THE COUNTDOWN to the long-standing Writers' Week in Listowel, Co Kerry, began last night with the launch of its programme of events and the announcement that Nobel Laureate Seamus Heaney will officially open and read at the event next month.
The literary festival, which celebrates 38 years this summer, also has writers such as Man Booker winners Anne Enright and John Banville and Impac winner Per Petterson, lined up.
Other writers scheduled to participate over the five days include novelist and one-time rock singer Julian Gough, playwright Billy Roche, poet and publisher Pat Boran, commentator David McWilliams, poets John F Deane and Paddy Bushe, and Hugo Hamilton, author of The Speckled People.
Launching the programme at the Chester Beatty Library in Dublin last night, Senator David Norris said: "This is one of the most distinguished, liveliest, most accessible and democratic writers' festivals anywhere in the world."
"It embraces writers at the pinnacle of their renown and reputation," he said, "aspiring writers in many diverse genres and authors at different points in their careers. It is highly distinguished without ever being the least bit snobbish. That is what makes Listowel unique."
According to Kerry County Council archivist Mike Lynch, the festival's newly elected chairman, the North Kerry literary hub of Listowel is the place to be "for inspiration, entertainment, amusement and joie de vivre".
"Seamus Heaney has to be the highlight," said Lynch. "He has been before but never as the headliner and the opener. His involvement is central to this year's event."
Those short-listed for this year's Kerry Group Irish Fiction Award, which is now worth €15,000 and presented to an Irish author of a work of fiction, were also announced at the programme launch: the five short-listed novels are Redemption Fallsby Joseph O'Connor, South of the Borderby James Ryan, The Gatheringby Anne Enright, The Truth Commissionerby David Park and With My Lazy Eyeby Julia Kelly.
One of the award's two judges, English teacher and editor Niall McMonagle, gave a brief review of these books, adding that "the fiction we read provided a series of moving pictures". He and fellow judge Hugo Hamilton will reread the shortlist over the coming weeks. The winner will be announced on May 28th.
The festival will also run 14 workshops from creative writing to comedy writing, a range of events that includes concerts, exhibitions, screenings, drama, tours, sessions, book signings and launches and radio broadcasts.
For more information, visit www.writersweek.ie