Madeleine Keane
LITERARY DIARY
TIME to put away the buckets and spades and get out the books. As the kids are going back to school, why don’t you follow their example? Evening classes abound and for those interested in stepping into the fourth estate, the Irish Writers Centre will run an eight-week Journalism Masterclass Series, starting on September 19.
Incorporating a diverse range of topics from the art of the interview to the future of media, as well as how to take advantage of new emerging platforms, this course offers attendees a chance to engage with journos from different disciplines — Cathal MacCoille, Sue Leonard, Henry McDonald and yours truly. Go to irishwriterscentre.ie for more details.
The enduring appeal of writer Maeve Binchy will be recalled next month in an inaugural event, Echoes, which takes place in the village she called home — Dalkey.
Over September 29 and 30, a host of admirers will celebrate Binchy’s work in readings, debates and dramatisations. Among those participating are UCD’s Chair of Anglo-Irish Literature, Professor Margaret Kelleher, director Annabelle Comyn, actor Barry McGovern and writers Joseph O’Connor, Martina Devlin and Bernard Farrell. This mini-fest launches with Shay Linehan’s adaptation of Binchy’s Aches and Pains at Dalkey Castle and Heritage Centre. For tickets visit www.echoes.ie Inside Books is a new podcast about the magical world of writing, presented by Breda Brown, avid book lover and reviewer on these pages. Each episode features an interview with a well-known author to find out why they write, where they get their ideas from, their writing journey and what’s next on their agenda. The programme has already featured conversations with Morning Ireland presenter Rachael English, British actor Stephen McGann and crime novelist Catherine Ryan Howard. It also offers an update on books news and events taking place around the country. The next episode is out on Saturday and Breda will chat with children’s writer Sarah Webb. It can be found on the SoundCloud platform (www.soundcloud.com/InsideBooks) and on Twitter — the handle is @InsideBooksIRE