Nuala Ní Chonchúir's Blog, page 20

IRISH NEWS Q&A

Brian Campbell interviewed me for today's Irish News ahead of my appearance, with Henrietta McKervey at next week's Belfast Book Festival. It's not available online, so I took a couple of (cruddy) pics of the piece. Click to enlarge and read  :)

SMOKELONG QUARTERLY

I'm guest-editing for Smokelong Quarterly - if you sub soon I may get to read your flash! See here.

LISTOWEL 2015 - AFTERS

Another Listowel Writers' Week put to bed, exhausted by good talk, food and chats. I facilitated the three day short fiction workshop (with a great group of people), did two readings and a panel. And attended the opening night awards ceremony. Busy busy.

A few pics from the week is the most I have time for; I've to give  talk to a writing group in Athlone today and I'm busily writing articles for US and Canadian newspapers and such for Miss Emily promo. Six weeks exactly to pub day!

I managed to get to a few readings in between my own hectic schedule of events. Highlights: Anne Enright, Colm Tóibín and Dennis Lehane. And meeting my co-reader Alex Preston. Each of whom read/spoke with passion and verve. Some quotes I jotted down:

'Writers live in the shadows and work in silence.' Colm Tóibín

'I'm often surprised by my characters - I don't live in a goggle-eyed state, but I like to be surprised. I like an unexpected but right thing to happen.' Anne Enright

'The hard stuff is having to crawl into dark spaces and write them.' Dennis Lehane

On authors who are novel-to-film moaners (about their own book): 'It's like the guy coming out of the whore house saying he doesn't feel loved.'

On that happy note, I'm off to write yet another piece about my beloved Emily :)

Juno and me at our B&B, Gurtenard, waiting to got to the Kerry Award ceremony Signing copies of The Closet of Savage Mementos for Anne Enright and Colm Tóibín The five Novel of the Year shortlistees with the man from Kerry & judge Gerald Dawe Shortlistees with Anne Enright, Colm Tóibín and Seán Lyons, Director of Writers' Week and judge Gerald Dawe Flowers on the table at the pre-awards dinner at the Listowel Arms Hotel Anne Enright doing the official opening speech Caoilinn Hughes and Ger Reidy receiving their Piggott Prize shortlistee prizes (listees got an engraved pen and a cheque) Judge of the Kerry Award, Gerald Dawe, saying lovely things about our shortlisted books for the Kerry Prize Winner of the Kerry Award, Eoin MacNamee, accepting his prize Anne O'Neill, myself and Alex Preston at our reading/discussion event Newly engaged writers Tanya Sweeney and David Butler Our B&B, Gurtenard Myself and Patrick O'Keeffe - fellow listees! Juno on the Alice chair O'Connor's - yay! A drink in John B. Keane's bar Juno with dancers at the children's festival - she had a brilliant time

The 101 Flash Comp

Big Smoke Writing Factory are excited to announce their annual Flash Fiction Competition "The 101". They have added a new challenge this year by giving you two extra words to play around with.
Every story entered must be EXACTLY 101 words. No more. No less.
They say: ‘With only 101 words on the page there are very few places to hide so send us your best. It can be shocking or touching, brutal or heart wrenching – we want flash that moves the reader. Whether you’re a flash fiction newbie or a total flash expert, this is an evening of creativity and inspiration not to be missed!’
The deadline for 101 submissions is 8th June and 2 stories max can be sent (in separate emails please!) to flash@bigsmokewritingfactory.com.
As always this event is FREE and will be held in Arthur’s Pub, Dublin 8. All are welcome.

LISTOWEL BOUND - KERRY AWARD etc.

So today I head to Listowel for teaching the short story, reading, yapping and, tonight, the Kerry Irish Novel of the Year Award prize-giving. Eek!! I haven't allowed myself to think about it much but now the nerves are well and truly kicking in. I may pull up to Listowel extremely chocolate-stained from agitated munching on the drive. Wish me luck!

My public events include:

Weds 27th May - opening night and Awards event. The Closet of Savage Mementos is on the shortlist for the Kerry Irish Novel of the Year. Venue: The Arms Hotel
Thurs 28th May - 11am: Winners readings - I will be on stage at the tail end of this event. Venue: Boys' School
Thurs 28th May - 2pm: Reading with Alex Preston, The Arms Hotel
Thurs 28th May - 8pm: Kerry Irish Novel of the Year shortlistees discussion, moderated by Irish Times journalist Jim Carroll. Venue: 8pm in The Ballroom of The Arms Hotel
I hope to see some of you there :)

Strandhill Summerfest 2015 - writing workshop

Knocknarea, StrandhillStrandhill Summerfest, tutored by Órfhlaith Ní Chonaill, Ted & Annie Deppe and Joe Kearney, is a weekend writing retreat that celebrates writers and writing. It nurtures new work in a gentle, safe and supportive environment. The weekend is suitable for writers of all ages, beginners or established, writing in any genre. This year's workshop runs 3rd to 5th July.
I have taken part in this weekend twice and really enjoyed it – brilliant value, great atmosphere, lovely healthy food, fab location and sweet people. If you go to Strandhill, make sure to eat at the lovely Shells Café - not to be missed!
From the workshop's site:
Time for you and your writingDiscover the genius within youWrite with inspirational facilitatorsSafe, supportive environmentFind your unique writing voiceShare and celebrate your writing with othersWrite in any genre, poetry, fiction, memoirBeautiful seaside locationAffordableFeedback on your writingSmall workshops in a private houseLovely garden with patio, pond and labyrinthForum on online publishingOvercome writers’ blocksUse your own voice with confidence
More on booking, cost etc. here.

