Lit Review | 115 | Bord Gáis Irish Book Awards
News
Bord Gáis Irish Book Awards
From a small base of three categories in 2007, the Bord Gáis Energy Irish Book Awards have grown over the years to include fifteen categories spanning many literary genres. Every year readers have the opportunity to vote for the winners, full shortlists for the Bord Gáis Irish Book Awards will be announced on 2nd November. Be sure to have your say.
Listowel Writers Week Irish Poem of the Year 2017
Sticking with the Bord Gáis Book Awards, the Shortlist has been announced the for the Listowel Writers Week Irish Poem of the Year 2017 / Bord Gáis Energy Irish Book Awards Irish Poem of the Year 2017.
The four shortlisted poems and poets are:
Points by Amanda Bell
Ledgwidge in Manchester by John McAuliffe
Bride & Moth by Tara Bergin
Seven Sugar Cubes by Clodagh Beresford Dunne
Richard Skinner, Director of the Fiction Programme at the Faber Academy, had the task of choosing the shortlist. He stated: ‘The poems submitted for the Irish Poem of the Year Award were of a very high standard and thematically incredibly various. Some themes did emerge, however: lots of poems about Irish history, lots about friends or prominent figures who have passed and, weirdly, lots of poems about horses. As ever, it was a pleasure and a privilege to judge this year’s competition.’
The shortlisted poems are now available for reading (spot the horses), don’t forget to cast your vote for this and other award categories before midnight on the 11th November.
Events
November is National Novel Writing Month
National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) kicks off on the 1st of November. If you think you have what it takes to knock a 50,000-word novel in the month of November, head over to their website to sign up. Alternatively if you’re looking for something a bit more chilled you could just grow a mo for Movember or binge watch Stranger Things on Netflix. All good options for the month of November.
Dublin Book Festival
Don’t forget Dublin Book Festival is continuing this week (as if you would forget). If you’re free on Friday be sure to check out The Art of the Short Story in The National Library with Christine Dwyer Hickey, Sean O’Reilly, Martin Malone and Paula Shields.
Takin the Mic
As part of Dublin Book festival, a special edition of the monthly spoken word open-mic night Takin the Mic will take place in Smock Alley on Friday the 3rd of November at 7pm. Hosted by Purely Poetry’s Colin Dardis and Geraldine O’Kane, the evening will feature guest performances from Rob Doyle and Tory Campbell as well as the usual open-mic for writers, spoken-word artists, comedians and musicians. All are welcome to perform. Performers should sign up on Eventbrite.
Submissions
Storyland
RTÉ and Northern Ireland Screen are seeking submissions from writers and producers to develop new original online dramas for the next season of their Storyland series. Executive Producer for RTÉ Television David Crean said: “The new series of Storyland will explore dramas focused around a theme of ‘rage’. Four Open Days will be held across the country in November to share more details on Storyland:
Belfast 6th November (Please register by emailing [email protected])
Galway 8th November (Please register by emailing [email protected])
Dublin, 9th of November (Please register by emailing [email protected])
Cork 10th of November (Please register by emailing [email protected])
The closing date for submissions is 15th of December 2017. Get channelling your rage!
