Readings/Performances

Is cúis áthais d’IASIL go mbeidh critic, cultúr agus litríocht na Gaeilge mar chuid lárnach den Chomhdháil i mbliana. Agus an Chomhdháil ar siúl, cuirfear fáilte roimh an nGaeilge agus déanfar gach iarracht freastal uirthi ó bhéal agus ar phár. Má tá aon cheist faoin Ghaeilge agus IASIL, is féidir dul I dteagmháil le sorcha.debrun@ul.ie

Scríbhneoirí na Gaeilge: Dé Luain 25ú Iúil 7 i.n, Leabharlann Glucksmann, OL.

Beidh an ócáid ‘Scríbhneoirí na Gaeilge’ ar siúl Dé Luain 25ú Iúil ar 7.00 i Seomra Léitheoireacht na Coitiantachta (Popular Reading Room). Is iad na filí a bheidh á léamh ná Ciara Ní É, Celia de Fréine agus Louis de Paor.

Painéal, Seisiún 1 ar Litríocht na Gaeilge: Dé Máirt 26ú Iúil.

‘Ón Chairib go Conamara: Ceisteanna cumhachta, inscne agus áite i nua-litríocht na Gaeilge.’ KBS, OL.

Beidh painéal lán-Ghaeilge IASIL ar siú Dé Máirt nuair a thabharfar roinnt páipéar ar ghnéithe éagsúla de chultúr agus de litríocht na Gaeilge.

Cruinniú Comhchéime 10.30-11.45 r.n: Dé Céadaoin 27ú Iúil.

‘Multilingual Irish Studies’. KBS, OL.

Beidh an tOllamh Tadhg Ó hIfearnáin ina Chathaoirleach ar an bpainéal ‘Multilingual Irish Studies’ nuair a phléifear ceisteanna teanga agus Léann na hÉireann.

Filíocht Bhéil: Dé Céadaoin 27ú Iúil. 9. i.n. Spoken Word, Dolans Upstairs, Luimneach.

Beidh an file Dubhán Ó Longáin ag léamh a chuid filíochta as Gaeilge mar aon le haíonna eile oíche Dé Céadaoin mar chuid den ócáid ‘Spoken Word’ i dtigh tábhairne Dolans i gcathair Luimnigh.

Eochairléacht: Déardaoin 28ú Iúil. 11.45-1.00 r.n. KGB-12. KBS

Tabharfaidh an tOllamh Ríóna Ní Fhrighil Eochairléacht dar teideal ‘Human Rights and Modern Poetry in Irish.’

On Monday 25th July at 2pm we will be holding a special event focused at early career researchers and PhD students titled

What Now?: Managing Expectations and Career Options for Early Career Scholars.

Discussions will be held in relation to the realities facing early career scholars and the options that they have in terms of postdoctoral, academic, and non-academic careers.

Our featured speakers are:

Dr Donna Alexander (University College Cork)

Dr Michael Kelly (University of Limerick)

Dr Margaret O’Neill (National University of Ireland, Galway)

Dr Arjumand Younus (Technological University Dublin)

Curated and chaired by Dr Tracy McAvinue (University of Limerick)

This is an event aimed at early career researchers and PhD students but we strongly encourage academics at all levels to attend and contribute to this much-needed and timely discussion.

Scríbhneoirí na Gaeilge: Dé Luain 25ú Iúil, 7 i.n.

Beidh an ócáid ‘Scríbhneoirí na Gaeilge’ ar siúl Dé Luain 25ú Iúil ar 7.00 i Seomra Léitheoireacht na Coitiantachta (Popular Reading Room), Leabharlann Glucksmann, OL. Is iad na filí a bheidh á léamh ná, Celia de Fréine, Louis de Paor, agus Ciara Ní É.

Irish Writers: Monday 25th July, 7pm.

Our “Irish Writers” Event will be held in the Popular Reading Room of the Glucksman Library in the University of Limerick on Monday 25th July at 7pm. The writers who will be reading are Celia de Fréine, Louis de Paor, and Ciara Ní É.

