Cónal and Mairéad reunite for Two for the Road in West Cork

One of Cork’s favourite writers will head to his ancestral homeplace next month, reuniting with one of the county’s most respected book reviewers for an evening of prose, poetry and conversation.

Creedon’s of Inchigeela will be the venue in mid-May as writer, broadcaster and playwright Cónal Creedon will again team up with book reviewer and blogger Mairéad Hearne to reprise their successful 2025 Two for the Road tour.

Cork’s cultural ambassador, Mr Creedon - who describes himself as “a proud grandson of Beara and Iveleary” – needs little introduction.

A novelist, playwright and documentary filmmaker, he became, in 2024, the first Irish artist to receive the prestigious Leonardo da Vinci World Award of Arts.

He was subsequently invited to present the 70th anniversary Beatty Lecture 2024 at McGill University in Montreal.

Last year saw the city centre author conferred with an honorary UCC doctorate in the Arts.

He grew up in the heart of Cork city, at the Inchigeela Dairy on Devonshire St, where his family had traded for more than a century.

His 1994-1998 RTÉ Radio series Under the Goldie Fish brought to the not-Cork parts of the country a true-to-life cast of quare hawks, aul’ wans, beours, and gowls.

He enjoyed critical and commercial hits with his novels Passion Play and Begotten Not Made, and with his collections Spaghetti Bowl, Pancho and Lefty Ride Out, and Pancho and Lefty Ride Again.

His Second City Trilogy was commissioned and performed during Cork’s year as European Capital of Culture in 2005, and it played also that year in New York and Shanghai.

Mairéad Hearne is a prolific and highly respected books reviewer and blogger, and a regular contributor to literary festivals including the Irish Book Awards and the online literary journal Writing.ie. Her book blog Swirl and Thread is ranked as one of the top 25 Irish book blogs.

Two for the Road will feature two engaging individuals offering their own, differing perspectives on the literary world.

They will share anecdotal stories of their respective personal journeys in literature, discussing the advent of social media, the rise of book bloggers, and the advance of AI.

They will also offer their insights into the difference between traditional publishing and the growing importance of independent publishing.

Two for the Road with Cónal Creedon & Mairéad Hearne will take place in Creedon's of Inchigeela at 8pm on Thursday, May 21. The event is free of charge, and all are welcome.