CARNAUN NATIONAL SCHOOL
Athenry Books for
Manchester Festival '99
Local writers go International for
St. Patrick's day
BY TONY GALVIN
(Tuam Herald)
FOUR Co. Galway authors will be taking part in a showcase event,
which highlights all the best in Irish culture, this weekend. Their works
will be on display at the Manchester Irish Festival and it is hoped it
will provide an opportunity to open up new markets for their work.
The festival has been a feature of life
in the city for the past four years and is sponsored by Guinness and a
host of Irish organisations with the aim of bringing all that is best in
Irish life together in one venue around St. Patrick's weekend.
Among the areas covered are craft work,
art, music, folklore and literature which is where the four Galway authors
come in. Books being presented for the first time are: A
Time and a Place for Mirth and Mischief
by John Corbett; The Shimmering Waste
by William Henry; The Centenary of Carnaun School by Finbarr
O'Regan and Tiaquin National School
& District History and Heritage by Kevin Devalley.
John Corbett who is having tremendous
success with his book will be in Manchester for the celebrations. He has
been invited to give a lecture on folklore and literature in the Central
Library, Crown Square on Friday.
Members of the Galway Association and other Galway organisations
will attend the talk.
Kevin Devally, Colemanstown, has written an
excellent book on Tiaquin and the surrounding district and he is confident
of a very positive response from emigrants from this part of the country
in Manchester.
The same is true for Finbarr O'Regan
who has reduced a Comprehensive history of Carnaun. Finbarr
will also be presenting advance publicity on his new book on the Lambert
family which is to be published later this year. The
book is eagerly awaited by those with an interest in history and is expected
to sell very well.
William Henry, a Galwegian and member
of the Galway Archaeological Society, has written a fine piece on Robert
O'Hara Burke. O'Hara Burke was a Galway man and led the first
expedition to cross Australia South to North.
But the festival is not just about books and literature.
There will be Irish music and dancing at various venues throughout the
city and local man John Joe Deely's tape, which has been doing very well
since its Ballyfa launch, will be available.
Paddy Hurney from Aughrim has produced
three marvellous videos which depict life in rural Ireland and they will
also be available at the festival.
"It is wonderful to see so writers and artists getting together
in order to promote heir work and businessmen and cultural groups should
take note. The Manchester authoriies are to
be commanded for their vision and generosity in organising such a mammoth
undertaking.
"We in Ireland, on behalf of ourselves
and our friends overseas say well done Manchester! long may your festival
continue to open windows of opportunity for trade and communications between
Britain and its westernmost neighbour," said Kevin Devally.
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