Acclaimed writers and literary lovers are heading to Doolin for a three-day festival this weekend.
Hotel Doolin will host the ninth annual Doolin Writers’ Weekend with a crowd of over 300 people from all over the world expected to attend. Immersive and educational activities such as workshops, seminars and readings are packed into festival which features both well-known and undiscovered writers from Ireland and further afield.
Editor of literary journal Gorse, Susan Tomaselli is responsible for curating the programme which is run by writers for writers.
General Manager of Hotel Doolin, Donal Minihan described the Doolin Writers’ Weekend as “one of the most-popular literary festivals in Ireland bringing hundreds of guests to Doolin each year while also providing a stage to emerging and acclaimed talent”.
“Events like our Writer’s Weekend are really important in positioning Hotel Doolin as a venue that offers first-class experiences alongside and first-class hospitality”. He added, “Doolin is an incredibly inspirational place from its scenery to its local produce to its inhabitants and our hotel acts as a one-stop hub for guests to see all of that come to life and perhaps take a bit of it for use in their writing”.
Weekend highlights include a reading with Rupert Thompson, the man known as David Bowie’s favourite writer, Booker nominated author Eoin McNamee will deliver a seminar, a performance from Vicky Langan plus a literary translation workshop by Jen Calleja.
The weekend will also announce the winners of the Writers’ Weekend Competition which offers three talents the opportunity to win €1000 each, as well as read their work at the festival, with accommodation and lavish hospitality provided. Author of short story collection ‘Room Little Darker’, June Caldwell, will judge the Short Story category, award-winning poet, Jess Traynor, will judge the poetry category while writer, performer and educator, Dave Lordan, will judge the Poetry Film category. Lisdoonvarna’s own Dermott Petty will close out the festival with his play ‘The Only Punk Rocker in the Village’.
Tickets for Hotel Doolin’s Writers’ Weekend 2020 are available to purchase now with a full weekend ticket priced at €99 per person. Individual workshops tickets are priced at €40 per person. To book, visit doolinfestivals.ie or hoteldoolin.ie.
