This coming Saturday, the Irish Times will feature stories from renowned personalities from the literary sphere. Catherine Doyle will have a chat with Edel Coffy about her most recent young adult novels. Caroline Magennis, writer of Harpy, will discuss her reasoning behind joining the incrementing population of childless women. Arnold Marsh’s memoirs under the name ‘Memoirs of a Happy Belfastman’, will be introduced by Roy Foster. Award-winning author, Alice Winn, known for her work ‘In Memoriam’, will participate in a question and answer session.
Book reviews of work such as ‘Vulture Capitalism: Corporate Crimes, Backdoor Bailouts and the Death of Freedom’ by Grace Blakeley will be provided by Ian Hughes. Tony Clayton-Lea will shed light on top new music books, while the best new crime fiction will be explored by Brian Cliff and Elizabeth Mannion. Reviews on ‘No Judgement’ by Lauren Oyler and ‘Unwords’ by Andrew Gallix will come from Rowena Macdonald. Insights on ‘Eyewitness to War and Peace’ by Eamon Mallie and ‘Four Shots in the Night’ by Henry Hemming will come from Matthew O’Toole and Ray Burke respectively. Other reviews will include ‘In Her Place’ by Edel Coffey commented on by Val Nolan, and ‘Gaza Diaries: Don’t Look Left’ and ‘A Very Hard Struggle: Life in the Military Service Pensions Collection’ assessed by Oliver Farry and Brian Maye. Declan Burke will review the best new entries in the scifi and fantasy genre while Mei Chin will delve into ‘The House of Hidden Meanings: A Memoir’ by Ru Paul.
A noteworthy event to mention is the recognition Louise Kennedy received on International Francophonie Day (20th March) when she was presented with the ninth annual literary prize by the Francophonie Ambassadors in Ireland for her book ‘Trespasses’, published in French under the name ‘Troubles’ by les éditions Denoël et d’ailleurs. Cécile Leclère, the book’s translator, was also commended and will be granted a one-week translation residency sponsored by Literature Ireland.
In collaboration with Literature Ireland, a national Irish literature promotion body, multiple works were shortlisted for the annual book award. These works include “Thin Places” by Kerri ní Dochartaigh, translated as “En ces lieux bienfaisants”, “A Line Made by Walking” by Sara Baume, retitled “Ligne de fuite”, and “A Slanting of the Sun” by Donal Ryan, which was translated as “Soleil oblique et autres histoires irlandaises”. The novel by Kennedy, which emerged the winner, follows the narrative of Cushla, a young woman, and Michael, a Belfast married man, whose lives intertwine in a pub owned by Cushla’s family during the harsh times of the Troubles. Kennedy received the unique prize of a handcrafted glass bird presented by the Luxembourg Ambassador, Florence Ensch, at the Luxembourg Residence.
On a separate event held at Canova Hall in Brixton on Tuesday, first-time novelist and editor, Tom Crewe, was awarded the much-coveted £10,000 Sunday Times Charlotte Aitken Young Writer of the Year Award. His notable debut, “The New Life”, was hailed as ‘daringly personal, tender and subtly erotic portrayal of male sexuality’ by judge James McConnachie. Set against the backdrop of the historic Oscar Wilde trial in 1894 London, “The New Life” is a provocative tale of John and Henry who fought against societal norms and underwent trials as they advocated for the decriminalisation of homosexuality through their transformative book.
Crewe, a Middlesbrough native and editor at the London Review of Books, was recognised for his premier work, scoring wins for the 2023 Orwell Prize for Political Fiction and the South Bank Sky Arts Award for Literature, and being a finalist for the Polari First Book Prize. The chairperson of the judging panel and the head literary critic for The Times and Sunday Times, Johanna Thomas-Corr, lauded the literary prowess exuded by Crewe’s “The New Life”, describing it as an immediate classic and a testament to Crewe’s exceptional potential as a writer.
The accolade of the Linen Hall Michael McLaverty Short Story Award has been bestowed upon Tenaya Steed for her narrative titled Heavenly Mutha. Second and third places were clinched by Helena Close, who authored Under the Bridge, and Ciarán Folan, creator of The Quiet of the Lake, respectively.
The triumphant tale will garner a cash prize of £2,000 for Steed and feature in a specially curated anthology of limited availability, along with the works of the runners-up, who will each be rewarded with £250. This anthology, titled Heavenly Mutha and Other Stories, can be procured at The Linen Hall.
The award has been established with the aim of nurturing and promoting the culture of Irish short storytelling. Initiated in 2006, it occurs every other year. Notably, Michael McLaverty (1904-1992), who personified the art of Irish short storytelling, donated his archival collection to The Linen Hall in 2005 through his literature representatives. The panel of judges for this year’s contest comprised Bernie McGill, author of renowned works such as This Train is For, The Watch House and The Butterfly Cabinet, and Emma Warnock, an editor at No Alibis Press.
Speaking about her win, Steed articulated her feelings of elation. “When I was informed that I had made it to the finals of the Michael McLaverty Short Story Award, I was beyond ecstatic. I repeatedly perused the email confirming this, resisting the urge to make a permanent copy of it and display it proudly on my wall. However, I was trying hard not to harbor any anticipation of victory. I made a lighthearted comment to my friends about my aim of being the ‘Best Dressed’ competitor. Being declared the winner has inevitably forced me to acknowledge the fact that my writing has the potential of being taken very seriously,” she stated.
