Voluntary committee confirms it will no longer work with Listowel Writers’ Week

 Former minister Jimmy Deenihan has rejoined the board of Writers' Week

Efforts to resolve a row overshadowing Listowel Writers’ Week have failed and the voluntary committee is disengaging completely from this year’s festival, they confiormed.

It is the veteran committee’s first statement in the row which erupted at Ireland’s oldest literary festival in September when the long-serving volunteers were dismissed on foot of a consultant’s report recommending restructuring, including the appointment of a professional curator.