Holy Show launch with Stephen Sexton

Readings from Tolka & Channel

Holy Show editor Brendan Mac Evilly will chat to poet Stephen Sexton (Rooney Prize 2020; Forward Prize for Best Collection, 2019), to discuss his work, and his essay in the magazine’s forthcoming issue: a meditation on art, contemporary culture, The Sopranos, and the sublime.

We’ll also have readings from Maija Mäkelä and Rory O’Sullivan, who share writing in forthcoming issues of two of Ireland’s most exciting literary journals, Tolka and Channel.

Tolka co-editor Catherine Hearn introduces a reading from Maija Mäkelä, featured in their forthcoming issue. Since 2021, Tolka has established itself as Ireland’s best non-fiction journal, publishing, by their own accounts, the ‘formally promiscuous’. Maija reads from ‘Ghostbait’, an essay on her brief stint as a paranormal emissary. 

Channel is Ireland’s environmentalist literary journal. Born out of the climate crisis, it publishes poetry and prose which fosters strong connections with the natural world. Editor Cassia Gaden Gilmartin welcomes poet Rory O’Sullivan to read from his work in Channel Issue 12.

The Journals Fleadh is back! We’re inviting readers, writers and journals together for a weekend of conversation, workshops and craic in the beachside towns of Ramelton and Rathmullan.

We’ll hear from established literary voices, like novelist Louise Kennedy and poet Stephen Sexton. We’ll also introduce newer voices published in Tolka and Channel. This, and a chance to learn from memoirist Molly Hennigan and poet Róisín Leggett Bohan in our open-to-all workshops.

And all of these writers have one thing in common – their work has been nourished by our incredible array of Irish literary journals.

Many of Ireland’s finest journals will be in attendance: The Pig’s Back, Holy Show, The Stinging Fly, Banshee, Frustrated Writers’ Group, Tolka, Channel, Fallow, and more tbc. There’ll be a chance for conversation and connection with the people behind the publications at events – and maybe a few swims too!

Presented by Earagail Arts Festival & Regional Cultural Centre. Curated by Tom Roseingrave, with support from Brendan Mac Evilly, Emily Cooper & Dean Fee.