Hillsborough Festival of Literature & Ideas 2019

26 - 28 APRIL 2019 WWW.JOHNHEWITTSOCIETY.ORG

WELCOME

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WELCOME

The John Hewitt Society is delighted to return to Hillsborough with the Hillsborough Festival of Literature & Ideas. It has been a pleasure to work in collaboration with several partners over the past year to establish links with local residents and community groups across the Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council area, including Historic Royal Palaces, The Institute of Conflict Research, and with Poetry Ireland on our Writers in Schools programme. On behalf of the Board & Committee I’d like to thank all of our supporters and everyone in the village who has been involved in making the 2019 festival possible.

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Welcome to the Hillsborough Festival of Literature & Ideas. This year we bring together emerging writers with established names from all across this island and beyond. There is poetry, there is prose, there is music, there are workshops, talks, and activities for all the family. Our hope is that you'll discover new ideas and new writers to inspire you to think, create and participate. In uncertain times, one thing is for sure: we need art and ideas more than ever.

Ian Sansom | Programme Curator

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Hilary Copeland, General Manager, The John Hewitt Society

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Visitors to the Hillsborough Festival of Literature and Ideas have much to look forward to this Spring. We wish The John Hewitt Society and all those involved the very best of luck with this year’s programme and look forward to what promises to be a tremendous arts and cultural event.

- Damian Smyth, Head of Literature at Arts Council of Northern Ireland WWW.JOHNHEWITTSOCIETY.ORG

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WELCOME FRIDAY

General Manager: Hilary Copeland Programme Curator: Ian Sansom Festival Co-ordinator: Rebecca Boyd Social Media consultant: Andrew Moore Festival Assistant: Mícheál McCann Chair: Tony Kennedy, OBE

The John Hewitt Society is a not-for-profit, charitable status, limited liability company registered at:

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Board & Committee: Ryan Cornett | C.L. Dallat | Aoife Fee | Anne-Marie Fyfe Stephen Gordon | Myrtle Hill | Bill Jeffrey | Naomi Lamont | Paul Maddern Tess Maginess | Paul McAvinchey | Martin Tyrrell

The MAC, 10 Exchange Street West, Belfast, BT1 2NJ Company No: NI 41294 NI Charity No: NIC102629

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PRINCIPAL SUPPORTERS:

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A project supported by the European Union’s PEACE IV Programme, managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB)

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WELCOME FRIDAY SATURDAY

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Sheena Wilkinson, described in The Irish Times as 'one of our foremost writers', writes contemporary and historical fiction for young people and adults.

- Friday 26th April -

Writing Fiction Workshop with

Sheena Wilkinson

She has won many awards including the CBI Book of the Year in 2013 for . Her most recent novel, , published to commemorate the centenary of female suffrage, was shortlisted for the Irish Book Awards and won the CBI Honour Award for Fiction. Her short stories have also won awards, and a short story was recently included in the acclaimed anthology

Time: 10.30am - 12.30pm Venue: Barry Gallery, St Malachy’s Parish Church Tickets: £10

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Book Launch

FRIDAY

The Little Book of Co Down

WELCOME

- Friday 26th April -

FRIDAY

FREE

 is a compendium of fascinating, obscure, strange and entertaining facts about this ancient county of Northern Ireland. Here you will find out about Co. Down’s history, its literary heritage, its churches and castles, its festivals and fairs, and its famous (and occasionally infamous) women and men. Author Doreen McBride has written many accounts of the history of Ireland and is fascinated by local history, folklore, and traditional stories. She has shared her stories in America, Canada and New Zealand, travelling the world as an international storyteller.

with Doreen McBride

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Time: 11am - 12pm Venue: The Market Room, Hillsborough Courthouse Tickets: Free Book in advance

‘New Chapters’ by

Women Aloud NI Time: 2pm - 3pm Venue: The Market Room, Hillsborough Courthouse Tickets: Free

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- Friday 26th April -

SUNDAY

FREE

As the soil warms and buds burst through, Spring also sees the writing of a new chapter in the Women Aloud NI history book, as we open our membership doors and new members step through.

Join us at this exciting event, bursting with new writing, to listen to a selection of readings on the theme of migration from emerging and experienced writers.

These ‘new chapters’ are guaranteed to be fresh and exciting!