CELIA DE FRÉINE 

Scríobhann Celia de Fréine in iliomad seánraí i nGaeilge agus i mBéarla. I measc na ngradam atá buaite aici dá cuid filíochta tá Duais Patrick Kavanagh (1994) agus Gradam Litríochta Chló Iar-Chonnacht (2004). Tá go leor duaiseanna Oireachtais buaite ag a cuid drámaí. Ainmníodh Ceannródaí (LeabhairCOMHAR, 2018), a beathaisnéis de Luíse Ghabhánach Ní Dhufaigh ar an ngearrliosta don Irish Book Awards (2018) agus do Ghradam Uí Shuilleabháin (2019). Bhuaigh sí ACIS Duais Leabhar Taighde na Bliana (2019). Ainmníodh a scéinséir Cur i gCéill (LeabhairCOMHAR, 2019) ar an ngearrliosta don Irish Book Awards 2020. D’fhoilsigh LeabhairCOMHAR An Dara Rogha a húrscéal don aos óg in 2021.  http://www.celiadefreine.com/biography.htm

LOUIS DE PAOR 

Louis de Paor has been involved with the contemporary renaissance of poetry in Irish since 1980 when he was first published in the poetry journal Innti which he subsequently edited for a time. A five times winner of the Oireachtas prize for the best collection of poems in Irish, he lived in Australia from 1987 to 1996. Ag greadadh bas sa reilig/Clapping in the cemetery was published by Cló Iar-Chonnacht in 2005 and reprinted in 2006. A second bilingual volume agus rud eile de/and another thing (2010) includes artwork by Kathleen Furey and a recording of poems with musical settings by Ronan Browne. A bilingual selection of his early work, The brindled cat and the nightingale’s tongue, was published by Bloodaxe in 2014.  https://portraidi.ie/en/louis-de-paor/

His most recent works are Obair Bhaile (LeabhairComhar, 2021) and Grá fiar/Crooked love (Bloodaxe 2022) which includes a recording of his collaboration with Dana Lyn, One day/Lá dá raibh, a bilingual performance using poetry and music to present a day in the life of an imagined village in the West of Ireland. De Paor and Lyn are currently working on a chamber opera based on the story of Diarmuid and Gráinne. The first stage of their work-in-progress was showcased at the Baryshnikov Arts Centre in April 2017. 

“While poetry should always be romantic (there never is a practical reason for the stuff), he always avoided the romanticism of the mushy line and the soft tone and the fuzzy diction. There was always something wire-taut about his work. No floss here”.  Alan Titley (The Irish Times) 

“The collection rogha dánta is a rich representation of the work of a poet who is now in his prime and still producing fresh and challenging poems that speak to and across different generations. It is a mark of major achievement and a sign that there is much more to come”.  Máirín Nic Eoin (Poetry Ireland Review) 

CIARA NÍ É 

Is file, gníomhaí, agus craoltóir í Ciara Ní É. Bhí sí ar an liosta '100 Women Changing Ireland in 2022' de chuid an Irish Examiner. Ise a bhunaigh an oíche mic oscailte REIC, a mbíonn filíocht ó bhéal, rap, ceol, scéalta, agus eile le cloisteáil ann. Tá a cuid filíochta léite aici i Nua-Eabhrac, i Londain, sa Bhruiséil, sa tSualainn, agus sa bhaile in Éirinn. In 2019 ceapadh í ina hambasadóir le hÁras Scríbhneoirí na hÉireann, bhí sí mar Scríbhneoir Cónaithe DCU 2020, agus tá sí mar ealaíontóir cónaithe leis an Dublin Fringe Festival 2022. Chomhbhunaitheoir an chomharghrúpa AerachAiteachGaelach í, lena chomhbhádóir Eoin Mc Evoy. Roghnaíodh togra leo don Abbey 5x5 2020, agus chuir siad dráma chun stáitse mar chuid den Dublin Fringe Festival 2021. Foilsíodh saothar dá cuid agus aistí liteartha léi in irisí éagsúla, Icarus, Aneas, agus Comhar ina measc, agus sa díolamaí Queering the Green, agus Washing Windows Too. Roghnaíodh í don scéim ‘Introductions’ de chuid Poetry Ireland sa bhliain 2017, agus an bhliain dár gcionn d’eisigh sí sraith físdánta i gcomhar le hÁras Scríbhneoirí na hÉireann. I measc a cuid coimisiún áirítear RTÉ TV, BBC Radio, TG4, agus The Irish Writers Centre. Faoi láthair tá a céad chnuasach filíochta idir lámha aici, agus tá dráma á scríobh aici do TG4 le Tua Films.

