18.00 / Bantry Library Bridge Street
OFFICIAL OPENING OF THE 13TH WEST CORK LITERARY FESTIVAL
Wine Reception. Everyone welcome.
The J.G. Farrell Fiction Award will be presented during this function. The award is for the best novel-in-progress by a writer resident in Munster. The adjudicator is award-winning novelist, Gillian Slovo. For application details see under Workshops.
J.G. Farrell, the Booker prize-winner, was born in Liverpool in 1935 and died at the early age of 44 when swept into the sea when fishing from rocks near his home in Kilcrohane, West Cork. Farrell first came to public attention with the award of the Faber Prize in 1971 for Troubles, the first of his historical Trilogy, set in Ireland after the First World War. Troubles has subsequently been televised by the BBC and won the 2010 'Lost' Man Booker Prize. The Siege of Krishnapur, Farrell's view of the Indian Mutiny of 1857, carried off the Booker in 1973. In 2008, The Siege of Krishnapur was shortlisted for the fortieth anniversary 'Best of Booker' public vote.

The shortlisted poets from our Teen Poetry Competition will also be announced. Awards will be made on Wednesday 6th.

20.30 Maritime Hotel
A CELEBRATION OF THOSE WHO HAVE GONE BEFORE - with Special Guests / €25

Join us for a celebration of the work of those authors who are responsible for 99% of our literature, but are never invited to literary festivals: the dead ones. Our very special guests, including Senator David Norris, Pauline McLynn, Peter Sheridan, Ardal O’Hanlon and Tom Hickey – watch our website for an update on others taking part – will read from their own favourite dead author. This will be a fun and light-hearted evening, with readings from the best practitioners of the art, going back through the centuries – all of whom, we feel sure, will be there in spirit.

Sean Rocks will MC the Celebration of Those Who Have Gone Before.  Sean Rocks is the presenter of Arena on RTÉ Radio 1 ( Monday - Friday 7.30pm).

We will also be auctioning this painting, kindly donated by Carol Hodder, Fountainstown.

Title:  Carol Hodder,  Fireland (iv), oil on canvas, 2010, 30x25cm . Painted during residency at the Ballinglen Arts Foundation, Ballycastle, Co. Mayo.