Irish Authors at KC Literary Festival
One of the most interesting things in the Irish world of Kansas City takes place this coming weekend May 17 through May 20, 2007 - with the main festival event on Saturday, May 19 from 10am - 6pm
The Kansas City Literary Festival is not a book fair; it’s a community event that celebrates reading, writing, and books themselves. A FREE event, it’s for people of all ages.
There are quite a number of authors of particular interest to the Irish community. Back in March I told you about Malachy McCourt’s appearance. Well, since then more exciting announcements have been made.
Irish author Larry Kirwan is doing something with Malachy McCourt from 2:30-3:30 pm in O’Dowd’s Little Dublin Irish Pub on the Plaza. Nobody seems to know exactly what it is they’re doing, including the lads themselves, but everybody wants to see it.
Malachy will also be on the main stage in the festival, introduced by Kirwan. Larry some of you will know as the singer and main creative force in a certain Irish band, but we’ve mentioned Larry as a writer before. And before
The reading by Celtic singer and songwriter Connie Dover from her debut book of poetry, Winter Count, on Friday, May 18 at the Plaza Branch of the Kansas City Public Library kicks off the KC Literary Festival.
On the main day, the Saturday, Tom Shawver of Bloomsday Books, has lined up several local authors to participate in the festival in what’s termed a “local duds, suds and Paddies” presentation in a Bloomsday Book tent. It includes:
• Terence O’Malley - Nelly Don: A Stitch in Time
• Pat O’Neill - From the Bottom Up, The Story of the Irish in Kansas City
• Bob Sullivan Jr. - Hometown Beer and Camp Coffee
• Tom’s son, Brian Shawver - Aftermath and The Cuban Prospect
Professor Joan Dean is a prominent expert of Irish literature and film who has been a visiting professor at University College Galway on numerous occasions. She has an excellent book out on the Irish film Dancing at Lughnasa (Ireland into Film), and I have enjoyed discussing Father Ted with her.
For more information please visit www.kansascitylitfest.org
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