Programme

In 1990, Edna O’Brien gave an interview to Julia Carlson for her seminal book, Banned in Ireland: Censorship & the Irish Writer. In this event, Julia Carlson will be joined by Eoin O’Dell, associate professor of law at Trinity, to revisit O’Brien’s interview and the issues it raised which continue to resonate today. The acclaimed actor Noni Stapleton will then bring O’Brien’s witty, candid, and serious interview to life in a special performance.

*This event has been postponed due to Corona Virus pandemic. The Irish Literary Society hope to re-schedule this event at a later date*

The Irish Literary Society in London presents an evening with Christine Dwyer Hickey to celebrate Tatty as this years Dublin One City One Book They will also be joining with the Hammersmith Irish Cultural Centre’s Book Club for this event and encourage all attendees to read Tatty in preparation for the event. Dorothy Allen is a former BBC journalist, currently writing for the German and Swiss Press, she will join Christine Dwyer Hickey in conversation.

Presented by Garrett Fagan, this course is designed to tie in with events in the Dublin One City One Book festival 2020

culminating in an extended engagement with the selected title and making full use of events staged during April.

Students read a variety of books chosen to relate thematically to the 2020 Dublin One City One Book choice.

No prior knowledge is required for this course beyond an enjoyment, an interest in reading and in finding out more about your city.

Child psychologist Christine Mulligan in conversation with poet and writer Dermot Bolger and Tatty author Christine Dwyer Hickey about the disrupted childhood and how it informs the writer.

Join us at ‘Seamus Heany: Listen Now Again’ for an informal and interactive discussion  of this year’s Dublin One City One Book selection Tatty along with the author Christine Dwyer Hickey.

You don’t need to be a literary expert to join in – everyone is welcome! Please read Tatty before the book club so you can enjoy our chat.

Copies available from your local library or any good book shop.

During this event, children will learn about important places in Dublin and how living and growing up in Dublin changed over the decades. Stories will be based on artefacts and photos on display in the museum and will be linked to the Dublin One City One Book choice for 2020 Tatty by Christine Dwyer Hickey. Children will have the opportunity to share their experiences and memories about the featured places in Dublin and we invite all to write a little story about or draw a picture of their favourite place. Our education coordinator will, alongside other museum staff, lead the group through our main exhibition in an interactive and hands-on approach.

Limited Capacity. 

Christine Dwyer Hickey explores the effect of John Joyce on the creative and emotional development of his son James, and what it’s like to live a childhood on red alert.

Presented by Garrett Fagan, this course is designed to tie in with events in the Dublin One City One Book festival 2020

culminating in an extended engagement with the selected title and making full use of events staged during April.

Students read a variety of books chosen to relate thematically to the 2020 Dublin One City One Book choice.

No prior knowledge is required for this course beyond an enjoyment, an interest in reading and in finding out more about your city.

Christine Dwyer Hickey discusses the inspiration and research behind Tatty and her most recent novel The Narrow Land, with author and journalist Martina Devlin.

A Little Help From My Friends – A performance of defining songs from the 1960’s.

Sing & Tonics is an all-female, small vocal ensemble based in Ireland.

This performance includes a little help from our friend, Double Bassist Derek Whyte, to emphasise the distinctive beats and bass lines of the decade.

Christine Dwyer Hickey will be joined by Prof. Derek Hand (School of English, DCU) for this discussion of an enduring theme in Irish Literature – childhood.

With performances from Tatty; A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man; The Butcher Boy and other classic Irish novels of childhood.

Christine Dwyer Hickey is a novelist, playwright and short story writer. She has published eight novels, one collection of short stories and a full-length play. Tatty was published by New Island Books (2004) and by Vintage UK (2005). It was shortlisted for Irish Novel of The Year 2005, listed as one of the 50 Irish Novels of the Decade at the Irish Book Awards 2010 and was nominated for the Orange Prize (now the Women’s Fiction Prize).

Prof. Derek Hand is Head of the School of English, Dublin City University. He is the author of many essays and articles on Irish literature, and of John Banville: Exploring Fictions (2002) and A History of the Irish Novel: 1665 to the Present (Cambridge University Press, 2011).

Presented by Garrett Fagan, this course is designed to tie in with events in the Dublin One City One Book festival 2020

culminating in an extended engagement with the selected title and making full use of events staged during April.

Students read a variety of books chosen to relate thematically to the 2020 Dublin One City One Book choice.

No prior knowledge is required for this course beyond an enjoyment, an interest in reading and in finding out more about your city.

Tipsy, twisted, merry, out of your tree, high as a kite, locked, legless, langer-oos…..

Christine Dwyer Hickey talks to fellow author Martina Devlin about the theme of alcoholism in Tatty, the impact of alcoholism on children in general and how families are marked for life by it.

From characterisation to research, Christine Dwyer Hickey will help you to negotiate the landscape of your novel or short story.

First five pages of work may be submitted for discussion.

Individual attention will be offered to each participant.

Limit of 15 persons

Tatty explores the emotional intensity and turbulence of childhood. Poets Eithne Hand (first collection in 2020), James Harpur (The White Silhouette, 2019) and Liz Quirke (The Road, Slowly, 2018) will delve into different aspects of this evocative period, from the magic of being a toddler to the complexity of adolescence, same sex parents, boarding school and first love.

During this event, children will learn about important places in Dublin and how living and growing up in Dublin changed over the decades. Stories will be based on artefacts and photos on display in the museum and will be linked to the Dublin One City One Book choice for 2020 Tatty by Christine Dwyer Hickey. Children will have the opportunity to share their experiences and memories about the featured places in Dublin and we invite all to write a little story about or draw a picture of their favourite place. Our education coordinator will, alongside other museum staff, lead the group through our main exhibition in an interactive and hands-on approach.

Limited Capacity. 

‘Tatty  is one of those novels that’s easy to read, hard to get out of your head and almost impossible to describe’ (The Irish Times) Christine Dwyer Hickey will discuss the writing of the modern Irish masterpiece and the craft of writing in general,with Q&A to follow.