The programme has been announced for this year's Words By Water, Kinsale Literary Festival, taking place from Thursday, October 3rd to Sunday, October 6th 2024.
As always, a varied programme is promised, with fiction, non-fiction, poetry, local interest, workshops and a children’s programme. Authors taking part include national treasure, Marian Keyes, Dr Marie Cassidy, and readers’ favourites Sinéad Gleeson, Nuala O’Connor, Rónán Hession, Jan Carson and Michelle Gallon.
‘We have a great mix of fiction writers and are confident that this programme will have something to suit all tastes, ranging from crime to humour’, festival chair, Ruth McDonnell says. ‘The festival is particularly pleased to feature Marian Keyes and Tara Flynn as the headline Saturday night event. Whether one of Marian’s millions of readers or an avid listener to the duo’s hugely popular ‘Now You’re Asking’ podcast, the evening is sure to delight all comers.
Friday night’s headliner is Dr Marie Cassidy, in conversation with Cork crime favourite, Catherine Kirwan, in what is sure to be a fascinating conversation. ‘To balance things out,’ McDonnell says, ‘we also have Jan Carson and Michelle Gallen, beloved for their dark humour, in conversation with Shane Coleman’.
The festival opens on Thursday 3rd October with sportsman Davy Russell in conversation with Gemma Tipton, and, as always, the opening poetry event. Saturday afternoon has one foot firmly in Ireland, with Noel O’Regan and Sheila Armstrong (both recently selected for An Post’s New Voices to watch) talking about their books with distinctly Irish settings, and Sinéad Gleeson talking about her debut novel, set on an Irish island. The other foot is wandering the globe, with Dr Ethel Crowley talking about editing renowned travel writer Dervla Murphy, Nuala O’Connor giving her take on legendary Kinsale pirate Anne Bonny, and Rónán Hession journeying to the mystical Ghost Mountain.
‘We are always delighted to promote Cork-based talent’, McDonnell says. The children’s programme features Amanda Neri, Nadine Hughes Campbell, Trish Hegarty and Barry Moloney, as well as a schools event in Gaelscoil Chionn tSáile with bestseller Shane Hegarty. On Friday, Alice Taylor will bring the stories, while on Sunday, Michelle Dunne, Daragh Fleming, Lynda Marron and Michelle McDonagh will read from their recent published work in the firm favourite Local Voices event. Workshops this year feature creative writing with bestselling novelist Fíona Scarlett, bookbindin with Elize de Beer, and papermaking with Caroline Smith.
‘We are committed to keeping things affordable,’ McDonnell says, ‘and we’re delighted that our €50 festival pass is back, which gets you access to all events, except workshops and the Marian Keyes/Tara Flyn event on Saturday night.’
Events are taking place at The Lord Kingsale, Trident Hotel, Methodist Church, Friar’s Lodge, and Prim’s Bookshop.
The full programme is available at wordsbywater.ie, with all events open for booking.
