Plenty to look forward to at Red Line Book Festival
THE Red Line Book Festival is a celebration of all things literary and was launched on Tuesday at the Round Tower Centre.
It provides a programme of events and workshops aimed to attract culturally curious audiences of all ages and interests from both the local and wider community.
The initiative is funded by South Dublin County Council and managed by South Dublin Libraries and Arts. The festival takes place from October 11 to 15.
The festival features events in a range of venues, from purpose-built theatre spaces (Civic Theatre, Rua Red Arts Centre), to historic buildings (Rathfarnham Castle, Pearse Museum at St Enda’s Park and The Clondalkin Round Tower Centre), to our branch libraries, and even in a chocolate factory (The Chocolate Warehouse) and a local Pub Theatre, The Cherrytree.
With some 40 events organised for the 2017 festival, a selection of home-grown and international talent will be presented. Showcasing the best of Irish writing, Dermot Bolger will chat with John Banville (“The Sea”), Mike McCormack (“Solar Bones”), Sara Baume (“Spill Simmer Falter Wither”), Julie Parsons (“The Therapy House”), Lisa Harding (“Harvesting”) and the inimitable Mary O’Rourke (“Just Mary”) on Readers Day, Saturday October 14.
Coordinating this year’s literary strand is Vanessa Fox O’Loughlin (also known as crime writer Sam Blake). This year, she has gathered an exciting group of writers including Tanya Farrelly, Catherine Brophy, Phyl Herbert, Kevin Toolis and David Butler who will delight audiences with their performances, talks and workshops.
Poets also have much to look forward to with Nessa O’ Mahoney chairing a panel discussion on First Collections with Brian Kirk, Eamonn Lynskey and Phil Lynch.
Forming part of the schools programme, Red Line are delighted to feature a talk by Laureate na nÓg, PJ Lynch with special guest Eoin Colfer; a fun, family event about The Myth and Magic of Harry Potter; as well as an exciting event about digital comics for teenagers.
Always a highlight, and returning in 2017, is RTÉ’s acclaimed Sunday Miscellany programme which will be recorded live during the festival with a host of local literary and musical content.
The festival has always had a strong theatrical strand, and this year is no different. Completing the schools programme will be a range of engaging theatre performances from Lyngo Theatre, Booster Cushion Theatre for Children, and Fíbín Theatre. Adults have their own set of theatrical delights in store with productions from Bruiser Theatre, Show in a Bag, Celia de Freine and Robert Gogan.
There will also be a talk and live demonstration from chefs and authors, David and Stephen Flynn, of The Happy Pear.
The ever-popular Red Line Poetry Competition and ITT Short Story Competition are now advertised and will be judged by Mary O’ Donnell and Colm Keegan respectively with prize-giving ceremonies held during the festival. Further details on the festival and competitions can be found at www.redlinebookfestival.com
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