MACW graduate Adrian Wistreich (class of 2014/15), above left, is one of the  driving forces behind Words By Water, Kinsale’s new literary festival which runs October 5 – 8. There’s a strong UCC presence in the inaugural run of the festival with Associate Director of Creative Writing Mary Morrissy reading with Alannah Hopkin, on Friday, October 6 (4pm, The Methodist Church) and newly appointed lecturer in creative writing, poet Leanne O’Sullivan on stage with Theo Dorgan on Sunday, October 8 (2.30pm,The Blue Haven).

PhD candidate, poet and fiction writer Niamh Prior, above right,  has been busy running a community writing project in five primary schools in Kinsale in association with the festival. She has been working with 5th and 6th class pupils, as well as transition year students, over the past weeks as part of the festival’s community brief.  “It’s important to me that the local community be involved in a literary festival held in the town – especially the next generation of writers, for whom reading and writing is cool, thanks to the work of J.K. Rowling, David Walliams and Michael Murpurgo, to mention a few of their favourite writers,”  Niamh says.

Niamh will also be offering workshops during the festival along with Leanne O’Sullivan and another MACW alumna, fiction writer Madeleine D’Arcy (2013/14).

Some of the young participants in Niamh’s school workshops will have the opportunity to read their work at the festival, joining a host of well-known names including Dermot Bolger, Paul Howard (Ross o’Carroll Kelly) , Billy O’Callaghan, Rita Anne Higgins, Matthew Geden, Sara Baume, Mia Gallagher, Eileen Battersby and Carol Drinkwater. 

For full information go to : https://www.wordsbywater.ie/