Book in advance

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FRIDAY

WELCOME

In this talk Seรกn Hewitt will introduce the work and life of John Hewitt and explore the politics of landscape in Hewittโ s poetry. Seรกn is a research fellow in the School of English, Trinity College Dublin.

He was selected as one of the Aldeburgh Eight in 2015, won a Northern Writers' Award in 2016, and the Resurgence Prize in 2017. He is a book critic for The Irish Times.

His debut pamphlet is (Offord Road Books, 2019).

- Friday 26th April John Hewitt's Natural World

with Seรกn Hewitt

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Time: 3.30pm - 4.30pm Venue: Quaker Meeting House Tickets: ยฃ8

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Everyone is welcome at The Great Hillsborough Book Hunt. You don't have to be an avid reader to enjoy this fun, interactive treasure hunt. We've hidden books all around the village.

Follow the clues, solve the riddles and meet us back at The Owl and the Pussycat for answers and prizes at 6.30pm sharp.

Suitable for all ages.

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FREE - Friday 26th April The Great Hillsborough

Book Hunt

Time: 4pm - 6pm Venue: Starts from The Owl and The Pussycat Tickets: Free No booking required

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A Talk by Christopher Skaife

Time: 6.30pm – 7.30pm Venue: The Throne Room, Hillsborough Castle Tickets: £15/£13 concession

Supported by

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Time: 8pm – 9pm Venue: The Market Room, The Courthouse Tickets: £8

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Literary Lives with James Runcie

Meet James Runcie, the creator behind Sidney Chambers, Grantchester’s unconventional clergyman who can go where the police cannot.

He has also written Â? Â? , the captivating prequel to the Grantchester series. In 2014, ITV launched Grantchester, a prime-time series starring James Norton. The fourth series was broadcast earlier this year. James Runcie is an award-winning film-maker, Commissioning Editor for Arts at BBC Radio 4, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and the author of eleven novels which have been translated all over the world. He is formerly Artistic Director of the Bath Literature Festival and was Head of Literature at the Southbank Centre in London from 2013-2015.

He lives in Edinburgh.

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Please book online at: www.hrp.org.uk/hillsborough-castle

- Friday 26th April -

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The Ravenmaster:

WELCOME

- Friday 26th April -

For centuries the Tower of London has been home to a group of famous avian residents: the ravens. Each year they are seen by millions of visitors and have become as integral a part of the Tower as its ancient stones.

Yeoman Warder Christopher Skaife is the current Ravenmaster at the Tower of London and in his fascinating new book, he describes the ravens’ formidable intelligence, their idiosyncrasies, and their occasionally wicked sense of humour. Over the years in which he has cared for the physical and mental well-being of these remarkable birds, Christopher Skaife has come to know them like no one else. His book is an intimate behind-the-scenes account of life with the ravens of the Tower.

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WELCOME

FREE

FRIDAY

- Friday 26th April -

Poetry Ireland Introductions

Relax with some poetry best served chilled over refreshments in The Hillside, a charming, rustic pub which first opened its doors to patrons in 1752. Poetry Ireland Introductions is a programme which encourages excellence in the writing and performance of poetry in Ireland, by supporting emerging talented poets in the early stages of their careers.

Three of the 2019 poets, who have been selected by Martina Evans, will read their work.

Supported by

Time: 9.30pm - 10.30pm Venue: The Hillside Bar Tickets: Free

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Book in advance

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WELCOME

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FRIDAY SATURDAY “The day Tom declared war on vegetables was a day he would never forget...�

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Just like Tom, star of the beautifully illustrated book � �  , you too will encounter a crop of boisterous vegetable creatures as you explore the grounds of St Malachy’s Parish Church.

FREE

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There will be plenty of ‘thyme’ for craft activities from Seedhead Arts, writing - Saturday 27th April your way through ‘The Story Patch’ Mixed Veg with Myra Zepf and a short reading with Seedhead Arts & Myra Zepf from � �  author Sybil Allen at 11am.

Time: 10am - 12pm Venue: The Parish Hall, St Malachy’s This drop-in event is suitable for Parish Church children Tickets: Free aged 3 –10 years.

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WELCOME FRIDAY

- Saturday 27th April -

Writing for the Stage Workshop

Rosemary Jenkinson is an award-winning playwright and short story writer.

She was Artist-in-Residence at the Lyric Theatre in 2017 and received a Major Individual Artist Award from the Arts Council of Northern Ireland.