Ciara Ní É is a bilingual writer, performer, activist, and one of the Irish Examiner’s '100 Women Changing Ireland in 2022'. She has performed in New York, London, Brussels, Sweden, and across Ireland.  She is the founder of REIC, a multilingual spoken word and open mic night that features poetry, music, storytelling and rap. She was chosen for Poetry Ireland’s ‘Introductions’ series in 2017 and is an ambassador of The Irish Writers Centre. Her work has been published in journals including Icarus, Aneas, and Comhar, and the recent anthologies Queering the Green and Washing Windows Too. She has written poems for UNESCO City of Literature, The Linenhall Arts Centre, RTÉ TV, BBC Radio, TG4, and The Irish Writers Centre. She is a cofounder of queer arts collective AerachAiteachGaelach, set up with Eoin McEvoy. The group was chosen for the Abbey Theatre’s 5x5 2020, and Mc Evoy and Ní É premiered an immersive theatre piece at The Dublin Fringe Festival 2021. At the moment Ciara is co-writing a TV series with Tua Films. Ciara’s work can be widely found online and her first poetry collection is forthcoming. 

Tuesday 26^th July, 1.20 - 2pm

Cormac O’Brien. Masculinities and Manhood in Contemporary Irish Drama. Palgrave Macmillan, 2022.

Dr Cormac O’Brien will be joined by Dr Anna Teekell.

Cormac O’Brien’s Masculinities and Manhood in Contemporary Irish Drama is available to order in hard cover or eBook at: Masculinities and Manhood in Contemporary Irish Drama | SpringerLink

Juanita Casey. The Horse of Selene. Tramp Press, 2022.

We are delighted to host the launch of the re-publication of Juanita Casey’s The Horse of Selene, by Tramp Press.

This launch, held in the Popular Reading Room at the Glucksman Library,  includes a wine reception and an interview with Dr Mary Burke, author of the afterword to this publication, and Dr Deirdre Flynn. 

This edition of Juanita Casey’s The Horse of Selene can be pre-ordered here: The Horse of Selene - Casey, Juanita - 9781915290007 (kennys.ie)

Dr Rosaleen McDonagh will be reading on Tuesday 26th July at 2pm. She is a playwright, performer, columnist, author of Unsettled (Skein Press, 2021) and activist for the Traveller Community and for people with disabilities. Her plays include The Baby Doll Project, She’s Not Mine, Rings, The Prettiest Proud Boy and Mainstream. Her most recent commissions were Walls and Windows for the Abbey Theatre and Contentious Spaces for the Project Arts Centre. Rosaleen holds a BA, two MPhils from Trinity College Dublin and a PhD from Northumbria University. She is a member of Aosdána, the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission and is on the Board of the Pavee Point Traveller and Roma Centre.

Dr Emily Cullen is the Meskell UL-Fifty Poet in Residence. She has published three collections of poetry: Conditional Perfect (Doire Press, 2019), In Between Angels and Animals (Arlen House, 2013) and No Vague Utopia (Ainnir Publishing, 2003). Conditional Perfect was included in The Irish Times round-up of “the best new poetry of 2019.” Emily is also a cultural producer, scholar and harper who has performed throughout Europe, Australia and the United States. She was awarded an IRC fellowship for her doctoral research on the Irish harp and gained a PhD in English from NUI Galway in 2008. Emily has served as Arts Officer of NUI Galway, Director of the Patrick Kavanagh Centenary and Director of Cúirt International Festival of Literature. In 2021, she received an Agility Award from the Arts Council of Ireland. 

The Alphabet of Birds

By Holy Show Productions, supported by The Arts Council of Ireland and the Western Development Commission. Belltable, 69 O’Connell Street, Tuesday 26th July, at 8pm

The Alphabet of Birds, a new audio-visual essay for the stage written by Sara Baume will be held as part of our IASIL 2022 series of events at the Belltable in Limerick city on Tuesday 26th July, commencing at 8pm.

Entrance is free for IASIL delegates and additional tickets at €15 each can be purchased through the registration process, or online at: The Alphabet of Birds - Lime Tree Theatre.

Live readings from Baume's new essay are interspersed with four short documentaries from Jamie Goldrick and features artists Sara Baume, Natalia Beylis, Gary Coyle, and Laura Fitzgerald. The essay and films are composed and will be live scored by Howlbux - Irene Buckley and Elaine Howley. Check out the trailer on Youtube.

