Literary listings: Richard Ford at UL; Keats Lives; and Red Line Book Festival

Richard Ford at UL

The Pulitzer prizewinning author Richard Ford makes his first visit to Limerick next month for an evening of literature at UL. Hosted by Joseph O'Connor, the current chair of the university's creative writing programme, the event takes place on Tuesday, September 15th at 7pm in the Computer Science and Information Systems Building on campus. A reception will be held before the event for the American novelist and short story writer, best known for his Frank Bascombe novels, the Pulitzer prizewinning Independence Day and Canada. Admissions are free but tickets must be reserved. Reservations can be made by emailing Claire.ryan@ul.ie before Friday, September 11th.

Dead poets’ society

The Donegal poet Moya Cannon will read from her new collection Keats Lives at Poems Upstairs in Books Upstairs, D’Olier Street on Wednesday, September 2nd. Eiléan Ní Chuilleanáin will introduce Cannon, and both poets will be joined by harper Kathleen Loughnane, who was nominated for a Meteor Award for traditional Irish music. Keats Lives, published by Carcanet Press, shows how traces left behind – textile fragments, buried thimbles, cave paintings – enable individuals to make imaginative connections with distant ancestors. Tickets at €6 include a glass of wine.

Poems Upstairs is a monthly series run by Poetry Ireland that includes readings by established poets, special guest readers, new Irish poetry and a live music mix. The October line-up includes Tim Cunningham, Rody Gorman, Teresa Lally and Michelle O'Sullivan; Katie Donovan and Peggy O'Brien feature in November; and a discussion of Adam Wyeth's new book, The Hidden World of Poetry, with contributors Eiléan Ní Chuilleanáin, Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill, Mary O'Malley and Matthew Sweeney takes place in December. For bookings and more information and bookings visit www.poetryireland.ie.

Man Booker judges

The judges for the newly configured 2016 Man Booker International Prize were announced this week. Chaired by Boyd Tonkin, senior writer at The Independent, the panel consists of the anthropologist and novelist Tahmima Anam, academic David Bellos from Princeton University, editor and academic Daniel Medin, and the acclaimed British poet and author Ruth Padel.

After announcing earlier this summer that it will join forces with the Independent Foreign Fiction Prize (IFFP), 2016 is the first year that the Man Booker International Prize will be awarded in its new form. The new award creates one “super-prize” to the value of £50,000. In addition to the increase in prize money, the award will be offered annually instead of biennially, with the proceeds split evenly between author and translator.

Only books in translation will be considered, with the prize awarded for a single book as opposed to a body of work. Both novels and short story collections are eligible. A longlist of 12 or 13 titles for the inaugural award will be announced next March, followed by the shortlist in April and the winner in May.

Open mic at the Writers Centre

Takin the Mic returns this Friday, August 28th to the Irish Writers Centre, Parnell Square. Welcoming poets, prose writers, songwriters, musicians, comedians and "anyone else who wants to have a go", the monthly open mic night gives five minutes per performer, with slots on a first-come-first-served basis. The writer and spoken-word poet Stephen James Smith is the guest MC at this month's event. The BYOB event runs from 7 - 9pm, with a suggested donation. More information here.

Yeats in concert

John Banville, Eavan Boland and John Montague are among the line-up for a Yeats 150th anniversary event at the National Concert Hall next month. Written and hosted by historian Roy Foster, Beautiful Lofty Things: An evening with WB Yeats will take place on Saturday, September 12th at 8pm. Directed by Alan Gilsenan, the evening features performances by actors Lisa Dwan and Aoife Duffin, with music from The Gloaming's master fiddler Martin Hayes and vocalist Iarla Ó Lionáird. The event is presented by Poetry Ireland in partnership with Yeats2015. Tickets from €25 can be booked at www.nch.ie.

The following evening the NCH will host Blood on the Moon, a Yeats inspired concert from a range of contemporary artists. Running September 13th and 14th, the gigs are curated by Paul Muldoon and Thomas Bartlett and include Mercury Prize nominee Anna Calvi, folk icon Sam Amidon, Robert Forster of The Go-Betweens and NYC cabaret icon Justin Vivian Bond. From 8pm both evenings, tickets are €37.50/€32.50, with a 10% discount for Friends of the National Concert Hall. More information and bookings here.

Dún Laoghaire’s Library Voices

Following Sinéad Gleeson’s sell-out Judy Blume event last month, more international stars are coming to Dun Laoghaire in September for the dlr’s Library Voices series. The British writer and director Anthony Horowitz and the Canadian Booker winner Margaret Atwood will both feature at events next month to discuss new work. Horowitz appears in conversation with Rick O’Shea at the Dun Laoghaire LexIcon Library on Friday, September 11th at 7.30pm. Horowitz with talk about his new James Bond novel, Trigger Mortis, followed by a Q&A and book signing.

Journalist Paula Shields will host the Atwood event at the Royal Marine Hotel, Dun Laoghaire on Wednesday, September 30th at 7.30pm. Curated by Bert Wright, this is the eighth year of the series that brings bestselling national and international authors to south county Dublin. Booking for all events is through the Pavilion Theatre on (01) 231 2929 or www.paviliontheatre.ie. More information on upcoming events can be found here.

Red Line Book Festival

The Red Line Book Festival returns to south Dublin this October 11th - 17th with a line-up of national and international writers and speakers including Jennifer Johnston, Joe Duffy, Conor Kostick, Mary Costello, Carlo Gébler and the Dutch historian Joost Augusteijn. The festival will feature over 30 events, including the return of the popular TEDxTallaght, which brings together innovative thinkers and doers. Now in its fourth year, Red Line offers a mixture of talks, readings, workshops and discussions on writing and creative thinking. Events will take place in the Civic Theatre, Rua Red, and at various libraries and other venues throughout south Dublin. Organised by South Dublin Libraries and Arts, the full programme will be announced in September and available at www.redlinebookfestival.ie.

[ sarah.gilmartin@gmail.com ]