Event Review: Literary festival tells the greatest story ever told

by Evelyn Cullen

Last weekend the seaside village of Rathmullan was the setting for a fantastic literary fleadh which hosted some of Ireland’s best writing talent.

Part of the Earagail Arts Festival, Journal’s Fleadh was like a festival within a festival and took place over two days in the beautiful and historic Rathmullan House, nestled among the rich green foliage of the surrounding woods, an idyllic setting for writers to let their imaginations go free.

As the name suggests the fleadh centred around the work of some of Ireland’s leading literary journals including The Stinging Fly and The Four Faced Liar as well as Holy Show and Donegal’s own journal The Pig’s Back who partnered to host the event.

Journal’s Fleadh kicked off with a panel discussion at 3pm on the Saturday on the theme of ‘Irish Writing Today’ which is in particular lively form these days it has to be said.

The panel was made up of a trio of acclaimed writers; Lisa McInerney, Aingeala Flannery and Tom Morris, with Dean Fee, editor of The Pig’s Back doing a great job of co-ordinating the discussion.

Attendees were treated to readings by each writer of their own work, one piece from their early work as well as a more recent piece.

A highlight was Aingeala Flannery reading a chapter from her autobiographical debut novel, ‘The Amusements’, which is out now.

She read an extract telling about her experience as a naive young woman working in a bar in New York called The Village Idiot, and how she learned the hard way about the sleazy turn the work took at the weekends when female staff were expected to work topless.

There was also a chance to ask questions and the panelists offered encouragement to emerging writers in the audience, including advice on the importance of finding a system and schedule of writing that works for you and giving yourself ‘permission to write’.

It’s not about ‘being precious’ and isolating yourself in a cabin in the woods or making a big deal about finding the time, as McInerney said.

Apparently, Donal Ryan who has published six novels and a short story compilation writes in his car with the kids climbing over each other.

In the evening, after a venue change to Mary Mac’s pub everyone gathered together for a kind of ‘open mic’ session called ‘The Greatest Story Ever Told’.

The challenge was to tell a personal story or sing a tune in under five minutes.

After a slow start as people took their time oiling their proverbial story-telling wheels with a pint or two, the craic got going and the stories flowed with the help of the sea-air, the sauce and a chorus of Óro Sé do Bheatha ‘Bhaile’.

What better way to while way your Saturday night than by telling stories in the cosy pub of a rural village in Donegal?

For those not nursing a hangover after the night of revelry, there was a poetry workshop at 1.30pm on Sunday with Jessica Traynor, author of three critically acclaimed books of poetry.

Using a number of poems as prompts, participants were given practical techniques for how to lift their work off the page and into strange new environments.

Attendees were also invited to share their work in the comfortable and supportive group setting.

Last but not least of the Journals Fleadh events was a seminar in the afternoon on writing prose with Patrick Holloway, a poem and short story writer who could boast a list as long as your arm of prizes and publications, if it weren’t for his humble and gentle manner.

He is also one of the editors of the journal The Four Faced Liar.

Holloway gave eight useful tips to attendees on how to write engaging opening paragraphs including make your reader curious, create tension, make a bold statement and set your timing.

And that’s all just in your introduction. Participants than paired up to read and discuss short extracts from stories that have been published in various journals, assessing what they felt worked well and what didn’t.

Debate and disagreements ensued, since writing like all art of course is subjective after all, which indeed is all part of the fun.

Overall it was a really interesting and enjoyable couple of days, so says one Donegal News journalist.

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