Another successful Rolling Sun Book Festival in Westport

Five top authors shortlisted for this year’s An Post Irish Book Awards celebrated in Westport recently as the shortlists were announced just as the writers prepared to take part in the Rolling Sun Book Festival.

Festival organisers said it was one of the most successful festivals yet in terms of the number of sell-out events, and the fact that so many of the participating authors learned they had made the shortlists just as the festival got underway.

“We were delighted for all our authors. We knew they would be popular with our audiences but it was great that they were getting this recognition literally the day or two days before they were coming to the Rolling Sun,” said Maria Ruddy of the organising committee.

Katriona O’Sullivan and Richard Hogan, who were jointly interviewed in front of a capacity audience on the Saturday afternoon of the festival had their books shortlisted in the biography and lifestyle categories respectively.

Meteorologist Joanna Donnelly, who also attracted a full house in the Clew Bay Hotel, saw her book, 'From Malin Head to Mizen Head', make the running for the Lifestyle Book of the Year.

Novelist Paul Lynch, whose book 'Prophet Song' had already made the shortlist for the Booker Prize, is now in contention for the Novel of the Year, and broadcaster and journalist Matt Cooper’s latest book, 'Who Really Owns Ireland?', is in the running for Non-Fiction Book of the Year.

“It’s very satisfying to be able to attract writers of such high calibre to what is really quite a small festival in comparison to the likes of the Dalkey Book Festival or Listowel Writers’ Week,” said Maria.

“But there is a welcoming and engaged audience for them in Westport and the writers seem to enjoy themselves too.”

Actor Stephen Rea and Westport-based Coda were the stars of one of the festival highlights, a sell-out show in Holy Trinity Church. The actor discussed and read the poetry of Seamus Heaney and other poets, and Coda, with harpist Freda Hatton, gave a stunning musical performance.

Westport Town Hall was the venue for the opening event of the weekend, another sold-out performance, with Michael Harding and his show, 'All The Things Left Unsaid'.

A number of local contributors, including writer Liam Horan, members of the West Mayo Writers group and Gemma O’Connor of the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group, also proved popular.

Pictured above is Stephen Rea, Irish film and stage actor, with Coda during their performance at the Holy Trinity Church at the Westport Rolling Sun Book Festival, from left: Brian Lennon, Alan Drumm, Steve Bryant, Freda Hatton, Stephen Rea, Mike Cannon, Conall Ó Domhnaill Leonard Kelly and Declan Askin. Pic: Conor McKeown