Her plays include ­ (winner of the 2006 Stewart Parker BBC Radio Award), , , € , ‚ , � � ƒ , „ and € … . She has published three collections of short stories, most recently �

(Doire Press, 2018).

Time: 10.30am –12.30pm Venue: Barry Gallery, St Malachy’s Parish Church Tickets: £10

Accompany Poet and Plantswoman, Jean Bleakney on a special morning walk through the beautiful gardens of Hillsborough Castle, pausing to admire and hear more about the plants and vistas whilst discovering how and why the garden remains a perennial inspiration for poets.

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with Rosemary Jenkinson

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Oh grant the muse with pausing step to press Each sun-bright avenue, and green recess

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- ‘The Temple of Nature’, Erasmus Darwin

- Saturday 27th April -

Poetry and Plants with Jean Bleakney Time: 10.30am –11.45am Venue: The Gardens of Hillsborough Castle Tickets: £10/ £8 concession

Supported by

Please book online at: www.hrp.org.uk/hillsborough-castle

(Ticket includes garden entry ticket) WWW.JOHNHEWITTSOCIETY.ORG

WELCOME FRIDAY

Despite the thorns of love and pain, the poems in Seån Hewitt’s debut pamphlet are unafraid to dive into the wilderness. Paul Maddern’s latest publication … … , is part auto-biography, part exploration of artistic practice, and part historical record, moving between the beaches of Donegal and Bermuda, and through the cities of London, Leeds, and New York.

SeĂĄn Hewitt is a fiction reviewer for the Irish Times and a Leverhulme Research Fellow at Trinity College, - Saturday 27th April Dublin.

Poetry Reading with Paul Maddern was born in Bermuda SeĂĄn Hewitt & Paul Maddern and lived in Canada, the USA, and Time: 10.30am - 11.30am England before moving to Co. Down in 2000. He is the proprietor of The Venue: Quaker Meeting House River Mill writers retreat in Co Down.

Tickets: ÂŁ8

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Darjeeling Express with Asma Khan

Time: 12pm – 1pm Venue: Downshire Hall, St Malachy’s Parish Church Tickets: £8

A project supported by the European Union’s PEACE IV Programme, managed by the Special EU Programmes Body

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- Saturday 27th April -

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Meet proprietor of acclaimed London restaurant Darjeeling Express Asma Khan, who has been making headlines: she hired an all-female kitchen team; she’s the founder of a charity for second daughters in India, who can require further support than other family members, and she is the first chef from Britain to appear on hit Netflix documentary show Chef's Table.

We’re delighted to have Asma with us to share stories and some delicious food with our audience!

(SEUPB). Supported and facilitated by the Institute for

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Conflict Research (ICR).

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WELCOME

Lifelong friends actress Sybil Allen and artist, illustrator and textile designer Anne Montgomery published their stunning children’s book, � �  with Whittrick Press in 2018.

Like the best produce, Â? Â? Â has taken its time to come into the world.

Sybil and Anne will discuss how the initial manuscript and drawings that germinated in the 1970s flowered into a picture book 40 years later.

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- Saturday 27th April -

Whittrick Press: In conversation

with Sybil Allen & Anne Montgomery

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Time: 12.30 pm -1.30 pm Venue: The Market Room Tickets: ÂŁ8

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- Saturday 27th April -

Literary Lunchtime with Will Eaves

Will Eaves’s novel � takes as its starting point the conviction and chemical castration of brilliant Enigma Code-breaking mathematician Alan Turing.

It’s an inventive imagining of the mind of a genius; a heart-breaking and thought-provoking dive into the human consciousness.

Will Eaves is the author of five novels and two collections of poetry.

He was the Arts Editor of the Times Literary Supplement from 1995 to 2011 and now teaches at the University of Warwick. Â? was shortlisted for the Goldsmiths Prize in 2018.

Time: 1pm – 2pm Venue: Quaker Meeting House Tickets: £8

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WELCOME

Publishing Panel

with Tramp Press, Penguin Ireland & No Alibis Press

FRIDAY

- Saturday 27th April -

Time: 2.30pm –3.30pm Venue: The Market Room Tickets: £10

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Wonder what a ‘slush pile’ is? What do literary agents really do?

This panel of publishing experts can tell you how a book makes its way into print, offer tips to get on the route to publication, and provide insights on how the book industry works.

Tramp Press was founded by Lisa Coen and Sarah Davis-Goff in 2014 with the aim of publishing exceptional work exceptionally well. Tramp's recent successes include Mike McCormack's and Emilie Pine's No. 1 Bestseller .

Brendan Barrington is an editorial director at Penguin Ireland, and editor and publisher of  � „ .

Emma Warnock attended Queen's University Belfast where she completed a PhD in contemporary fiction in 2006. She worked as a freelance editor before joining No Alibis Press as commissioning editor in 2018.

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WELCOME

Judy Crawford is a fully trained Blue Badge guide who has conducted walking tours around the entire village for over 20 years, and comes with a wealth of experience and knowledge.

This walk will last approximately one hour, leaving and returning to the Visitor Information Centre, taking in the Castle, churches and Fort.

Please note the tour may include steps and crossing busy roads.

Please wear appropriate footwear and clothing suitable for all weathers!

FRIDAY

- Saturday 27th April -

Heritage Walking Tour with Judy Crawford

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Time: 3pm – 4pm Venue: Meet at Visitor’s Information Centre Tickets: £8

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- Saturday 27th April -

Creating a Space

with Esther Mogada, James Gitari and Macy Stewart

Time: 4.30pm - 6pm Venue: Barn Gallery, 7 Main Street Tickets: £10

LOCAL TOUR

Today’s world can seem like a hard place to make it as an artist.

Hear first-hand how these creatives forged their own creative paths.

Creating a Space is a company run by Esther Mogada and James Gitari, based in Blick Studios, Belfast.

Creating a Space works in filmmaking, photography, music production, video production and events management, showcasing creatives through interviews and film. They recently worked with Womenfolk for The Time is Now panel.

Macy Stewart is a fashion & portrait photographer based in Holywood.

After leaving school she studied with Mastered: London, a 10-month accelerator course offering access to mentoring and personal insight from industry experts.

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Wendy Erskine & June Caldwell Time: 4.30pm - 5.30pm Venue: The Market Room Tickets: ÂŁ8

Time: 6pm - 7pm Venue: Quaker Meeting House Tickets: ÂŁ8

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with Janice Galloway

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Literary Lives

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- Saturday 27th April -

The River Mill Reading

Janice Galloway has authored award-winning novels, short stories and books of non-fiction, including , ƒ � † … , and her ‘anti-memoir’ � .

Her first novel, The Trick is to keep Breathing is now widely regarded as a Scottish contemporary classic and was republished in 2018 as a Vintage Classic. Her collaborative work includes a range of texts for typographers, visual artists, sculptors, musicians and videographers.

Her latest book, ‡ ­ , is a collection of short stories inspired part by David Lodge’s statement that: “Literature is mostly about having sex and not much about having children. Life is the other way round.�

She lives in Lanarkshire with her husband, best friend and other animals.

Supported by The River Mill

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Short Stories with

WELCOME

- Saturday 27th April -

Compellingly dark, with depictions of longing and loneliness laced with dry humour, coupled with caustic takes on the state of society, this is an afternoon of fearless fiction from two startlingly talented short story writers.

Perfect if you like your fiction on the far side of surreal. Â? Â , June Caldwell's acclaimed collection of short stories, was published by New Island Books in 2017 and Head of Zeus in 2018.

Her debut novel Â? is forthcoming from John Murray in 2020.

Wendy Erskine’s debut collection of short stories, ‚ , was published by The Stinging Fly Press in September 2018 and will be published

by Picador in 2019.

Chaired by Susan Tomaselli.

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WELCOME FRIDAY

- Saturday 27th April -

Wuthering Night: An Ode to Kate Bush with Alana Henderson and LARKS

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Time: 8pm – 9.30pm Venue: The Market Room Tickets: £10

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Kate Bush’s music and lyrics embrace silliness alongside seriousness, channelling literary allusions as diverse as Emily BrontÍ, Hans Christian Andersen and James Joyce, to pop-culture icons like Elvis and Houdini.

In this celebratory event, marking 40 years from the release of ˆ � , the debut album that introduced the remarkable ‘Wuthering Heights’ to the world, writers and musicians offer personal responses to the influences that pepper Bush’s music. A tribute to the extraordinary and revolutionary musical icon, by artists and fans alike.

Cellist and singer Alana Henderson weaves pop, folk and classical elements to craft a sound which is strikingly unique. A two-year stint moonlighting as Hozier’s touring cellist saw Alana travelling the world, with a homecoming bringing the release of a single ‘Let This Remain’ in 2017.