Please note: there will be a wine reception and launch of the Holy Show arts magazine commencing at 7pm at Belltable.  

IASIL delegates will have the opportunity to participate in a Narrative 4 story exchange workshop on Wednesday, 27th July.

Delegates need to register to attend this event through eventbrite here: https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/narrative-4-story-exchange-workshop-iasil-tickets-314489204677

About the Workshop

The Story Exchange is a process designed to cultivate connection and empathy between participants through the listening and retelling of stories. In the workshop, the facilitators will model a story exchange for you and then guide you through the process. You will be sent an email prior to the workshop.

The Story Exchange has been profiled by the Irish Examiner, the Guardian and the New York Times.

About Narrative 4

Narrative 4 exists to break down barriers and shatter stereotypes by using the power of stories, art, and education to equip people to become powerful forces of change. Using our core methodology, the story exchange, we help people understand that their voices, stories, actions, and lives matter.

Founded in the USA in 2012, today Narrative 4 have staff in the USA, Mexico, Nigeria, Ireland and South Africa. Today’s workshop is being delivered by the Narrative 4 Ireland Team who are based in Limerick. See Narrative 4 Ireland – Social and Emotional Learning for more information.

We strongly encourage our IASIL delegates to use the Women in Limerick app whilst in Limerick city. The app, developed by historian Sharon Slater and Ormston House, allows its users to explore Limerick City through a cultural journey that celebrates the Women of Limerick along the way. The walking tour makes its way around the city and along the River Shannon. At each marked location on the map you can access a short biography of various Limerick women and hear a story about their life.

Sharon Slater will be joining us at the IASIL 2022 conference on Wednesday, 27^th July at 1.20, to give an introductory talk about the app.

The app is available on Android devices here: Women of Limerick - Apps on Google Play

or on Apple devices here: Women of Limerick on the App Store (apple.com)

There will be a number of tours for IASIL delegates running on the afternoon of Wednesday 27th July from 2 to 5pm. Each of the tours run simultaneously so delegates can only choose one from the below options. Tours can be selected through the registration process.

IASIL delegates looking for an activity in Limerick city following the city and county tours might like to book a brewery tour and beer tasting with Treaty City Brewery (Link: Treaty City Brewery – Treaty City Brewery) on Wednesday evening at 5.30. The brewery don't usually run tours on Wednesdays but are happy to offer one if at least twenty people sign up to attend. Please book ahead of time by emailing orders@treatycitybrewery.ie. 

We also strongly encourage our IASIL delegates to use the Women in Limerick app whilst in Limerick city, again, perhaps upon returning from the tours that afternoon. The app, developed by historian Sharon Slater and Ormston House, allows its users to explore Limerick City through a cultural journey that celebrates the Women of Limerick along the way. The walking tour makes its way around the city and along the River Shannon. At each marked location on the map you can access a short biography of various Limerick women and hear a story about their life. 

Please note: Sharon Slater will be joining us at the IASIL 2022 conference on Wednesday, 27^th July at 1.20, to give an introductory talk about the app.  The app is available on Android devices here: Women of Limerick - Apps on Google Play or on Apple devices here: Women of Limerick on the App Store (apple.com) 

1: Special Collections and Archives Department at the Glucksman Library, UL

Guide – Ken Bergin

The Special Collections and Archives department in the Glucksman Library at the University of Limerick was established in 1998, and for the past 20 years, has been working hard behind the scenes to catalogue and digitise a variety of rare books and archival material. The department collects and preserves ‘special’ collections of rare books and archival material relating to Limerick and the wider Munster region, as well as some items of national interest. The resources offer boundless opportunities for discovery and original research and are open to all those interested — contact us to begin your research. The collections held by the department reflect the unique and distinctive history of UL and its surrounding areas. It holds over 2,000 archive boxes and 40,000 printed works, as well as a number of artefacts. The oldest item in its care dates from 400AD — that's almost 2,000 years of literature and history stored in the vaults in the Glucksman Library.

Ken Bergin is the Head of the Special Collections & Archives Dept. at the Glucksman Library. Ken established the Dept. in 1998 and has overseen the development of its collections and expansion into its new purpose built facility.