Referring to the honor of her first ever published work being chosen by such esteemed personalities as Bernie McGill and Emma Warnock, Steed expressed it as a milestone of her nascent writing career. She further humorously illustrated the overwhelming emotions of her mother, who couldn’t help reacting dramatically to the news of her win, providing a glimpse into the significance it holds for her.
McGill expressed that Michael McLaverty’s advice to his students was to seek out the “intimately personal” components of their work and acknowledge the “scent of displacement” that was so prevalent in the writings of the Russian authors he greatly esteemed. McGill attested that each of these remarkable tales encompassed both the close-knit elements and the sense of banishment that were so fervently championed by McLaverty.
West Cork Literary Festival has divulged its line-up of this year’s creative writing seminars, slated for July 15 to 17. Tickets for the seminars are currently on sale and each session is set to accommodate up to 15 participants. The list of workshops includes Gleaning Everyday Inspiration for Writing by Aoife Barry, Beginner’s guide to Short Story Writing by Jan Carson, Embracing Nature and Environment in Writing taught by John Connell, Mastering Poetry with Mícheál McCann and The Art of Novel Writing tutored by Priscilla Morris. Aside from Connell’s, all workshops will be hosted in Bantry and attendees of Connell’s session will embark on a daily journey to Whiddy Island via ferry. Complete details can be found on the festival’s website.
The shortlisted candidates for the Swansea University Dylan Thomas Prize – the globe’s largest and most prestigious recognition for young authors – has been unveiled. The list includes A Spell of Good Things by Ayòbámi Adébáyò; Small Worlds by Caleb Azumah Nelson; The Glutton by AK Blakemore; Bright Fear by Mary Jean Chan; Local Fires by Joshua Jones; and Biography of X by Catherine Lacey. The prize, awarded to an exceptional author under the age of 40, is valued at £20,000 and celebrates the rich diversity of global fiction, including poetry, novels, short stories and drama. The award honours Dylan Thomas’s legacy by aiding contemporary authors, fostering burgeoning skills, and applauding international literary brilliance. May 16 has been marked as the date to disclose the winning entrant.
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has published the shortlisted works for its esteemed Literature Prize this year. The selected pieces include Attila Bartis’s ‘The End’, translated by Judith Sollosy from Hungarian; ‘Niki, A Novel’ by Christos Chomenidis, converted from Greek by Patricia Felisa Barbeito; as well as ‘The Wounded Age and Eastern Tales’ by Ferit Edgü, brought to English by Aron Aji from Turkish. Other notable works in the list include ‘Jimi Hendrix Live in Lviv’ by Andrey Kurkov, translated by Reuben Woolley from Russian, and ‘Exiled Shadow’ by Norman Manea, depicted in English by Carla Baricz from Romanian.
This literary selection was made possible by the independent panel of three judges; the award-winning writer/critic Maya Jaggi (chair), novelist/translator Maureen Freely, and international law scholar/author Philippe Sands. The shortlisted authors were publicly announced during the Oxford Literary Festival.
Maya Jaggi, chair of the judges, externally praised the shortlisted works: “These novels display an astonishing range and depth, tackling universal themes and illustrating the power of storytelling in places where turmoil is often the norm. These novels transport readers to diverse scenarios, from the frosty Turkish highlands and Moroccan dungeons to encounters with a Czech theatre group on the lam and ageing Ukrainian musicians unaware of an impending disaster. Humour, warmth, and a tenacious grip on memories define these works, along with recurrent themes such as the mental aftermath of tyranny, Europe’s unaddressed xenophobia, fears about Russian aggression predating the 2024 Ukraine siege, and hushed reconciliations and buried grudges between fathers and their sons.”
The top three contenders will be disclosed later in April, with the winner being announced on the 13th of June. Meanwhile, all Ireland-based authors are encouraged to apply for the 2024 John Broderick Residency.
The year 2024 commemorates 100 years since the birth of John Broderick, a distinguished author from Athlone. An exclusive series of writer’s residencies have been established in his honour, designed to provide support to chosen authors while also enhancing the recognition of Broderick’s achievements and his life steeped in generosity and commitment to the Athlone community.
John Broderick’s benevolence towards the arts community in his hometown is the reason behind this initiative. Following his passing in 1989, Broderick left funds to the Arts Council, specifically for the progression and betterment of arts in Athlone. Notable past recipients of this renowned residency contain individuals like Annemarie Ní Churreáin, Martin Dyar and Keith Payne.
An amount of €16,500 will be given to an appointed professional writer for a ten-week duration, commencing in September. The term of the residency might stretch until April 2025. Moreover, an additional amount of €7,000 will be awarded later in the year to a budding writer as a segment of the John Broderick series.
Maureen Kennelly, Director of the Arts Council, commented, “The John Broderick Residency is a spectacular way to pay homage to the life and literary value of John Broderick while simultaneously providing a stepping stone for an emerging writer. This residency, located in Athlone, provides the shortlisted candidate with a unique chance to soak in Broderick’s legacy. The programme will also aid the writer in enhancing their literary craft while cementing their role as a mentor. The residency, till present, has seen great success, with acclaimed poets and authors like Annemarie Ni Churreáin, Martin Dyar and Keith Payne being part of it.”