Ten Banned Books You Should Read

Join us for this year’s Ten Books where former Irish Censor, John Kelleher and self-declared ‘dirty-minded historian’ and host of the Censored podcast Dr Aoife Bhreatnach discuss their top picks from the world of banned books.

• WhenCathain: Saturday 08.10.22 | 10am
• WhereÁit: Riverbank Arts Centre, Newbridge Directions
• How to AttendConas Freastal ar: Book Online

Dennis O'Driscoll Literary Bursary Award

Regarded as one of the best European poets of his time, Dennis O'Driscoll was a poet, essayist, critic, editor and mentor who made Naas, Co Kildare his home until his death. The Dennis O'Driscoll Literary Bursary Award is open to both established and emerging writers and critics in all genres. The award for professional writers is to augment their professional practice, particularly research towards the production of new writings. The award for emerging writers supports their professional development/training opportunities.

We introduce this year’s awardees Niamh Boyce (Professional Writer) and Róisín Ní Neachtain (Emerging Writer) who will discuss what this award will mean to their practice and read their work. They will be joined by last year’s established awardee and well known kildare writer, Pauline Clooney.

This year’s awards were adjudicated by Writer-in-Residence with Maynooth University/Kildare Library and Arts Services, Oisín Fagan.

• WhenCathain: Saturday 08.10.22 | 5pm
• WhereÁit: Riverbank Arts Centre Directions
• How to AttendConas Freastal ar: Book Online

Sunday Sessions with Dermot Bolger

Kildare Readers Festival regular Dermot Bolger returns with Sunday Sessions for a conversation with our guests Billy Roche and Bernard Farrell about life as playwrights, seeing the work on stage and how plays appear and disappear. In this relaxed and intimate discussion, Dermot and guests will look at how past life experience has influenced their work.

• WhenCathain: Sunday 09.10.22 | 10:30am
• WhereÁit: Riverbank Arts Centre, Newbridge Directions
• How to AttendConas Freastal ar: Book Online

Introducing Writers-in-Residence, with Belinda McKeon, Fíona Scarlett and Catherine Talbot

Since 2015, Maynooth University Department of English and Kildare County Council Arts and Library Service have collaborated on an annual writers-in-residence programme, supporting writers in their practice and to bring their work to university and community audiences. The resident writers for 2022/23 are Fíona Scarlett and Catherine Talbot.

Recently appointed Associate Professor of Creative Writing/Co-Ordinator, MA in Creative Writing Belinda McKeon will moderate a conversation about writing, community and creativity, while sharing thoughts on the MA course, a new departure for the university.

• WhenCathain: Sunday 09.10.22 | 12:30pm
• WhereÁit: Riverbank Arts Centre, Newbridge Directions
• How to AttendConas Freastal ar: Book Online