2019 sees Alana back with a new EP, her trademark cello bolstered with shimmering electronics and slide guitar.

LARKS is the new project from Fiona O’Kane. She draws influences from rhythmic Electronic based beats, infused with Indie & Alternative sensibilities, all the while keeping her sincere, heartfelt lyrics as strong as ever. In February 2019 LARKS released a cover of the Kate Bush classic ‘Running Up That Hill‘ in her second collaboration with Arvo Party.

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Participants are asked to please read the following short essay in advance of the workshop: ‘A Tremendous Fish’

by Mark Doty, available at:

SUNDAY

with Gail McConnell Time: 10.30am –12.30pm Venue: The Barn Gallery, 7 Main Street Tickets: £10

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Creaturely Poetry

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- Sunday 28th April -

Gail McConnell’s debut poetry pamphlet is (Green Bottle Press, 2018). Her second pamphlet, , explores the interaction between parenthood and queerness (Ink Sweat & Tears, forthcoming 2019).

Gail is a lecturer in English at Queen’s University Belfast.

She is the author of € (Palgrave, 2014) and articles on modern Irish poetry. Gail is working on a book which features ‘Type Face’, a long poem published in � � � concerning the experience of reading a Historical Enquiries Team Report.

WELCOME

SUNDAY

www.bit.ly/2US3Mwv

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WELCOME

Myra Zepf: Upcycling Irish Mythology:

rewriting old legends for new times

Time: 11am –12pm Venue: The Clore Learning Centre Tickets: /£8 concession

Supported by

Please book online at: www.hrp.org.uk/hillsborough-castle

(Ticket includes garden entry ticket)

A showcase of this group which meets locally to share their writing of short stories, poetry, drama, non-fiction and autobiographical work.

They come from all backgrounds and places and have been meeting for several years.

Some members have been published and have won national poetry awards.

Come along and share our words.

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SATURDAY

FRIDAY

- Sunday 28th April -

In this brunchtime lecture author Myra Zepf will explore the rich tradition of Irish mythology and its ever-changing narratives and forms, charting how they evolve and renew with each new era.

She will share her recent experiences and the challenges faced as she worked on a new rewriting of the story of ‘Midhir and Etaoin’ for an upcoming book, balancing the preservation of inherited tradition with the pressing need to re-stitch the ancient tale for contemporary gender-balance.

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FREE - Sunday 28th April -

Diversity:

Lisburn Writers Club Time: 1pm – 2.30pm Venue: Quaker Meeting House Tickets: Free

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- Sunday 28th April -

FRIDAY

Literary Lunchtime

with Darach Ó SÊaghdha Time: 1pm – 2pm Venue: The Market Room Tickets: £8

SATURDAY

'Motherfocloir' [focloir means 'dictionary' and is pronounced like a rather more vulgar English epithet] is a book based on the popular Twitter account @theirishfor. 'Motherfocloir' takes an irreverent, pun-friendly and contemporary approach to the Irish language. The author includes stories about his own relationship with Irish, and how it fits in with the most important events in his life. An event for all lovers of the quirks of language.

WELCOME

Darach Ă“ SĂŠaghdha is an Irish writer, podcaster and Irish language activist.

He is the author of Â? Â? Ăł

 … � , which won Ireland AM Popular Non-Fiction Book of the Year in the 2017 Irish Book Awards.

He runs the popular Irish-language-trivia Twitter account The Irish For.

How do you write for an image or a series of images?

Writing to the Image with Malachi O’Doherty

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Workshop:

SUNDAY

- Sunday 28th April -

Digital media now commonly combine images and text and it is important for writers and photographers to understand each other’s media, whether to provide captions or commentary for a series of pictures or to select pictures to illustrate or complement text.

In this workshop, Malachi O'Doherty will take you through the editing of image sequences in slideshows and work with you on how to write for the pictures in such a way that text and image work together.

Time: 1.30pm – 3pm Venue: The Barn Gallery, 7 Main Street Tickets: £10 WWW.JOHNHEWITTSOCIETY.ORG

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WELCOME

Judy Crawford is a fully trained Blue Badge guide who has guided around the entire village and inside the castle for a number of years, and comes with a wealth of experience and knowledge.

