Wild Atlantic Words festival to take place in Mayo next week

The 2024 Wild Atlantic Words festival is set to take place in Castlebar next week.

There is an array of events to look forward to as part of the festival, including the launch of Pat Butler’s ‘The Fighting Fitzgerald’, and a panel discussion with former Mayo News journalist and sports enthusiast, Edwin McGreal, who will be launching his new book, 'Our Finest Hour'.

A reading from her latest book by acclaimed writer and Castlebar native, Sally Rooney, will also be a major festival highlight.

The celebrated author will read from ‘Intermezzo’ as part of the festival programme, with the reading to be followed by a book signing. 

Festival chairman, Kevin Swift, said it was a signal honour to her home town that Sally Rooney would perform the only reading from ‘Intermezzo’ outside Dublin.

The Wild Atlantic Words Festival kicks off on Monday, October 7 and runs through until Sunday, October 13 with a sparkling programme of book launches, poetry, celebrity appearances, short story readings and prize giving.

_{Kevin Swift, Kathryn Brennan, John Healy, Marie Farrell, David Brennan and Siobhan Foody at the launch of Wild Atlantic Words festival with Sally Rooney’s ‘Intermezzo’ (Photo: John Mee Photography)}

The landmark festival, now in its ninth year, has gained an enviable reputation for its format and content, and this year promises to deliver to the same high standard as that of earlier years.

The week opens with the launch on Monday by Isabela Basombrío Hoban of her fourth bilingual book of poetry, ‘Another Type of Abbreviation’with Tuesday delivering something special with the launch of Pat Butler's ‘The Fighting Fitzgerald’, the story of the life and times of the most colourful and dangerous personality of eighteenth-century Ireland. 

Following this is the launch by Cormac O'Malley of ‘The Enchanted Bay’, a compilation of Irish folk tales collected by his late father, the freedom fighter Ernie O'Malley. 

On Wednesday, Alice Kinsella and Daniel Wade perform readings from their captivating book on whaling in Mayo, ‘Wake of the Whale’. The book takes its origins from the little known fact that, for two decades, two Norwegian owned whaling stations operated from the coast of north Mayo. 

This event is followed by the popular, laid-back, ‘A Poem and a Pint’, hosted by Ken Armstrong, when anybody who feels like reciting their favourite poem is free to take the podium.

Thursday again provides a double-starred evening of book launches. Hayley Kilgallon's ‘Unladylike – a History of Ladies Gaelic Football’, is a lavishly illustrated, engagingly written account of a branch of Gaelic football which has taken on a life of its own in recent years. Kevin McDonald, a soldier, mountaineer and archaeologist, will launch his eagerly awaited ‘A Life Less Ordinary’, and rarely has a book lived up so well to its title.

The presentation of the festival short story winner prizes, judged by Mike McCormack, on Friday yields centre stage to what will be a huge welcome for Sally Rooney, following which down-to-earth wine expert, Brigid O'Hora, launches ‘The Home Sommelier’. 

Former Mayo News journalist, broadcaster and sports enthusiast Edwin McGreal takes centre stage on Saturday for a panel discussion around his comprehensive new book ‘Our Finest Hour’. The book chronicles the glory days of all 54 football and hurling clubs throughout the county, as well as paying tribute to the clubs themselves and what they give to their local communities. The panel will include a number of GAA legends, including Mayo footballer Aidan O’Shea, and will be hosted by Mike Finnerty. 

This is followed by another gem, when George Hamilton discusses his life and times in conversation with Aidan Crowley. 

The festival closes with the traditional ‘Sunday Morning Coming Down’, when Mayo News columnist John Healy shares with his audience some hometown banter with his selected panel consisting of author Geraldine Lavelle, journalist Tom Rowley, screenwriter Ray Lawlor, and author Kevin McDonald.

All events are free of charge and take place in the festival dome at Bridge Lane, Castlebar.

For more details, see the Wild Atlantic Words website.