Iron Mountain Literature Festival

Tickets are now on sale for the 2024 Iron Mountain Literature Festival which takes place from Fri 4th to Sun 6th October 2024 at The Dock, Carrick on Shannon. Irish Writers Centre Poetry Ireland / Éigse Éireann The Arts Council / An Chomhairle Ealaíon The Dock

Iron Mountain Literature Festival A wide-ranging literary festival combining panels, readings and field trips that looks to ideas cent

Make sure to tune in to Rte Radio 1 at 9am this Sunday morning where Sunday Miscellany will be coming from the Iron Mountain Literature Festival recorded at The Dock Arts last weekend. Produced by Sarah Binchy, the programme includes Zak Moradi, Brian Leyden, Adrian Duncan, Mary Byrne, Síobhra Aiken, Zoe Basha, Ultan O'Brien and Vincent Woods with Garadice with Eleanor Shanley and special guest Tom Morrow.

https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/social-affairs/2023/10/08/migrant-boat-is-only-option-for-many-refugees-says-syrian-irish-writer/

Really great to see the timely and important discussions on immigration policy and the complexities surrounding displacement that took place last weekend at the Iron Mountain Literature Festival at The Dock Arts between Vincent Woods, Suad Aldarra and Zac Moradi reaching a wider audience in The Irish Times thanks to Marese Mcdonagh and Brian Farrell Photographer

Migrant boat is ‘only option’ for many refugees, says Syrian-Irish writer Literary festival in Leitrim holds discussion on immigration policy and the complexities surrounding displacement

Claire Keegan, author of 'Foster', 'Small Things Like These' and most recently 'So Late in the Day', will read from her work at The Reading Room Bookshop on Thursday 5th October at 7.30pm. This is a free event and all are welcome.

The wonderful Zoé Basha and Ultan O'Brien are guests for a special recording of Sunday Miscellany at the Dock, Carrick on Shannon next Friday 6th Oct as part of the Iron Mountain Literature Festival. See www.ironmountainfestival.ie for details and booking.
https://youtu.be/qebs4rQK8i8?si=ILEM0NMXmCN6UQov

Three Little Babes by Zoé Basha at Féile Róise Rua 2023 Traditional Appalachian Ballad, sung by Zoé Basha, accompanied on fiddle by Ultan O'Brien at the 2023 Féile Róise Rua traditional singing festival on the Isl...

Novelist Claire Keegan, one of Ireland’s most original and compelling fiction writers and Gary Younge, award-winning Guardian journalist and winner of the 2023 Orwell Prize for Journalism are guests at this year's Iron Mountain Literature Festival at The Dock Arts from Fri 6th - Sun 8th Oct next. See www.ironmountainfestival.ie for details.

Iron Mountain Literature Festival A wide-ranging literary festival combining panels, readings and field trips that looks to ideas cent

A special recording of RTÉ Radio 1's popular programme, Sunday Miscellany, will be recorded at this year's Iron Mountain Festival featuring Zak Moradi, Kathleen Hill, Brian Leyden, Adrian Duncan, Roisin Kelly, Mary Byrne, Síobhra Aiken and Vincent Woods with Garadice with Eleanor Shanley, presented by Sunday Miscellany producer Sarah Binchy.

Also at this year’s festival will be Claire Keegan, one of Ireland’s most original and compelling fiction writers and Gary Younge, award-winning Guardian journalist, winner of the 2023 Orwell Prize for Journalism. Gary will read from his brilliant journalistic work spanning the Caribbean, Africa, Europe, Britain and the USA ‘Dispatches from the Diaspora’. The John McGahern Memorial Lecture will be given by Síobhra Aiken, lecturer in Queens University Belfast and author of 'Spiritual Wounds: Trauma, Testimony and the Irish Civil War'. Claire Keegan will give a series of seminars over the three days of the festival on ‘How Literature Works’, focusing on the writing of John McGahern.

The programme also features a boat trip on the River Shannon from Carrick on Shannon to Cootehall to visit the John McGahern Barracks and a session of readings and music at Skerry Rynn’s bar and grocers in Ballinaglera to coincide with the Ballinaglera Traditional Music Festival.

Weekend tickets are €70 or €45 concession and include boat and bus trips. For more information and booking go to www.ironmountainfestival.ie

Iron Mountain Literature Festival - Home The Iron Mountain Literature Festival looks to ideas central to and arising from an exploration of place, home and identity and the role of literature in shaping an understanding of history and human experience.

