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Irish Independent
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
Ireland's oldest literary festival adds another memorable chapter to its illustrious story
Listowel town was buzzing with the energy and excitement of another hugely successful festival as people from near and far enjoyed what is a unique celebration. This year's programme proved so popular that several events reached capacity well in advance – two of which had to be moved to larger venues due to unprecedented demand. These included the Frank Hayes Memorial Event, proudly sponsored by Kerry Group, and a powerful event called Memory and Forgetting with Fergal Keane and guests. Another standout moment came from nature writer Seán Ronayne, whose event Nature Boy captivated a full house, underscoring the appetite for stories rooted in our natural world. St John's Theatre also confirmed full houses for Sharon's Grave, The Beauty Queen of Leenane, and events featuring Jimmy Murphy and Eoghan Harris. A number of events had to be moved to larger venues due to soaring ticket demand. "Listowel was absolutely alive over the weekend. You could feel the sense of pride from the community as visitors filled the town for events, conversations, and connections,' said said Chairman Ned O'Sullivan. 'The support from Minister Patrick O'Donovan was a huge boost to the festival, and we're incredibly grateful for his recognition of the value Listowel Writers' Week brings, not just to Listowel but to the national cultural calendar. I would like to thank Kerry Writers' Museum and St John's Theatre for their collaboration for the Listowel Literary Festival this year,' Ned added. Listowel Writers' Week is nothing without the brilliant volunteers involved. Together, they imbue the energy, commitment, and generosity that makes the festival a success year after year. Festival Curator Márie Logue reflected on the remarkable public response saying she was 'absolutely thrilled' with the audiences this year. 'So many of our events were completely booked out, including the Frank Hayes Memorial Event, Brendan Begley's launch, and the Library's double launch on Friday which drew over 800 people,' she said, 'The crowd spilled out onto the street; library staff said they had never seen anything like it in their lives. Other sell-out events included Paul Durcan, Andy Irvine, and Francesca Simon,' Márie added.
Irish Examiner
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
Niall Williams wins €20k Irish Novel of the Year award
Author Niall Williams has been named as the winner of the 2025 Kerry Group Irish Novel of the Year Award for his novel Time of the Child. Williams was announced the winner at the opening night of the Listowel Literary Festival, a celebration of literature which features events with acclaimed writers, panels, workshops, and performances across Listowel until June 1. Now in its 31st year, the award remains one of the most esteemed literary honours in the country, celebrating outstanding Irish fiction. The award, sponsored by Kerry Group, has a prize fund of €22,000, with €20,000 for the winner and €500 for each shortlisted author. This year's adjudicators, acclaimed authors Carol Drinkwater and Paul McVeigh, reviewed over 50 submitted novels before selecting the winner from a powerful shortlist that included Christine Dwyer Hickey, Joseph O'Connor, Colm Tóibín, and Donal Ryan. Niall Williams, winner of the 2025 Kerry Group Irish Novel of the Year Award for his novel Time of the Child, pictured with the winner is Ned O'Sullivan Writers Week. Picture: Domnick Walsh © Eye Focus LTD. McVeigh said that judging the prize this year was no small task and complimented the quality of the entries, which he said 'a testament to an extraordinary time in Irish literature'. 'Any of the shortlisted books could have won but, in the end, Time of the Child by Niall Williams rose to the top,' he said. 'I don't remember the last time I read a book that made me stop, so frequently, unable to continue until I had savoured a sentence. He is an extraordinary writer and a worthy winner of the Irish Novel of the Year.' Drinkwater described Williams's writing as exciting and exquisite and touched on how he brings his characters to life on the page. 'Reading his sentences was like sitting in a magnificent cathedral and listening to a great soprano singing, notes reaching to the rafters and returning to me, to nestle in my heart. It is a novel full of compassion,' she said. "The characters are so vulnerable, they tear you apart. It has been several weeks since we chose Niall's novel as our winner. "Still, I sit at my desk and picture myself in that doctor's surgery. I hear the child crying; I can smell the newly washed nappies; I long for these people, that father and daughter, to be given the miracle they so crave. 'This is the third time I've judged this prize and each time I'm reminded of the richness of Irish fiction today. Ireland truly is a treasure chest of brilliant modern novelists.' Chief corporate affairs officer at Kerry Group Catherine Keogh praised the continued partnership with Listowel Writers' Week. 'Every year, the calibre of writing reminds us why Ireland continues to lead on the global literary stage,' she said. 'We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Niall Williams on this well-deserved recognition,' she said.
