Literary festival kicks off

TOP writers JP Donleavy, Hugo Hamilton and David Mitchell will be in Bantry this week for the West Cork Literary Festival, which begins today.

One of the highlights will be the launch of the 10th anniversary Fish Anthology of Short Stories by Durrus-based Fish Publishing. This takes place in the Rose Room of Bantry House on Wednesday.

The winner, Freda Churches, will be travelling from Scotland to receive her award and read her story, along with other winners.

Innovations are a songwriting workshop with singer/songwriter John Spillane and a speechwriting workshop with Sean Lusk, who teaches the art to government officials, politicians and business people.

This year the short story workshop will be given by Mary Morrissey while Kate O’Riordan, a native of Bantry, will give the workshop on the novel. Award winner Mick Delap will give the poetry workshop, while Eoghan Harris will give the seminar on screenwriting.