DRUMSHANBO WRITTEN WORD LITERARY FESTIVAL
Spaces still available on Nuala O'Connor's prose workshop and Stephen Murphy's poetry workshop.
Both events will be held in Aras Padraig, Drumshanbo, at 10a.m. on Saturday 26th of August as part of the Drumshanbo Written Word Literary festival.
To book go to eventbrite or drumshanbowrittenword.ie www.drumshanbowrittenword.ie

Drumshanbo Written Word Festival | 24th, 25th & 26th August 2023 The Drumshanbo Written Word Festival is an annual event that celebrates literature and writing in Drumshanbo, County Leitrim, Ireland.

Closing Date for Submissions for the 2023 John McGahern Award for Literature is Midnight Sunday 30th July.

As part of the Iron Mountain Literature Festival and with the support of the McGahern Estate Leitrim County Council developed the John McGahern Award to encourage the development of emerging Irish writers and to pay tribute to the exceptional contribution of John McGahern to literature, and to Leitrim.

The recipient, who receives a prize of €2,000, will be announced on Friday 6th October 2023 during the festival.

This is an open call to emerging writers of fiction resident in the Republic of Ireland. Applicants must have had some fiction or short stories published in a recognised journal or anthology selected by an established publisher or editor.

For further information and to apply go to www.ironmountainfestival.ie

Job Opportunity
DIRECTOR, THE DOCK

The Dock, a dynamic multi-disciplinary arts centre in Carrick on Shannon, Co. Leitrim, is seeking an outstanding and talented individual for the position of Director who will lead the centre with passion, imagination and dedication in the next exciting phase of its development and artistic achievement.

A 5-year contract will be offered to the successful candidate with a salary in the region of €60,000, commensurate with experience.
For more about The Dock see www.thedock.ie.

Please download the Candidate Information Booklet here - https://bit.ly/DockDirectorCandidatePack

Application is by online submission. To apply, please submit a comprehensive CV and cover letter outlining your suitability for the position - https://bit.ly/DockDirectorApplication

For further details about the position contact Philip Delamere in confidence on [email protected] or phone +353 7196 21694.

Closing date for receipt of applications is Midnight, Friday 18th November 2022. Interviews will take place the week commencing Monday 5th December.

International honours and accolades for two leading writers appearing at this year’s Iron Mountain Festival at The Dock, Carrick on Shannon from 7th – 9th October 2022.

Louise Kennedy’s collection of short stories, ‘The End of the World is a Cul de Sac’, has been chosen by Colm Tóibín as the winner of the John McGahern Prize for debut book of Irish fiction presented by the Institute of Irish Studies at the University of Liverpool. Tóibín, who is Chancellor of the University of Liverpool, said: “The stories in Louise Kennedy’s The End of the World is a Cul de Sac are beautifully crafted, wry in tone, often bleak. Kennedy can capture a character in a few sentences and the essence of a complex relationship in a few paragraphs.”

Meanwhile in addition to winning the Orwell Prize for Political Writing for her extraordinary book ‘My Fourth Time, We Drowned: Seeking Refuge on the World’s Deadliest Migration Route’, Sally Hayden has also been awarded the 2022 Royal Irish Academy Michel Déon Prize for non-fiction for the remarkable book, which was described as by Professor Michael Cronin, Chair of the Royal Irish Academy's judging committee, as a "vivid, harrowing and compelling account of human destitution".

Sally and Louise are joined at the festival by oncologist and author Austin Duffy; Manchán Magan; Eoin McNamee; Omar Musa; Donal O’Kelly; Brian Leyden; Barry McGovern; Anne O’Dowd and Lisa O’Neill among others. Tickets available from www.ironmountainfestival.ie.

NOVEL DOCTOR: AUSTIN DUFFY
Oncologist Austin Duffy has published three highly-acclaimed novels; the latest, ‘The Night Interns’ is published by Granta Books and has been getting rave reviews. It tracks a short eternity in the working lives of three junior doctors in a Dublin hospital, a dark odyssey where they’re confronted with death, life, survival, hospital hierarchies, medical politics, and their own humanity. Austin will read from his work and discuss the business of combining medicine and the arts at the Iron Mountain festival at The Dock in Carrick on Shannon from 7 - 9 Oct.
Also taking part are Sally Hayden, Bernard MacLaverty, Manchán Magan, Louise Kennedy, Lisa O’Neill, Moya Cannon, Brian Leyden, Barry McGovern, Eoin McNamee, Donal O’Kelly and more.
Special weekend ticket of €40 for students/OAPs/unwaged. See www.ironmountainfestival.ie for info and booking.

Journalist Sally Hayden won this year’s Orwell Prize for Political Writing for her extraordinary book ‘My Fourth Time, We Drowned: Seeking Refuge on the World’s Deadliest Migration Route’. The book has been described by Sally Rooney as ‘the most important work of contemporary reporting I have ever read’. Sally Hayden will read from the book and discuss her work as a journalist in East Africa as part of this year’s Iron Mountain Literature Festival. She will be joined by writer Donal O’Kelly who is working on a new book about Ireland’s asylum and direct provision systems, and the stories and experiences of some refugees and asylum seekers in Ireland.

Iron Mountain Literature Festival 2022

The Dock, Carrick on Shannon, Co. Leitrim. Friday October 7th to Sunday October 9th

New voices, classic stories, the weave of straw and hay, urban renewal and the challenges facing migrant populations are some of the features and themes of this year’s Iron Mountain Literature Festival in Co. Leitrim, Friday October 7th to Sunday October 9th.

Sally Hayden, winner of the Orwell Prize for Political Writing is among the guests at this year’s festival, which will also feature celebrated novelist and short story writer Bernard MacLaverty, Sligo-based writer Louise Kennedy, novelist Austin Duffy, actor Barry McGovern, architect and author Valerie Mulvin, singer-songwriter Lisa O’Neill and Australian rapper-poet Omar Musa. Poet Moya Cannon, playwright and author Donal O’Kelly and folklorist Anne O’Dowd will also take part in this year’s festival, while the annual John McGahern Memorial Lecture will be given by novelist Eoin McNamee.

The festival will also feature a reading by Manchán Magan to mark the publication of his new book ‘Listen to the Land Speak’, and new commissions in music and word will be presented by singer Fionnuala Maxwell, John Touhy and writer Brian Leyden. The Iron Mountain Session of music and spoken word will take place in Skerry Rynn’s in Ballinaglera, linking in to the Ballinaglera Traditional Music Weekend on Sunday October 9th.

For further programme details and booking go to https://ecs.page.link/1Mcsk

Originally conceived as live public performance for New Year’s Eve at the Glens Centre in Manorhamilton, following the recent restrictions, Kila and the Glens Centre decided to forego a live audience in order give everyone at home the opportunity to ring in the new year with a live streamed gig on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/kilaofficial with the irrepressible Kila joined by a stomping brass section.

For further details go to www.kila.ie

Organised as part of the programme with Leitrim County Council funded by Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media

Kíla Irish Band Contemporary Folk World Music Kíla are heralded as one of Ireland’s most innovative and exciting bands. Their unique sound rooted in tradition is inspired by influences from around the world

Day 3 of the welcomes and .

📚Crossing Borders: Jeanine Cummins
Jeanine Cummins reads from her best-selling novel ‘ ’ and discusses her observation of the migrant crisis at the US-Mexican border and the tensions in post-Trump, culture-warring America.

📚Crossing Borders: Nelofer Pazira
Nelofer Pazira pays tribute to her late husband, the journalist and writer , discusses her own work as a film-maker and writer and considers the situation in her home country of Afghanistan now that the US has withdrawn and the Taliban are back in power.

Join the festival online this evening from 8pm. Follow this link and click 'View Online' 👉 https://www.ironmountainfestival.ie/2021-programme

Congratulations to poet on winning the Literature Award 2021. The announcement was made last night on day one of the . Read about the award 👉https://bit.ly/3BoPJnB McGahern Barracks Poetry Ireland / Éigse Éireann

Day 2 of the . The festival continues online tonight at 8pm bringing you...
📚 :
'Falling through the Cracks', poet Rita Ann Higgins reads from her latest collection ‘Pathogens Love a Patsy: Pandemic and Other Poems’ and discusses the background to and inspiration for work including ‘Poems of Isolation’ on the life of the writer .

📚 :
'Thin Places and Buried Secrets', a striking new voice in Irish writing Kerri Ní Dochartaigh discusses her memoir ‘Thin Places’ and its inspirations, and her experience of growing up in Northern Ireland before eventually making a home south of the border in the Republic.

📚 :
'Interrogating the Border Line', novelist Eoin McNamee, author of a series of remarkable works set during the Troubles in Northern Ireland‘, including Resurrection Man’ and ‘Blue is the Night’, reads from a work-in-progress and previews the themes for The John McGahern Memorial Lecture which he will deliver to a public audience in Carrick-on-Shannon later this year.

