.99, a €6 saving.
DLR Libraries has announced a special readers’ day in honour of locally-based, internationally-acclaimed writer Jennifer Johnston, who died earlier this year. Her work ranged from novels to plays – including the classic book How Many Miles to Babylon?. Speakers include the new Laureate for Irish Fiction Éilís Ní Dhuibhne, while Jennifer’s son Patrick Smyth will talk about her archive held in The LexIcon. The day-long celebration will include a performance of Jennifer’s monologue Waiting by Glenroe and The Clinic actor Geraldine Plunkett.
At 10am,Dermot Bolger, Frank McGuinness and Éilís Ní Dhuibhne discuss Why Jennifer Johnston’s Work Matters. At 11am, Jennifer’s son Patrick Smyth talks about important items donated to the LexIcon. At 12.05, Christine Dwyer Hickey, Sinéad Gleeson and Claire Kilroy discuss the Jennifer Johnston books they admire and re-read. At 2pm, Carlo Gébler and Lise-Ann McLaughlin reflect on Jennifer’s theatrical tradition, as daughter of playwright Denis Johnston and Abbey actor and producer Shelagh Richards. At 3pm, Geraldine Plunkett performs the Jennifer Johnston monologue Waiting, directed by Jennifer’s cousin Caroline FitzGerald. Martina Devlin also speaks to Caroline FitzGerald about the many Jennifer Johnston plays she has staged.
A Writer Who Lived In Literature: a Jennifer Johnston Readers’ Day takes place in The Studio, dlr LexIcon, Dún Laoghaire, on Saturday, September 6th. It is programmed by fellow writer Martina Devlin, who felt it was important that something should happen to pay tribute to her in her beloved Dún Laoghaire.
Attendance is free but booking is through EventBrite and it opens for booking on Tuesday, August 19th.
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The Red Line Book Festival 2025 has been announced for October 13th – 19th in with over 40 literary events and an eclectic mix of established writers and new voices. Supported by South Dublin County Council (SDCC) Libraries and Arts, The Red Line Book Festival features local, national and international authors, as well as panels, workshops, theatrical productions, children’s events and more.
Events will take place in locations such as The Civic, Rua Red, Rathfarnham Castle, Clondalkin Round Tower Visitor Centre, The Old Courthouse, Rathcoole and branch libraries in South Dublin.
The festival also aims to foster local writing talent, with a range of workshops in different genres. Award-winning artist and illustrator Celina Buckley has been announced as illustrator in residence 2025.
Other highlights of the festival include the prestigious Red Line Book Festival Poetry Competition which attracts hundreds of entries from all across Ireland annually.
The Red Line Book Festival seeks to enhance the experience of culturally curious audiences visiting Dublin, offering them an exciting cultural environment in a suburban area of Dublin not normally associated with literary festivals. Details of all of the events and authors will be announced in September. For more information see redlinefestival.ie
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The 2025 Allingham Festival will take place in Ballyshannon, Co Donegal from November 5th-9th. Headline events will include a keynote speech by human rights activist Nelofer Pazira, a performance of The Life and Times of Paddy Armstrong starring Don Wycherley, and an interview with broadcaster John Creedon.
Novelist and short story writer Nuala O’Connor will judge the entries in the 2025 Allingham Flash Fiction Competition. She will also interview award-winning author Donal Ryan, winner of the 2025 Orwell Prize for his novel Heart, Be at Peace, at the Allingham Festival on Saturday, November 8th in the Abbey Centre.
The 2025 Allingham Poetry and Flash Fiction Competitions are open for entries until September 28th. Winning entries will be announced and read at the Literary Lunch on Saturday, November 8th. Entry forms and competition rules are available at allinghamfestival.com.