Summer Poetry Workshops with Matthew Sweeney in Cork

Matthew SweeneyMatthew Sweeney is not only renowned as a poet and anthologist, he also has a reputation as one of our best workshop leaders. He is one of Ireland's most translated poets, with volumes published in German, Dutch and Slovakian. He is co-author of Write Poetry and Get it Published. His Faber anthologies have enjoyed many reprints.
In six weekly workshops on Thursday evenings, June-July, Matthew will teach on writing about animals, about art, learning from song lyrics, copying other poets without committing plagiarism, dramatic monologue and developing your imagination.
A full course description with dates and information on how to book is here.

WILD ATLANTIC WORDS Poetry Festival & comps

WILD ATLANTIC WORDS Poetry Festival
(Readings, workshops, children’s workshop, open mic)
5-6 September 2015 in Castletownbere, County Cork
WILD ATLANTIC WORDS Poetry Competitions
(Open competition and two children’s competitions)
Closing date: 19 July
For further information about the competitions and festival, including competition entry details, the festival programme, and workshop bookings, please follow the link to the website
www.hungryhillwriting.com

ULLAPOOL BOOK FESTIVAL - thoughts and pics

I got back from the Ullapool Book Festival last night after a long day of travel and an exhilarating few days in Scotland. The fictional Highland village of Kinlochbrack, in my novel The Closet of Savage Mementos, is a thinly disguised Ullapool. I worked there in a beautiful small hotel called The Ceilidh Place 23 years ago.


We drove from Aberdeen to Ullapool - this is along the final stretch
The road to Ullapool
A house on Loch Broom
Entering the village of Ullapool The Ceilidh Place
The village hall!I went back to Ullapool four years ago to do final research for the novel, and I was back there this time to read at their book festival. In a lovely twist, I got to stay at The Ceilidh Place, which felt very grown up and posh altogether.

The festival was busy and comprehensive: events started at 8am and went on until late - there were writers from South Africa, Canada, England, Malaysia, Scotland and myself from Ireland. There was a ceilidh, as well as readings: poetry, fiction, non-fiction. We ate like royalty, three meals a day laid on (the food in The Ceilidh Place has always been good and has always catered for non meat-eaters like me). We had glorious salads (charred cauliflower was my highlight), celeriac and apple soup, homemade oatcakes, artichoke risotto, spinach and ricotta lasagne, raspberry fool (which pleased me hugely as the chef in my book makes a gooseberry fool, to which Struan says: 'Old fool makes new fool.') At the village hall, where most events took place, there was a tent where you could buy Fairtrade drinks and home-baking - I had a chocolate ginger fridge cake that was out of this world.
Looking over the loch and out to sea
Loch Broom gate
Out for a walk
North of Ullapool
Northern scenery - the weather was fantasticI went to as many events as I could manage but, after late nights in the bar and upstairs lounge with the other writers, journalists and arts admin folk, it wasn't possible to go to every event. Once we took our hire car and drove about 20 miles north to see Stac Pollaidh and all the other beautiful mountains and inlets (we saw deer!).
Stac PollaidhOther times we woggled around the shops and ate (yet more) cake in The Frigate, a shoreside café where I also worked (it was run by The Ceilidh Place way back). There are great shops in Ullapool selling top-notch local crafts, vintage wares and art. There are two book shops in the village, which is pretty amazing, and both support the book festival. I bought my obligatory paperweight (obsessed); I also managed a beachcomb.


Beachcombed findsAll this while attending plenty of readings. The election was on the day we arrived so there was a lot of lively discussion late into the night about all that had happened with that. Many people bewildered by the overall result.


Bilingual signs abound which is great to see. 'Little houses' for toilets - sweet!!
These fab sculptures feature in my novel - I was delighted to find them still in situ in a window on Shore St
Typewriter in The FrigateApart from the readings from the books, there was something extra to enjoy at every event: Christopher Brookmyre read hilarious emails received from fans, correcting him on the geography of Berlin, or wanting to meet him in remote places. Zoë Wicomb was fascinating on the politics of South Africa, as was Chiew-Siah Tei on Malaysia. The lovely Kerry Hudson writes her books in a shack in Vietnam (I felt like such a square plodder when I heard that). Ditto while listening to Linda Cracknell recount her solo walks through Scotland and her climbing in Switzerland. Her writing is stitched with wisdom as much as adventure - beautiful.


Myself and Zoe Strachan, waiting for our event to begin

It was terrifying to follow these people's events but my interviewer, writer Zoë Strachan, made it all really easy and we had a full house, including several former Ceilidh Place colleagues, which was a joy.


Writer Ian Stephen from the Isle of Lewis
Writer Murray Armstrong from Airdrie (now living in London)
Malaysian writer Chiew-Siah Tei (now living in Glasgow)
Ullapool harbour - eveningUllapool is a magical place - it pulls on you and seduces you and never quite lets go. The sealoch and mountain scenery, the sweet white houses, the warm people, the fabulous food - all of it combines to make a wonderful experience. I was honoured to be invited back for the book festival and was like a sulky child when we had to leave yesterday morning; I just did not want to go. Huge thanks to Joan Michaels and her book festival team, to President Louise Welsh, and to our hosts at The Ceilidh Place - you all do a terrific job. Tapadh leibh!

GREAT-GRANDFATHER POST

My sister Aoife O'Connor has written a great blogpost about our Great-Grandfather, who was a witness to the Phoenix Park Murders on this day in 1882.

Read it here.