Cape Clear Island International Storytelling Festival 2015

The Cape Clear Island International Storytelling Festival 2015 takes place this weekend the 4th September - 6th September. This year they are celebrating 21 years in existence. Artists include Dovie Thomason, Brigit Lehner, Clare Muireann Murphy, Michael Harvey and Colum Sands.

For further details check out www.capeclearstorytelling.com!


                       
                              

Simple Abundance

Today the 1st of September, I am reminded by Sarah Ban Breathnach in her book Simple Abundance A Daybook of Comfort and Joy, of the satisfaction of the September resolutions!

September resolutions are about authentic wants. Think about what you want more or less of in your life. It can be as simple as taking more time out for yourself, or more time out to spend with pen and paper. As we move through the seasons we are encouraged to move towards the authentic self. September resolutions are made quietly as autumn unfolds. 

So today why not take some time out and make your own September resolutions!

                              

                                   

Remembering Seamus Heaney

Remembering Seamus Heaney today on his 2nd Anniversary.

Digging
Between my finger and my thumb
the squat pen rests; snug as a gun.

Under my window, a clean rasping sound
when the spade sinks into gravelly ground:
My father, digging. I look down.

Till his straining rump among the flowerbeds
bends low, comes up twenty years away
stooping in rhythm through potato drills
where he was digging.

The coarse boot nestled on the lug, the shaft
against the inside knee was levered firmly.
He rooted out tall tops, buried the bright edge deep
to scatter new potatoes that we picked,
loving their cool hardness in our hands.

By God, the old man could handle a spade.
Just like his old man.

My grandfather cut more turf in a day
Than any other man on Toner's bog.
Once I carried him milk in a bottle
corked sloppily with paper. He straightened up
to drink it, then fell to right away
nicking and slicing neatly, heaving sods
over his shoulder, going down and down
for the good turf. Digging.

The cold smell of potato mould, the squelch and slap
of soggy peat, the curt cuts of an edge
through living roots awaken in my head.
But I've no spade to follow men like them.

Between my finger and my thumb
the squat pen rests.
I'll dig with it.

Seamus Heaney            1939 - 2013



                                                    

Guardian First Book Award 2015 Longlist

The following is The Longlist for the Guardian First Book Award 2015.

                             Man V Nature by Diane Cook
                             Mrs. Engels by Gavin McCrea
                             Physical by Andrew McMillan
                             The Fish Ladder by Katharine Norbury
                             The Fishermen by Chigozie Obioma
                             Nothing Is True and Everything Is Possible by Peter Pomerantsev
                             Grief Is The Thing With Feathers by Max Porter
                             The Shore by Sara Taylor
                             The Wallcreeper by Nell Zink
                             Spill Simmer Falter Wither by Sara Baume

     We look forward to the announcement of the shortlist!


               

                             

Mslexia Women's Novel Competition

The Mslexia Women's Novel Competition 2015 is open for entries. This competition is for a completed novel by an unpublished female novelist. Novels may be in any genre and must be at least 50,000 words long. To enter, submit the first 5,000 words of a manuscript - double spaced, on numbered pages, with the title of the novel on each page. There is an entry fee of £25.00 per novel. The closing date for entry is 21 Septemer 2015. 

For further details check out www.mslexia.co.uk!

           

                             

Hawthornden Literature Prize

Congratulations to Colm Tóibín who has won the prestigious Hawthornden Prize for his novel Nora Webster.  The Wexford author received the award at a ceremony in the London Library last night, Wednesday 22nd July. Previous winners of this award include Alan Bennett, Graham Greene and William Trevor.  A movie version of Tóibín's novel Brooklyn starring Saoirse Ronan and Domhnall Gleeson goes on release in November.

                                         

                                                

West Cork Literary Festival

The West Cork Literary Festival takes place in Bantry, 12th July - 18th July 2015.

This years line up includes John Boyne, Mary Costello, Judi Curtin, Christine Dwyer-Hickey and Belinda McKeon to name but a few!

The 2015 Fish Anthology will be launched on Tuesday evening, 14th July at the Maritime Hotel, Bantry @ 6.30p.m.

For further information and details check out www.westcorkmusic.ie.