Exciting programme announced for Words By Water, Kinsale Literary Festival

A plethora of well-known Irish authors will participate in this year’s Words By Water, Kinsale Literary Festival which will take place from Thursday, October 5 to Sunday, 8.

Authors taking part in this year’s programme include Donal Ryan, Sophie White, Paul Howard, Booker prize nominee Elaine Feeney, Sally Hayden, Alice Taylor and Fíona Scarlett.

“We have many fantastic authors, writing in a variety of genres, coming to read and be interviewed at events across the weekend. We are confident that this year our programme will have something to suit all tastes,” committee member Ruth McDonnell said.

Ms McDonnell said the journalist Shane Coleman will be interviewing Donal Ryan on Friday, October 6.

“We know how much our audience loved Donal’s previous visit to us in 2019 and we look forward to catching up with him about his writing. 

"Shane will be back in the interviewer’s chair on Saturday when he sits down with Sophie White who has wowed critics and readers alike in recent years.”

On Saturday afternoon, journalist Sally Hayden will talk to acclaimed author Mary Morrissey about migration and human rights. Other events on Saturday include Fíona Scarlett and Elaine Feeney in conversation with Mairead Hearne.

Sports fans are in for a treat on Saturday evening, Ms McDonnell added. “Paul Howard will be joined on stage by the one and only Roddy Collins. The pair will be discussing Roddy’s memoir The Rodfather, which was published to acclaim last year.”

In addition to welcoming visiting literary figures, Words By Water also promotes Cork-based talent. Disha Bose, Mary Morrissy, and Sara O’Donovan are all appearing at the Local Voices event on Sunday.

Workshops this year include a book-binding class and the chance to learn about the fascinating art of Haiku poetry. Other poetry events are taking place on Thursday night and Sunday.

For younger readers, there is story time in the library on Saturday morning, while Paul Howard will meet fans of his children’s books at an event in the Trident Hotel on Saturday afternoon.

The full programme of events which will be held in several venues over the four days in Kinsale is available at wordsbywater.ie.