Irish Independent
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
Kerry Group Novel of the Year winner announced at Listowel Writers' Week
The Dublin born writer was announced the winner at the opening night of the festival at the Listowel Arms Hotel. Williams' book is set in 1960s Ireland and explores traumatic themes of childhood and Church and State. Now in its 31st year, the award remains one of the most esteemed literary honours in Ireland that celebrates outstanding Irish fiction with a prize fund of €22,000 – €20,000 of which is awarded to the winner with €500 for each shortlisted author. The prize is sponsored by Kerry Group, whose long-standing partnership continues to elevate and honour Irish literary excellence at what is Ireland's oldest literary and arts festival. This year's adjudicators were acclaimed authors Carol Drinkwater and Paul McVeigh who reviewed over 50 submitted novels before selecting the winner from a powerful shortlist that included Christine Dwyer Hickey, Joseph O'Connor, Colm Tóibín, and Donal Ryan. Ms Drinkwater called Niall's writing 'exciting' and 'exquisite' and that reading his sentences is like sitting in a magnificent cathedral and listening to a great soprano singing. 'It's like notes reaching to the rafters and returning to me, to nestle in my heart. It is a novel full of compassion. The characters are so vulnerable, they tear you apart,' she said. 'It has been several weeks since we chose Niall's novel as our winner. Still, I sit at my desk and picture myself in that doctor's surgery. I hear the child crying; I can smell the newly washed nappies; I long for these people, that father and daughter, to be given the miracle they so crave… This is the third time I've judged this prize and each time I'm reminded of the richness of Irish fiction today. Ireland truly is a treasure chest of brilliant modern novelists' Ms Drinkwater added. Mr McVeigh said that judging this year's prize was no small task due to the quality of entries which is testament to an extraordinary time in Irish literature. 'Any of the shortlisted books could have won but, in the end, Time of the Child by Niall Williams rose to the top. I don't remember the last time I read a book that made me stop, so frequently, unable to continue until I had savoured a sentence. He is an extraordinary writer and a worthy winner of the Irish Novel of the Year,' he said. Catherine Keogh, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer at Kerry Group, praised the continued partnership with Listowel Writers' Week and said every year the calibre of writing reminds us why Ireland continues to lead on the global literary stage. ADVERTISEMENT 'We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Niall Williams on this well-deserved recognition,' Ms Keogh said. The prize night at Listowel Writers' Week and literary festival is an exciting occasion as it marks the official start of a major celebration of literature that runs until 1st June. The super weekend features events with acclaimed writers, panels, workshops, and performances across Listowel. For more information and updates, visit Time of the Child (2024) is published by Bloomsbury Publishing.
Irish Times
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
Niall Williams's Time of the Child wins Kerry Group Irish Novel of the Year Award
Niall Williams has won the 2025 Kerry Group Irish Novel of the Year Award, worth €20,000, for Time of the Child at a ceremony on the opening night of the Listowel Literary Festival in Co Kerry. This year's adjudicators, authors Carol Drinkwater and Paul McVeigh, reviewed more than 50 submitted novels before selecting the winner from a powerful shortlist that included Christine Dwyer Hickey, Joseph O'Connor, Colm Tóibín and Donal Ryan. 'Judging the prize this year was no small task,' McVeigh said. 'The quality of the entries was superb, a testament to an extraordinary time in Irish literature. Any of the shortlisted books could have won but, in the end, Time of the Child by Niall Williams rose to the top. I don't remember the last time I read a book that made me stop, so frequently, unable to continue until I had savoured a sentence. He is an extraordinary writer and a worthy winner of the Irish Novel of the Year.' Drinkwater said: 'Niall's writing is so exciting. It is exquisite. Reading his sentences was like sitting in a magnificent cathedral and listening to a great soprano singing, notes reaching to the rafters and returning to me, to nestle in my heart. It is a novel full of compassion. The characters are so vulnerable, they tear you apart. It has been several weeks since we chose Niall's novel as our winner. Still, I sit at my desk and picture myself in that doctor's surgery. I hear the child crying; I can smell the newly washed nappies; I long for these people, that father and daughter, to be given the miracle they so crave.' READ MORE Reviewing it for The Irish Times, Sarah Gilmartin praised the lushness and lyricism of the language and called it 'a warm and life-affirming story about ordinary people going to extraordinary lengths. 'Set during the advent season of 1962 in the fictional village of Faha on the west coast of Ireland, the grimly familiar scenario of an abandoned baby becomes fresh again through the heroic acts of a local doctor and his eldest daughter, as depicted by a writer who has long been interested in the wonders of the everyday.' Time of the Child is the 11th novel of the Dublin-born writer, who turns 67 next month, and his third set in the fictional village of Faha, west Clare. He has long lived in Kiltumper, Co Clare, with his wife Christine Breen. His 1997 debut novel, Four Letters of Love, has been made into a film starring Pierce Brosnan, Gabriel Byrne and Helena Bonham Carter. It will be released in July. 'I am the great unknown novelist,' Williams told interviewer Roisin Ingle last October , laughing. 'Even after being longlisted for the Booker ,' his wife added, talking about Williams's first book set in Faha, History of the Rain, which was published in 2014. 'It took me a long time to have the confidence to write [about rural Clare] in fiction, after living it for years. Because Ireland has moved on and the intelligentsia in Ireland has really moved on. So, writing these stories, you were going to be viewed as sentimental, nostalgic ... or people would think it's not real.' Whether real or not, it has certainly paid off.