This walk will last approximately one hour, leaving and returning to the Visitor Information Centre taking in the Castle, Church and Fort.

Please note the tour may include steps and crossing busy roads.

Heritage Walking Tour

SUNDAY AT A GLANCE

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Please wear appropriate footwear and clothing suitable for all weathers!

with Judy Crawford Time: 3pm–4pm Venue: Meet at Visitors Information Centre Tickets: £8

SATURDAY

FRIDAY

- Sunday 28th April -

- Sunday 28th April -

Migration:

New to the Parish

LOCAL TOUR

New to the Parish: „ ‰ ƒ „ Š chronicles fourteen personal stories of people who have come to Ireland for work, education, retirement, love and in some cases, out of necessity, forced from their homes by death and destruction, given context by succinct analysis of how world events over the past decade have played a role in the migration crisis.

Author Sorcha Pollak is an Irish journalist based in Dublin working for The Irish Times with a specific focus on migration and immigrant communities in Ireland.

with Sorcha Pollak

Time: 3pm–4pm Venue: Quaker Meeting House Tickets: £8

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- Sunday 28th April -

The Lifeboat

Time: 4pm – 5pm Venue: The Market Room Tickets: £8

Time: 4pm – 5.30pm Venue: The Clore Learning Centre Tickets: £6/ £5 concession Please book online at: www.hrp.org.uk/hillsborough-castle

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New Writing on Hillsborough’s Past

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Be Our Guest:

SATURDAY

- Sunday 28th April -

This event launches a new collaborative publication produced by Hillsborough Castle and Gardens and The John Hewitt Society.

Five prominent Northern Ireland based writers have been commissioned to respond to five historical figures from Hillsborough’s past and have created new pieces of writing to animate the lives of these former residents.

The publication also includes additional contributions by participants from a range of community groups who took part in workshops with the writers.

The launch will include readings from each of the writers and a selection of readings by community participants.

The writers included are: Jan Carson, Emily DeDakis, Maeve O’Lynn, Ian Sansom and Myra Zepf.

FRIDAY

Afternoon with

WELCOME

The Lifeboat is a poetry reading series and small press based in Belfast, run

by Stephen Connolly and Manuela Moser. In 2018 they released three pamphlets, ‹ by Anna Loughran, € by Joe Lines and ‚  by Susannah Dickey. Susannah Dickey's poetry has appeared in ƒ , � , � „ , € � „ , , ‚ and the anthology € Œ (Verve Poetry Press, 2018). Joe Lines recently received a PhD in English from Queen's University Belfast, and his research interests include eighteenth-century literature of crime. Anna Loughran's poetry has appeared in The Tangerine and the 'Hour by Hour' edition of the Poetry Jukebox. She is currently working towards an MA in Poetry at Queen's University Belfast.

This project is supported by Heritage Lottery Fund and Community Relations Council. We would like to thank the Institute for Conflict Research for their support for this project.

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WELCOME

FREE

FRIDAY

- Sunday 28th April -

Happy Arrivals by

Housing 4 All

Time: 4.30pm – 5pm Venue: Quaker Meeting House Tickets: Free

Housing4All is a group of asylum seekers trying to ensure that the human right to housing is realised for destitute asylum seekers in Northern Ireland.

In the autumn of 2018, Housing4All designed their own human rights monitoring surveys to capture the experiences of asylum seekers in Belfast, monitoring the denial of their socio-economic rights. This short rehearsed reading that members of Housing4All will perform focuses on some of these issues in more detail, highlighting the difficult realities of the lives of people seeking asylum, safety, and sanctuary in Belfast.

SATURDAY

Book in advance

SUNDAY

is a Belfast-based magazine of new writing.

It covers culture and politics, and is published three times a year. includes features, reportage, commentary, fiction, poetry, illustration and photography.

AT A GLANCE

This showcase event includes a selection of readings from writers featured since the journal debuted in 2016.

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- Sunday 28th April -

Evening with

The Tangerine

Time: 5.30pm – 6.30pm Venue: The Market Room Tickets: £8

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- Sunday 28th April -

Poetry Reading

with Maria McManus, Viviana Fiorentino, Nandi Jola and Anesu Khanya Mtowa

Book in advance

Since the release of the hugely popular Home: with Jan Carson single ‘ ’ ten years ago, Anthony Toner has released a string of and Anthony Toner popular albums and played countless Time: 8pm – 9.30pm live performances, where his Venue: The Market Room storytelling and engaging patter have become as much a part of the show as Tickets: ÂŁ10 his music.