2: Limerick City: Off the Grid – Newtown Pery 1750-1840

Guide – Peter Carroll

Off the Grid – Newtown Pery 1750-1840: Limerick’s central Georgian core stands out as a model of order and regularity. With singular force, its distinctive grid orientates the city in the landscape. Limerick is a destination but it is also a compass: it draws you in and it sets you out. Its own grid is half a mile long and wide. Like in all Georgian cities, the ground underneath is nowhere natural. It has been scraped, shifted and rammed until the streets formed an artificial well-serviced lattice raised over the original landscape. This lattice is Limerick’s principal monument - a continuous, uninterrupted monument. Join me, Peter Carroll, on a journey as I introduce you to the story of Limerick's Georgian district.

Peter Carroll graduated from the School of Architecture UCD Ireland in 1995 with fist class honours. Upon graduation he subsequently worked with O'Donnell + Tuomey for seven years where he was an associate and with Rafael Moneo for a further 3 years. He established A2 Architects in 2005 in Dublin. Recently completed projects include the Rapid Delivery

Housing in George's Place for Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council. Projects nearing completion include the careful refurbishment of DLR Baths Complex on Queens Road, Dun Laoghaire. Peter is a senior lecturer at SAUL (School of Architecture UL) since 2008 and a co-director of SAUL IU (Intelligence Unit). The IU’s presentation of a totalizing alternative for Limerick and other subject areas such as Shannon Airport and Limerick Smarter Travel - by way of designed policies and themes - is intended to be deeply transformative. It synergistically engages deep analysis of the current situation (identifying both problems and opportunities for transformation) with visionary alternatives.

3: Limerick County

Guide – Morgan Flynn

We will explore the landscape of County Limerick, considering it as a built artefact arising from the interplay between human action over 8000 of inhabitation and the underlying natural context. This interplay has ebbed and flowed leaving us now with a palimpsest, with the many layers of previous action now more and less visible in the current landscape. We will see several sites throughout the county, looking at some of the earliest moments of human intervention from 6000 years ago all the way up to the present day, including visits to Fedamore, Lough Gur, Skool Hill, Ballyneety and the South Liberties.

Morgan Flynn graduated from UCD in 1999 and worked in de Blacam and Meagher from 1999 until 2004. He established his practice, agletarchitecture in 2004. He has been teaching in SAUL since 2008. As well as teaching, he is pursuing a number of interests through research, including the historic fabric of Limerick city, at both the micro scale (coal hole covers, boot scrapers) and the macro scale. He also has been exploring how architecture is taught and how the attributes and techniques of the design studio can be used to teach and learn in other disciplines. His current focus is on the meaning and manifestations of the Irish landscape and the role of architecture in this. He lives and works in the South Liberties of Limerick City.

IASIL 2022 delegates are invited to attend a Spoken Word event with Sarah Clancy, Eoin Devereux, FeliSpeaks, and Dubhán Ó Longáin, to be held at Dolan’s Warehouse Pub, Dock Road, Limerick City, commencing at 9pm. There will also be traditional music at this event (performers tba). Attendance is free for all IASIL delegates and the option to attend should be selected through the registration process.

For delegates who wish to dine at Dolan’s before the event, they have offered us a special early-bird menu. To avail of this offer, delegates should book directly with Dolan’s: Dolan's Live Music Venue & Food (dolans.ie) and let them know they’re attending the IASIL Conference. Dinner availability is very limited so make sure to book early!

Our Spoken Word Speakers

Sarah Clancy

Sarah Clancy is a poet and community worker from Galway, Ireland. She holds an MA in public advocacy and activism, as well as diplomas in European human rights law and community development practice. She has published three collections of poetry: Stacey and the Mechanical Bull (Lapwing Press, 2011), Thanks for Nothing, Hippies (Salmon Poetry, 2012), and The Truth and Other Stories (Salmon Poetry, 2014). With fellow Galway poet Elaine Feeney, she released Cinderella Backwards, a poetry CD, in 2013. She has placed or been shortlisted in several of Ireland’s preeminent written poetry competitions, including the Ballymaloe International Poetry Prize, the Patrick Kavanagh Award, and the Listowel Collection of Poetry Competition. In 2015, she was named the Bogman's Cannon People's Poet, and in 2016, she was the Lingo Festival's Poet Laureate. She won the Irish People’s Poetry Prize for her poem “And Yet We Must Live in These Times” and has received an individual artist's bursary from Galway City Council. 

