READER’S DAY, THE TOWER HOTEL, TALLAGHT, 8TH NOV, 2008

Running order and programme text.

10pm-10.10 Introduction by Mayor of South Dublin County.

10.15 – 10.45 – Dublin Lives – over the past year poet Dermot Bolger has created a sequence of poems as part of South Dublin County Council’s In Context 3 Percent for Art Scheme. Following an invitation to other writers to compose poems to accompany his own, this unique reading by many of those involved grows into a tapestry of voices capturing life across South Dublin County during one single day.

10.45 – 11.15 – Patricia Scanlan

One of Ireland’s most popular authors, Patricia Scanlan in conversation with Dermot Bolger about her own hugely popular novels, their misspent younger days as library assistants and her involvement with the innovative Open Door series, which she edits.

11.30 – 12.15 Photographing Beckett

John Minihan's world famous photograph of Beckett having coffee with him in a Paris cafe has become one of the iconic images of the late twentieth century. In a rare public interview with Dermot Bolger, Minihan – one of Ireland’s most distinguished living photographers, who is especially noted for his portraits of writers – discusses his experiences of photographing Beckett and their friendship which started when he showed Beckett his photographs of the last wake ever held in Minihan's native Athy. With a fascinating slideshow of Minihan'siconic images of Beckett and his images of a changing Athyshot over three decades, thisintimate conversation with Minihan is a treat for lovers of literature and photography.

12.15 – 12.45 Claire Kilroy

A reading by one of Ireland’s most exciting new talents, Claire Kilroy, author of the acclaimed novels, All Summer and Tenderwire.

12.45pm – 2pm lunch

2pm – 2.30 Brian Keenan

Brian Keenan reads from and discusses his works, including An Evil Cradling and Four Quarters of Light.

2.30 – 3pm Glenn Patterson

Glenn Patterson’s novels have brilliantly chronicled the changing face of Belfast over the past four decades. He presents a reading from his fiction and from his acclaimed new family memoir, Once Upon A Hill.

3pm – 3.15 coffee

3.15 – 3.45 – John Boyne

The author of the internationally acclaimed The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, reads from his latest novel, Mutiny on the Bounty, in conversation with Dermot Bolger

Brian Keenan was born in Belfast in 1950. His books include An Evil Cradling, (Hutchinson, 1992), his superbly written account of his experiences of being held hostage for four and a half years in the Lebanon. He went on to co-write Between Extremes (New York, Bantam Press, 1999) with his fellow hostage, John McCarthy. Other books include a novel, Turlough (Jonathan Cape, 2000) and Four Quarters of Light: An Alaskan Journey (Doubleday, 2004). He lives in Dublin.

John Boyne was born in Dublin in 1971. His acclaimed novels include The Congress of Rough Riders, Crippen and the internationally The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas , which has recently been turned into a major film. His latest novel, Mutiny On The Bounty, was published this year. He lives in Rathfarnham.

Glenn Patterson was born in Belfast in 1961. His novels – that have formed a fascinating chronicle of changing Belfast life over the past four decades – include Burning Your Own; Fat Lad; The International; That Which Was and The Third Party . He has alos published a collection of prose, Lapsed Protestant and had just published a family memoir, Once Upon a Hill.

Claire Kilroy was born in Dublin in 1973. She is the author of two highly acclaimed novels, All Summer and Tenderwire. All Summer won the 2004 Rooney Prize for Irish Literature , and was shortlisted for the 2004 Kerry Group Irish Fiction Award. She lives in Dublin.

B orn in Dublin in 1946 and raised in Athy , John Minihan went to London at twelve and in time became the youngest staff photographer for the Evening Standard . For thirty years he remained in London, returning every year to Athy to record the people and their daily lives. He developed a close relationship with many writers and his photographs of Samuel Beckett show a particular affinity between the two men. Minihan’s photos of Beckett are some of his best known, one in particular being regarded as one of the greatest photos of the twentieth century . His Athy photographs have been exhibited throughout the world and he was given the freedom of Athy in 1990. Minihan currently lives in West Cork

Patricia Scanlan was born in Dublin, where she still lives. While working in the public libraries she started to write, and after the success of her first novel, City Girl, has gone to become one of Ireland’s most successful and prolific writers. Her bestsellers include: Finishing Touches, Francesca’s Party, Two for Joy, Double Wedding and Divided Loyalties. She is also the Series Editor and contributing author to the Open Door series, published by New Island, which as formed a hugely innovative part in adult literacy programmes here and aboard

Born in Dublin in 1959, Dermot Bolger’s nine novels include The Journey Home and most recently The Family on Paradise Pier. A poet and award-winning playwright, Bolger has edited many anthologies, including The Picador Book of Contemporary Irish Fiction. He has been The Writer Fellow in Trinity College, Dublin and for the past two years has been a resident artist with In Context 3, South Dublin County Council’s Per Cent for Art programme. His In Context poems are about to be published in the book, Dublin Lives, intertwined with poems written by two dozen fellow writers from South Dublin County to form a picture of a single day. He has facilitated Reader’s Day since its inception, in compensation for being the worst library assistant in the County’s history.

Contact details:

Organisers:

Patricia Fitzgerald: pfitzgerald@SDUBLINCOCO.ie

Caroline Higgins: chiggins@SDUBLINCOCO.ie