SUNDAY

Jan Carson and Anthony Toner offer a personal, playful and insight-filled duet right on the crossroads where music and words meet. Jan Carson is a writer and community arts facilitator based in Belfast. She curated the inaugural Hillsborough Festival of Literature & Ideas in 2018. She specializes in running arts projects and events with older people, especially those living with dementia. , her second novel, was published by Doubleday in April 2019.

SATURDAY

Time: 5.30pm – 6.30pm Venue: Quaker Meeting House Tickets: Free

FRIDAY

Sky You Are Too Big:

WELCOME

FREE

Poets Maria McManus, Viviana Fiorentino, Nandi Jola and Anesu Khanya Mtowa present a special poetry reading exploring translations, language, cultural diversity and difference, inclusion, and the themes of belonging, dispossession, feeling lost, migration and seeking asylum.

This reading was first staged in December 2018 to raise awareness of Larne House Visitors Group, a local volunteer group who visit detainees in the ‘Larne House’, here in Northern Ireland.

We will be raising money for two charities: Phone Credit for Refugees and Larne House Visitors Group.

- Sunday 28th April -

AT A GLANCE

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FRIDAY

The Market Room, Hillsborough Courthouse The Market Room, Hillsborough Courthouse Quaker Meeting House Starts from The Owl and the Pussycat The Throne Room, Hillsborough Castle The Market Room, Hillsborough Courthouse The Hillside Bar

Book Launch with Doreen McBride

‘New Chapters’ by Women Aloud NI

John Hewitt's Natural World with Seán Hewitt

The Great Hillsborough Book Hunt

The Ravenmaster: A Talk by Christopher Skaife

Literary Lives with James Runcie

Poetry Ireland Introductions

11am –12pm

2pm – 3pm

3:30 – 4:30pm

4pm – 6pm

6:30pm –7:30pm

8pm –9pm

9:30pm –10:30pm

Parish Hall Barry Gallery, St Malachy’s Parish Church The Gardens of Hillsborough Castle Quaker Meeting House Downshire Hall & Barry Gallery The Market Room Quaker Meeting House

Mixed Veg with Seedhead Arts & Myra Zepf

Writing for the stage with Rosemary Jenkinson

Poetry and Plants with Jean Bleakney

Poetry Reading with Seán Hewitt and Paul Maddern

Darjeeling Express with Asma Khan

Whittrick Press: In conversation

Literary Lunchtime with Will Eaves

10am–12pm

10:30am –12:30pm

10:30am –11:45am

10:30am –11:30am

12pm–1pm

12:30pm-1:30pm

1pm–2pm

SATURDAY 27 APRIL

Barry Gallery, St Malachy’s Parish Church

WELCOME

Fiction Writing Workshop with Sheena Wilkinson

FRIDAY 26 APRIL

AT A GLANCE

SUNDAY

10:30am –12:30pm

AT A GLANCE

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Meet at Visitor’s Information Centre The Barn Gallery The Market Room Quaker Meeting House The Market Room

Heritage Walking Tour with Judy Crawford

Creating a Space

Reading with Wendy Erskine and June Caldwell

Literary Lives with Janice Galloway

An Ode to Kate Bush: LARKS and Alana Henderson

3pm–4pm

4:30pm–6pm

4:30pm–5:30pm

6pm–7pm

8pm–9:30pm

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Quaker Meeting House The Market Room The Barn Gallery Meet at Visitors Information Centre Quaker Meeting House The Market Room The Clore Learning Centre Quaker Meeting House The Market Room Quaker Meeting House The Market Room

Diversity: Lisburn Writers Club

Literary Lunchtime with Darach Ó Séaghdha

Writing Workshop with Malachi O’Doherty

Heritage Walking Tour with Judy Crawford

Migration: New to the Parish with Sorcha Pollak

Afternoon with The Lifeboat

Be Our Guest: New Writing on Hillsborough’s Past

Happy Arrivals by Housing 4 All

Evening with The Tangerine

Sky You Are Too Big: Poetry Reading

Home: with Jan Carson and Anthony Toner

1pm –2:30pm

1pm –2pm

1:30pm –3pm

3pm–4pm

3pm–4pm

4pm–5pm

4pm –5:30pm

4:30pm–5pm

5:30pm–6:30pm

5:30pm–6:30pm

8pm–9:30pm

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The Clore Learning Centre

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Myra Zepf : Upcycling Irish Mythology