Eoin Devereux

 A Professor of Cultural Sociology, Devereux’s poetry has been published by The Irish Times, broadcast on RTE’s Poetry Programme and featured on Poetry Ireland’s Words Lightly Spoken Podcast.  His poem ‘The Bodhi Tree’ was short-listed for a Hennessy Award in 2018.  Eoin teaches the course Creative Writers in the Community on the MA in Creative Writing at UL. He writes and performs a monthly radio show called The Cedarwood Chronicles with Gavin Friday on the U2 radio station U2X Radio on the Sirius Platform in the USA & Canada. He curated the Limerick Poetry Broadsheet "April Is The Cruellest Month" in 2022 which featured work by Martin Dyar, Emily Cullen, Kerrie O'Brien, Willzee and Denise Chaila amongst others. 

FELISPEAKS

FELISPEAKS is a Nigerian-Irish Poet, Performer, Playwright from Co. Longford, based in Maynooth town. She is currently featured on the Leaving Certificate English Curriculum with her poem “For Our Mothers” for examination year 2023. FELISPEAKS was commissioned by RTE in 2020 with the poem “Still” about Ireland’s response to the COVID pandemic. In recent events, FELISPEAKS has performed at National Concert Hall: Notes from A Quiet Land as well as various online livestreamed events and symposiums including Createfest, Maynooth University Social Justice Week, Irish Arts Centre New York Halloween Event, NUIG’s Translating the Neighbourhood, Beatfreeks Poetry Jam, Spotlight: Éire to the World, Firegilders with Poetry Ireland, Concern online events, and POD’s Festival of Now. She was a member of Dublin International Film Festival’s Festival Retrospective Committee, curating works. She has been a board member of Poetry Ireland since June 2020. Felicia has been nominated ‘Best Performer’ by Dublin Fringe Festival Sep. 2018 judged for her performance in ‘BOYCHILD’, a co-written play by Dagogo Hart and herself. Felicia has also been honoured with an award by the (APNI) African Professional Network of Ireland for her unique contribution to the art scene in Dublin City, December 2017.

Dubhán Ó Longáin

Dubhán Ó Longáin is a poet, writer, researcher, and Irish teacher. From Donegal originally, he teaches at the University of Limerick and is working towards a PhD at Ulster University. His PhD research focuses on the stories of Fionn mac Cumhaill and the Fianna and he likes to reimagine and give a modern twist to older tales in his creative writing.

He has won prizes for both ‘traditional’ and ‘slam’ poetry and his first collection, IDEO Locator, was published by Coiscéim.

File, scríbhneoir, taighdeoir, agus teagascóir Gaeilge é Dubhán Ó Longáin. Conallach é atá ag teagasc in Ollscoil Luimnigh agus a bhfuil PhD idir lámha aige in Ollscoil Uladh. An Fhiannaíocht is ábhar dá thaighde dochtúireachta agus is maith leis seanscéaltaí a athmhúnlú agus cor nua-aoiseach a chur iontu ina chuid scríbhneoireachta cruthaithí.

Tá duaiseanna bainte amach aige mar gheall ar a dhánta ‘traidisiúnta’ agus ‘slam’ araon agus a chéad chnuasach, IDEO Locator, foilsithe ag Coiscéim.

On Thursday 28th July at 1pm there will be two theatrical performances staged at the University of Limerick campus: The House, written by Anne Devlin and starring Aisling Christina Ryan, and West, written by Ursula Rani Sarma and starring James Corr. Both plays are produced and directed by Dr David Clare, lecturer in Drama and Theatre Studies in Mary Immaculate College. Entrance is free to IASIL delegates.   

Dr David Clare is Lecturer in Drama and Theatre Studies at Mary Immaculate College, UL. His books include the monographs Irish Anglican Literature and Drama (Palgrave Macmillan, 2021) and Bernard Shaw’s Irish Outlook (Palgrave Macmillan, 2016) and the edited collections The Golden Thread: Irish Women Playwrights, 1716-2016 (2 vols, Liverpool University Press, 2021) and The Gate Theatre, Dublin: Inspiration and Craft (Carysfort/Peter Lang, 2018). He previously held two Irish Research Council-funded postdoctoral fellowships at NUI Galway (now University of Galway), and he is curator of the IRC-funded www.ClassicIrishPlays.com database. As a theatremaker, plays that Dr. Clare has written, adapted, directed, or produced have been staged at the Gate Theatre Lab Space and Dalkey Castle in Dublin; the Town Hall Theatre and the Bank of Ireland Theatre in Galway; and the Lime Tree Theatre, the Record Room, and MIC’s An Halla in Limerick. 

