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A Writer's Place
Here in Cork, over three days in July this year, Elizabeth Bowen, A Centenary Celebration, was presented by the Twentieth International Summer School in Irish Studies at UCC, under the direction of Dr. Eibhear Walshe and Dr. Damian Bracken. It brought together familiar and revised presentations on the work of this remarkable novelist. Academic interpretations and discussions were led by Professor Hermione Lee, Oxford, Professor Terence Browne, Trinity and Professor Heather Bryant Jordan, Harvard.
During the Sense of Cork festival, poet and playwright Robert O'Donoghue gave a presentation at Douglas Library on the life and work of Elizabeth Bowen, much of it stemming from his conversations with her when he worked as literary critic for the Cork Examiner. But is all this enough to celebrate the work of this very important and distinguished author? You may well ask.
Internationally acclaimed master of the short story, Frank O'Connor was born Michael O'Donovan in Cork's Douglas Street three years into this century. He died on the 10th March in Dublin, aged 62. This year, almost half a century later Cork Corporation has acknowledged this creative genius by renaming Mayfield Library in Cork The Frank O'Connor Library. Frank's youngest daughter Hallie Óg and her two children attended the official ceremony. The occasion was a remarkable one, heightened by a dramatic presentation of O'Connor's ingenious story 'First Confession' adapted by Joe Shanahan for the Munster Literature Centre's Schools Programme. It was superbly and authentically presented by Jim Daly, Principal and children from St. Aidan's School and Scoil Oilibhéir in Mayfield. The Lord Mayor, Cllr. Damian Wallace and Senator Maureen Quill rounded off the occasion with a well informed resumé of the life and work of Frank O'Connor.
Last year Frank O'Connor's widow, Harriet O'Donovan Sheehy initiated plans to establish a Frank O'Connor International Award for a collection of published short stories. At the Literature Centre we have also been working towards this objective. Then negotiations began between Cork Corporation and the Munster Literature Centre to establish a joint writer in residence position which would contribute in someway to help realize this ambition. The Arts Council agreed to co-fund the residency. Cork-born author and academic, Tadhg Ó Dúshláine, has been appointed writer-in-residence until June 2000.
Recently the Munster Literature Centre submitted a proposal to the Millenium Committee in Cork to initiate an annual Frank O'Connor Festival next September which will encourage a celebration and exploration of the life and work of this great writer.
Further details will appear in Southword 2000. |
