Writers announced for Longford's latest arts gathering : Granard Booktown

Preparations are well advanced for Longford's newest artistic gathering, the Granard Booktown Festival. Inspired by the global booktown movement, most notably Wigtown in Scotland, the north Longford town will become Ireland's newest Booktown.
Since launching last September, by author and Irish Times columnist Michael Harding, the organisers have been assembling a programme of great depth: “We have been really busy over the last number of months securing writers, venues and all sorts of activities to build the Granard Booktown Festival,” organiser John Connell told the Leader.

Booktown has attracted significant literary figures from Ireland and abroad as patrons, notably Man Booker prize winner Richard Flanagan, Emmy nominated journalist and Longford native Shaunagh Connaire, former Longford County librarian Mary Carlton Reynolds and RTE radio host and founder of Ireland's largest book club Rick O Shea.

John says there is a lot to look forward to: “We are delighted to say that we've already started announcing writers who will be appearing at the festival including international climate change expert Professor Tim Flannery from Australia. Tim will be one of our headline writers and be in conversation with RTE's Ear to the Ground presenter Ella McSweeney.

“Other writers coming to the festival include BBC presenter and writer Emma Dabiri and writers with strong local connections like Manchan Magan, the author of the bestseller 32 words for field and Longford's own Seán O Súilleabháin.” John said.
Professor Tim Flannery is a world-renowned climate scientist and writer. He has written 32 books, including The Future Eaters and The Weather Makers. They have been translated into over 20 languages.

Irish-Nigerian academic, broadcaster and bestselling author Emma Dabiri is the author of two highly acclaimed books and has fronted numerous documentaries. Her TV work includes Hair Power (2020) for Channel 4, which won the Cannes Lion Silver award for entertainment. She co-presents Britain’s Lost Masterpieces on BBC 4. Dabiri is currently working on another book and writing a one-woman play called Throwing Shapes.

There is high profile support for the project. Best-selling author John Connell, Viv Huynh, Cllr Remu Adejinmi, Belinda McKeon and Council Cathaoirleach Turlough McGovern are all board members.

“We hope to attract good crowds and get everyone talking about books that weekend,” John said, “All roads will be leading to Granard on April 21 to 23. People can stay tuned to our social media channels and media to hear more announcements about writers coming to Granard for the inaugural Granard Booktown Festival.”

The Professor Tim Flannery event takes place on April 22 at 7 pm in Granard Library, while the Emma Dabiri event takes place on April 23 at 3:30 pm again in Granard Library. Tickets for both discussions go on sale from March 28 via the Booktown website and box office in Granard.

For more information visit the website www.granardbooktownfestival.ie or follow on social media.