Join us tonight 👉 https://www.ironmountainfestival.ie/2021-programme. The 'Join Online' link will be activated in advance of the 8pm start. Enjoy!

County Council Leitrim Observer Leitrim Tourism

In less than an hour, Day 1 of the will begin.
Tonight's event will include:
- introducing this year's festival.

- The : The winner of this year's John McGahern Award for Literature, will be announced with a reading by the winning author and the presentation of this year’s award by Cllr. Paddy O'Rourke, Cathaoirleach of Leitrim County Council.

- Actor will end the evening as he reads from the work of John McGahern and discusses his memories of the Leitrim writer - in conversation with Vincent Woods.

Join us shortly at 8pm this evening 👉 https://www.ironmountainfestival.ie/2021-programme
Leitrim County Council Maurice Gannon

Tomorrow Fri 8th Oct at 8pm, a striking new voice in Irish writing discusses her memoir ‘Thin Places’ and its inspirations, and her experience of growing up in Northern Ireland before eventually making a home south of the border in the Mayo.

This year's festival is a 4 day online event. Kerri joins us on Day 2. There is no fee and access the festival is simple.
Click on 'Join Online' at the the Festival Programme: https://bit.ly/2WO6f1r

Please share with family and friends. This festival is for us all to enjoy from the comfort of a comfy armchair at home!!!

The Reading Room Bookshop

Big thanks to Leitrim Observer for their support and for spreading the word in paper and online of this great festival. It all begins tomorrow, 8pm. You simply click: 'Join Online' at this link: https://www.ironmountainfestival.ie/2021-programme

It's a 4 day, online event. There is such talent and interesting conversations, be sure to tune, you'll be glad you did.
LeitrimMedia Leitrim Tourism Network

Iron Mountain Literature Festival - 2021 Programme Vincent Woods’s plays include At the Black Pig’s D**e (Druid Theatre Company, 1992); Song of the Yellow Bittern (Druid Theatre Company, 1994); and A Cry from Heaven (Abbey Theatre, 2005); and for radio, The Leitrim Hotel, The Gospels of Aughamore and Broken Moon. Poetry collections are The Colou...

Day 3 of this year's festival, Sat 9th Oct.

- Crossing Borders: Celebrated American Author Jeanine Cummins reads from her best-selling novel ‘American Dirt’ and discusses her observation of the migrant crisis at the US-Mexican border and the tensions in post-Trump, culture-warring America.

- Crossing Borders:
Nelofer Pazira pays tribute to her late husband, the journalist and writer , discusses her own work as a film-maker and writer and considers the situation in her home country of Afghanistan now that the US has withdrawn and the Taliban are back in power.

Join us online from 8pm for Conversations with Jeanine Cummins and Nelofer Pazira.

Leitrim Observer

Day 2 of this year's festival brings you:

- 'Falling through the Cracks'
Poet Rita Ann Higgins reads from her latest collection ‘Pathogens Love a Patsy: Pandemic and Other Poems’ and discusses the background to and inspiration for work including ‘Poems of Isolation’ on the life of the writer Hanna Greally.

- 'Thin Places and Buried Secrets'
A striking new voice in Irish writing Kerri Ní Dochartaigh discusses her memoir ‘Thin Places’ and its inspirations, and her experience of growing up in Northern Ireland before eventually making a home south of the border in the Republic.

- 'Interrogating the Border Line'
Novelist Eoin McNamee, author of a series of remarkable works set during the Troubles in Northern Ireland‘, including Resurrection Man’ and ‘Blue is the Night’, reads from a work-in-progress and previews the themes for The John McGahern Memorial Lecture which he will deliver to a public audience in Carrick-on-Shannon later this year.

Join us for this wonderful diverse line up of Irish talent https://www.ironmountainfestival.ie/2021-programme

We'll be online from 8pm. See you there!

Kerri ní Dochartaigh Leitrim County Council

Join us online tomorrow, Thurs, 7th Oct at 8pm for the opening of our 4 day festival.

- Vincent Woods introduces this year's festival.

- The John McGahern Award. The winner of this year's John McGahern Award for Literature, will be announced with a reading by the winning author and the presentation of this year’s award by Cllr. Paddy O'Rourke, Cathaoirleach of Leitrim County Council.

- Actor will end the evening as he reads from the work of John McGahern and discusses his memories of the Leitrim writer - in conversation with Vincent Woods.

For more information on the festival please see: https://www.ironmountainfestival.ie/2021-programme

Leitrim Observer Leitrim County Council