On Thursday 28th July at 8pm there will be an evening of readings from some of UL’s award-winning writers, set in the historic location of King John's Castle. This event is supported by the Limerick City & County Arts Office and UL50. The evening commences at 8pm with a wine reception sponsored by Limerick City & County Tourism Office.

Please note: Treaty City Brewery (located just a few doors down from King John's Castle on Nicholas St) have a BBQ special on offer for IASIL delegates on that evening, Thursday 28^th July, before the readings only. Delegates should book ahead for 6.30 or 7pm here: https://treatycitybrewery.ie/pages/treaty-city-brewery-tour.

Helena Close

Helena Close is a native of Limerick, and has been writing full time for the past 20 years. She has published 9 novels, four of which were co-written. Her 2020 novel, The Gone Book, was nominated for the Carnegie Award 2021, shortlisted for An Post YA Novel of the Year, won a White Raven International Award and was chosen for inclusion in EmpathyLab U.K's 2021 selection. Her short story “Then They Came For The Cats” was shortlisted for the Bridport International Short Story Prize 2020. Her play, Red Army, co-written with Marie Boylan, will be staged in Lime Tree Theatre, Limerick, in October 2022. Her new novel, Things I Know, is published in May 2022. She is currently working on a collection of short stories. She is Munster Rugby obsessed, loves cats and dogs and on rare occasions, people.

William Keohane

William Keohane is a writer from Limerick. In 2021, he was shortlisted for the Patrick Kavanagh Poetry Award, received a Literature Bursary Award from the Arts Council of Ireland, and was one of ten poets selected for the Poetry Ireland Introductions series. William holds an MA in Creative Writing from the University of Limerick.

Sheila Killian

Sheila Killian is a writer based outside Limerick City. She was born in Roscommon, in the dead centre of Ireland, and now teaches at University of Limerick. Her fiction, poetry and travel writing have won awards in Ireland and the UK, and her work has been broadcast on RTE Radio. She is a member of Writepace, and spends as much time as she can by the sea. Her first novel, Something Bigger, was published in July, 2021 by Caritas Press.

Lia Mills

 Lia Mills writes novels, short stories, literary essays and memoir. Her novel, Fallen, was the Dublin/Belfast Two Cities One Book selection in 2016. In April a new edition of her first novel, Another Alice, was published as part of the Arlen House Classic Literature series.

Lauren Preston

 In 2008, at the age of seventeen, Lauren Preston self-published her first novel Dream through Outskirts Press. Since then, she has published poems in literary magazines and worked diligently to hone her craft. She graduated from the University of Baltimore with a cum laude BA degree in Literature and Culture and the University of Limerick with a MA in Creative Writing with first class honours. She was recently awarded a Doctorate in Creative Writing from the University of Limerick.

Donal Ryan

 Donal Ryan, from Nenagh, Co. Tipperary, is the author of five number one-bestselling novels and a short story collection. He has won several awards for his fiction, including the European Union Prize for Literature, the Guardian First Book Award and four Irish Book Awards, and has been shortlisted for several more, including the Costa Book Award and the Dublin International Literary Award. He was nominated for the Booker Prize in 2013 for his debut novel, The Spinning Heart, and again in 2018, for his fourth novel, From A Low and Quiet Sea. In 2021 he became the first Irish writer to be awarded the Jean Monnet Prize for European Literature. His work has been adapted for stage and screen and translated into over twenty languages. A law graduate and former civil servant, Donal has lectured in Creative Writing at the University of Limerick since 2014 and lives in Castletroy with his wife Anne Marie and their two children.

On Friday 29th July at 1pm, Dr Emilie Pine will be engaging in a conversation with Dr Claire Lynch on her 2021 book Small: On Motherhoods (Octopus Books). All IASIL delegates are welcome to attend this event.

Friday 29^th July, 1.20 – 2pm

Lisa Fitzpatrick and Maria Kurdi (Editors). “I Love the Craft, I Love the Word”: The Theatre of Deirdre Kinahan. Peter Lang/Carysfort Press, 2022.

Dr Maria Kurdi will be introducing the book at the launch.

‘I Love the Craft, I Love the Word’: The Theatre of Deirdre Kinahan is available to order in soft cover or eBook at:  ‘I love craft. I love the word’ - Peter Lang Verlag