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.
Why not leave the car behind and take the 973 Local Link Letterkenny to Fanad Service with buses running late into the evening.
EVENTS SCHEDULE
Click on the respective event details for full information and bookings for ticketed events.
Friday 18th July, 7pm – Tasting Menu: New Writing from Irish Journals – Ramelton, Upstairs at The Blue Goat – €10 – SELLING VERY WELL
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, plus much more.
Saturday 19th July, 3.30pm – Louise Kennedy: In Conversation – Rathmullan, Rathmullan House – SOLD OUT
Louise Kennedy, one of Ireland’s foremost writers, will read from her latest work and discuss her life in a wide-ranging interview. Her début novel Trespasses (2022), won the Eason’s Novel of the Year at the An Post Irish Book Awards, and Début Fiction at the British Book Awards. A short story collection, The End of the World is a Cul-de-Sac (2021), won the John McGahern Prize.
Ireland’s best journals go head-to-head in the biggest sporting event in the Irish literary calendar! Journal editors read their publication’s ‘best bits’, with our judges-elect deciding who advances to the next round of this knock-out event – and ultimately, who’ll get their hands on the coveted WORLD CUP OF IRISH JOURNALS trophy! Hosted by multi prize-winning novelist Jan Carson.
Sunday 20th July, 1.30pm – Prose Workshop with Molly Hennigan – Rathmullan, Rathmullan House – €10 – CLOSE TO SELLING OUT
Molly Hennigan is the author of The Celestial Realm (Eriu, 2023), a celebrated memoir on maternal lineage and family trauma. In this workshop, Molly leads participants in finding a space to write their own family narratives, interweaving national and personal stories. Participants will experiment with memoir and biography, life-writing to essay, to develop an early sketch for a personal narrative.
Sunday 20th July, 3.30pm – Poetry Workshop with Róisín Leggett Bohan – Rathmullan, Rathmullan House – €10 – SELLING VERY WELL
What makes a poem linger with us long after it’s read? How can we capture those lightnings of meaning within our own work? Róisín Leggett Bohan is a prize-winning poet from Cork, and co-editor of HOWL New Irish Writing. In this workshop, she’ll lead participants in unwrapping great poems, identifying what moves us, and learning to translate those insights in a guided writing session.
Earagail Arts Festival is kindly supported by The Arts Council / An Chomhairle Ealaíon, Donegal County Council and Wild Atlantic Way.
