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Literary love affair with West Cork continues

July 28th, 2017 2:07 PM

By Southern Star Team

Eimear O'Herlihy said: ‘We're thrilled with the way in which audiences have responded to the festival line-up

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World-famous writers have fallen in love with West Cork during their visits to this year's Literary Festival in Bantry.

WORLD-famous writers have fallen in love with West Cork during their visits to this year's Literary Festival in Bantry. 

The festival ran from July 14th to 21st and its director Eimear O'Herlihy said: ‘We're thrilled with the way in which audiences have responded to the festival line-up and the enormous welcome that they have given to all the writers. And seeing so many writers fall in love with West Cork is the ultimate reward.'

Eimear's eclectic programme attracted record audiences to events as diverse as a reading on board the LÉ Samuel Beckett anchored in Bantry Harbour by BBC Foreign Correspondent Emma Jane Kirby; an event on Whiddy Island; public audiences with Graham Norton, Colm Tóibín and Zadie Smith, discussions on food writing, poetry, a rare public appearance by Tomi Ungerer, emerging fiction writers, established writers in many genres, and many more events. There was standing room only at most events and the town of Bantry hummed with energy throughout the week.

One festival-goer, describing it as ‘brilliant', summed up the experience saying: ‘We come away with an armful of books to take us through the winter, to read with the voice of the author in our ears.' 

James Rayner, from London, on his second visit to Bantry, was thrilled with the opportunity to see and hear world class writers and the possibility of actually bumping into someone like Colm Tóibín in the local coffee shop. The West Cork Literary Festival is organised by West Cork Music, who also manage the West Cork Chamber Music Festival which took place in June, and Masters of Tradition, which will take place in August, from Wednesday 23rd to Sunday 27th. 


See also, Graham Norton feature, page 4.

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