Colmcille Press authors to guest at Donegal Litfests

Autumn is becoming the season for literature in Donegal and we're delighted to say that our authors will be giving readings and lectures at the county's three keynote festivals over the next couple of months.

The Ulster-Scots writer and poet Alan Millar (bottom left), who is currently working on a new poetry collection Hinba - The Lost Isle of St Columba, will be reading at the Frances Brown Festival, taking place in the Twin Towns (Ballybofey & Stranorlar) from October 9-12.

The Letterkenny Cathedral Quarter Literary Festival, October 16-19 - now marking both its tenth year and the 250th anniversary of the birth of Jane Austen - will feature a writing masterclass from Pat McArt (top left), whose memoir War, Peace and the Derry Journal was one of the highlight's of last year's proceedings. It will also include a talk from True Colours novelist Jim Simpson (bottom right).

And Felicity McCall will be reading from her new short-story collection What We Did on Our Holidays at the Allingham Arts Festival, November 5-9 in the run-up to her book's official launch at Derry's Central Library on November 15.

More details, and schedules, for the three jam-packed literary are available here:

https://www.francesbrowneliteraryfestival.com/literary-festival

https://lkcqlitfest.weebly.com/

https://www.allinghamfestival.com/

Díospóireacht uachtaránachta á reáchtáil ag Cló Cholmcille

Tá Colmcille Press tar éis scríobh chuig na trí pháirtí is mó sa Deisceart agus chuig an neamhspleách Catherine Connolly, ag tabhairt cuireadh dóibh páirt a ghlacadh insan gcéad Toghchán Uachtaránachta an Tuaiscirt an mhí seo chugainn.

Tá an ócáid ​​sceidealaithe do Halla Naomh Colm Cille ar an 8 Deireadh Fómhair, agus tabharfar cuireadh freisin d’aon iarrthóir neamhspleách a ainmneofar ina dhiaidh sin roimh dhúnadh na tréimhse ar an 24 Meán Fómhair.

Cuirfidh painéal saineolaithe ón Iarthuaisceart - Mary Durkan, Amie Gallagher, an tOllamh Colin Harvey, Pat McArt, Catherine Pollock agus Terry Wright - ceisteanna ar na hiarrthóirí, agus beidh cathaoirleach Colmcille Press, Joe Martin, i gceannas ar an ócáid.

Roghnaíodh an painéal d’aon ghnó chun éagsúlacht phobal an iarthuaiscirt a léiriú, agus áirítear leis baill ó Dhoire agus ó Dhún na nGall araon, agus iad siúd nach mbeadh sé de nós acu tacú le hathaontú. Is é an aidhm plé leathan, oscailte agus dírithe ar an todhchaí a chinntiú.

Bíonn Halla Naomh Colm ar cheann de na hionaid díospóireachta is sine sa chathair, agus roimhe seo bhí ceannairí sufraigéidí ar nós Emmeline Pankhurst, ceannairí polaitiúla ar nós Éamon de Valera, ceannairí ceardchumann ar nós Eleanor Marx agus seaimpíní chearta sibhialta ar nós John Hume i láthair ann. Is breogán í, agus is fada í, le haghaidh plé agus athraithe.

Tagann an díospóireacht i ndiaidh foilsiú leabhar Paul Gosling 'A New Ireland: A Five Year Review' ag Colmcille Press i samhradh na bliana 2025, ina ndéantar scrúdú ar na hullmhúcháin do reifreann aontachta.

Tuilleadh eolais: Irish News, 14 Meán Fómhair 2025

McCall short story anthology to launch on November 15

Photograph by Stephen Latimer

What We Did on Our Holidays, the new short story anthology from writer-broadcaster Felicity McCall is to be launched at Derry's Central Library on November 15.

The collection - which the Royal Literary Fellow has described as 'part-memoir' - features themes such as intergenerational PTSD, alcoholism and parental dementia.

Early readers of the book have been very praising of McCall's new book. Irish Times Northern editor Freya McClements commends its 'Insightful reflections on living with the legacy of conflict...suffused with warmth, empathy and the joy of acceptance.'

Award-winning writer Bernie McGill states: 'The characters in Felicity McCall’s acutely observed stories walk the earth haunted by the ghosts of the past. Stark and unflinching,

empathic, humane, this collection is a celebration of "the vital pulse of existence", conveyed in a hand that has the lightest, the most sensitive of touches.'

McCall will be discussing her work at the Allingham Festival (November 7-8) and will also host launches at the Reading Round Group (November 17), and at Foyle U3A (November 18).

What We Did on Our Holidays will be available from bookshops from next month - and also from Colmcille Press - for £10.