Agriland
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Agriland
Watch: Gardens showcase agri food sector at Bloom festival
Featured gardens from across the agri food sector are being showcased at the Bloom festival in the Phoenix Park, Dublin, this week (May 2025). The festival, which is sponsored by Bord Bia, is running from Thursday, (May 29) until Monday, (June 2). It is being held on an 70ac site surrounding the visitor centre in the park. Speaking at the launch of the festival today (Wednesday, May 28), Bord Bia's meat, food and beverages, John Murray told Agriland about the importance of the horticulture sector to the Irish market. He said: 'Bord Bia have been involved with bloom since the very beginning. Way back at the start, it was all about trying to promote the horticulture industry, and create an opportunity for consumers to engage with horticulture. 'Our remit takes horticulture into play. The industry is orientated towards the domestic market. It's one of those unsung heroes in terms of what it delivers for the Irish market,' Murray explained. The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) sponsored a garden at the festival called 'Nature's Symphony: Celebrating Organic Growth'. The garden seeks to highlight the commitment that Ireland has made to advancing the country's agriculture sector. One of the designers of the garden, Oliver Schurmann said: 'We should be growing more things organically and embracing nature more than just trying to work against nature. 'We've chosen to only use plants like potatoes, broad beans, barley and oats. Other parts of the garden, it's like an amphitheatre. We have a stage to celebrate nature, to embrace nature, and as a link to the Arás. ' 'Growing organically is all about improving the soil. If we have healthy good soil we're holding back nutrition and water, the perfect conditions to grow healthy, tasty produce,' Schurmann explained. Another garden that showcased Ireland's biodiversity, is the 'Into the Forest' garden, designed by Sarah Cotterill. The garden, which is sponsored by Westland, is inspired by the wet woodlands in the west of Ireland. Cotterill explained that the garden is filled with a combination of native and non-native woodland. 'We have a lush tree canopy with lots of birches, some oak samplings popping up, and some twisted hazels that give it a weathered wild feel,' Cotterill explained. 'During the build we've had birds, butterflies, bees, ladybirds, a squirrel, lots going on in the garden,' she added. Bloom festival Other gardens at the festival highlighted the importance of Ireland's dairy sector. For the first time, the Kerry Group has a garden in the festival. The 'Nature Wrapped in Gold' garden aims to celebrate Kerry Group's routes, and its connection to the farming community. Ornua's Lynn Andrews explained that the group has admired the Bloom festival for a number of years. She told Agriland: 'All of our dairy is grass-fed. That gives it that unique taste and extra creamy texture. It celebrates biodiversity. 'Our garden has the habitat tower, that is designed to let birds nest at different heights. So it can become a welcome home for every little creature, from small robins, to sparrows, to moths and bats as well.' The National Dairy Council also sponsored a garden, called 'The Grass Advantage', which was designed by Robert Moore. At the centre of the garden is a large milk churn sculpture, which symbolises the cultural importance of Irish dairy production. Moore said: 'It's about dairy farming and the sustainable practices within dairy farming, and also shows the beauty of the product. 'The milk is born of the land, and we have such an advantage in terms of the land quality for dairy farming,' he added.