AT A GLANCE

11am –12pm

SUNDAY

The Barn Gallery

SATURDAY

Creaturely Poetry with Gail McConnell

FRIDAY

10:30am –12:30pm

SUNDAY 28 APRIL

The Market Room

Publishing Panel

2:30pm –3:30pm

WELCOME

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TODAYS SPECIAL

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WWW.JOHNHEWITTSOCIETY.ORG

Hillsborough Visitor Information Centre: Tel : 028 9244 7622

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26 - 28 april 2019

26 - 28 april 2019

and it is intended as a guide only

This map is an illustrated representation of the area

and it is intended as a guide only

This map is an illustrated representation of the area

Hillsborough forest lake

Hillsborough forest lake

SUPPORT THE JOHN HEWITT SOCIETY

1 2 3

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WWW.JOHNHEWITTSOCIETY.ORG

Writers in Schools Northern Ireland supports visits and residencies by writers and storytellers to primary and post-primary schools across the North.

WISNI is run by Poetry Ireland and made possible through the support of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland. The programme has been running in the North since 2010 and has given approximately 35,000 children and young people in over 200 schools the experience of meeting and working alongside a writer.

“

It was

funny and

amazing. It made me feel

laughter inside so I

”

had to laugh out loud. I learned

that poems come from the

heart.

“

I hope

everybody

gets to experience what I

experienced that day...

it made me feel

happy and it made me

”

believe in myself.

WWW.JOHNHEWITTSOCIETY.ORG

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HOW TO GET TO HILLSBOROUGH Hillsborough is located just off the A1 with easy access from the M1.

We would recommend accessing public transport to get to Hillsborough.

BUS: There are regular bus services (238 to Newry) from central Belfast to Hillsborough (approx. 25-30 mins). Buses leave from Belfast Europa Bus Centre.

Bus services available from Lisburn bus centre (38 to Banbridge).

Nearest bus stop: Hillsborough War Memorial.

TRAIN: Lisburn Train station is 5 miles from Hillsborough.

CAR: There is limited car parking in Hillsborough. There is a public car park in the village just off Main Street. Parking charges are currently ÂŁ1 for 5 hours.

Historic Royal Palaces are in the final stages of building a new car park for everyone visiting the Castle grounds. More up to date information is available online.

For queries and directions contact: Hillsborough Visitor Information Centre

The Courthouse, The Square, Hillsborough BT26 6AG T : 028 9268 9717

HILLSBOROUGH FESTIVAL OF LITERATURE AND IDEAS SUPPORTERS:

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WWW.JOHNHEWITTSOCIETY.ORG

HOW TO BOOK TICKETS Visit Belfast Welcome Centre

9 Donegall Square North, Belfast, BT1 5GB T : +44 (0)28 9024 6609 E : info@visitbelfast.com W : www.visitbelfast.com Opening hours: Mon-Sat: 9am -5.30pm Sun: 11am -4pm

Booking fee: There is a ÂŁ3 booking fee for transactions made over the phone or online. There is no booking fee for booking with Visit Belfast in person.

Online: Go to www.johnhewittsociety.org or www.visitbelfast.com Some events are free but we encourage you to register in advance to help us anticipate the number of attendees. Other events are free, drop-in, and no registration is required for these events.

For queries regarding the content of events, please email: hello@johnhewittsociety.org Please respect our festival artists and arrive at events in sufficient time: late comers may only be admitted at our discretion. If you are unable to attend an event you have registered for, please let us know as soon as possible by emailing hello@johnhewittsociety.org The John Hewitt Society reserves the right to change or amend all or any events. The John Hewitt Society reserves the right to refuse admission and not to admit late arrivals. Unfortunately, we are unable to make refunds or exchange tickets unless the event is cancelled or postponed.

ACCESS Our partnering venues aim to be as accessible as possible however some heritage venues have restricted access.

Should you or your group have any queries regarding special access requirements, please contact us in advance of the event at hello@johnhewittsociety.org One carer goes free for every paying disabled guest.

Assistance dogs welcome.

WWW.JOHNHEWITTSOCIETY.ORG

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@THE_JHS

@JOHN.HEWITT.3158

@THEJOHNHEWITTSOCIETY