Culture That Made Me: New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd

The Irish-American journalist and author is part of the panel discussions at the Galway International Arts Festival. Dracula and Jane Austen feature among her touchstone references 

 Maureen Dowd  is one of the contributors to the discussions strand at Galway International Arts Festival. (Photo by Emma McIntyre/Getty Images)

Maureen Dowd, 70, grew up in Washington, DC. Her father was born in Ballyvaughan, Co Clare. Her mother’s parents were from Co Mayo. In 1983, she joined the New York Times. In 1995, she began writing her famous op-ed columns. As a female in a predominately male domain, she has been a mould-breaker on “murderers’ row”, as columnists’ offices are known. She is a two-time Pulitzer Prize winner and author of several books, including Are Men Necessary? She will be in conversation as part of the Galway International Arts Festival, 7pm, 15 July, O’Donoghue Theatre, NUI Galway. See: www.giaf.ie.

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein