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The FRANCO-IRISH
LITERARY FESTIVAL is the result of successful
collaboration between the Alliance Française and the
Cultural Service of the French Embassy. It has been
supported to great effect by such Irish organisations as
the Arts Council, Foras na Gaeilge, Poetry Ireland, Irish Writers’ Centre, by
Irish and French sponsors such as Ireland Fund de France, CRH,
Brown Thomas, Servier
Laboratories, and by the Irish media.
Since its
inception in 2000, and with the support and
encouragement of the press, the festival has become a
significant date in the annual literary calendar of
Dublin.
The festival’s aim
is to widen and enhance the long-standing friendship
that exists between Ireland, France and other
French-speaking countries. It welcomes writers in both
the English and Irish languages, together with writers
of the wider francophone world. In doing so it provides
an opportunity to showcase a wide selection of Irish and
French writers for the Irish public.
The programme and
selection of authors is made by a Franco-Irish Committee
made up of significant figures from the worlds of
literature, publishing and academia.
Each year the
festival presents a central theme and writers from
different languages and cultures are given the
opportunity to exchange experiences and ideas around
this theme in an informal setting. Debates, interviews,
“cafés littéraires”, readings, book sales, signings,
exhibitions and screenings take place over the three days of the festival.
Among the renowned
authors invited since 2000, the festival has welcomed
such writers as JMG Le Clezio, Amin Maalouf, Azouz Begag,
Jean-Paul Kauffman, Sophie Fontanel and Frédéric
Beigbeder. Our Irish guests have included
Joseph O’Connor, Anne Enright, John Banville, Roddy
Doyle, Patrick McCabe, Sebastien Barry, Nuala Ní
Dhomhnaill, Marina Carr, Paul Lynch and the late Seamus Heaney.
The Franco-Irish Literary Festival offers a rare
opportunity to spend three days in an exciting and
stimulating literary environment.
All events open to
the public and free! |
