Something for ALL at Waterford Writer's Weekend!

Waterford Writer's Weekend is for all ages!  Picture: Patrick Browne

Even though I live in county Kilkenny, and we are- ahem- the festival capital of Ireland, I must say Waterford is brilliant for festivals too!

March brings us another Waterford festival; and you don't actually need to be a writer- just a reader or listener- to enjoy it!

The Waterford Writer's Weekend
runs from 21-24 March 2013, and
there will be readings, debates, discussions, workshops, & more- for all ages. The organizers have told me ''Lots of fun activities and events have been organized for young readers and writers with Teens Write Workshops, story-telling for younger children and a fun science event for schools with Paul O’Dwyer and Humphrey Jones, co-authors of A Neutron Walks into a Bar." 

  I'm going to go to loads of events, and one talk I think many readers of Vibrant Ireland will be interested in Tarquin Blake's, whose site Abandoned Ireland & book Abandoned Mansions of Ireland are full of haunting photographs.

Here's a sampling of what's on: 

Opening the festival on Thursday March 21 are the Seán Dunne Young Writers’ Awards. The Awards are a tribute to the work of the late poet, and continue to promote the work of aspiring young authors. 

On Friday, a discussion on the uses of social media to promote anything from a book to a small business will be followed by a session hosted by three successful self-published authors offering practical advice to those wishing to pursue the independent publishing route. 

 On Friday evening ex-Alternative Miss Ireland Joanna Ryde will host an event called “The Edge of Glory,” a talk about her books, blogging and making it big.

Greyfriars Art Gallery hosts  the very topical symposium“Ireland in Europe, where now?” with Dr. Elaine Byrne, Sunday Independent columnist and Irish expert to the European Commission on corruption.

I've heard Mark speak before; he's very entertaining!
 Is this ^ why he gave up festival drink for Lent?
(I took this when he spoke at our Town Of Books Festival 2012)

On Saturday, 23 March novelist and dramatist Dave Duggan will talk about his theatre work which has been seen in Ireland, New York, Edinburgh, Liverpool and Afghanistan, & about having his work aired by the BBC and RTE. 

Award winning blogger & journalist Mona Wise, Mark Graham of ‘A Year of Festivals’ fame, and Anna Carey of fashion blog beaut.ie will discuss whether“To Blog or Not to Blog.” 

Brian Kennedy and Billy Costine will be “Talking Sport,” while poet K. S. Moore will read poetry from her collections. 

 Best-selling author Kate Kerrigan will discuss her Ellis Island trilogy of novels and protagonist Ellie Hogan’s emigration to New York and return to Ireland.

 At the “Inspiring Lives” talk, Debbie Deegan, founder of the ‘To Russia With Love’ charity which has helped over 5,000 Russian orphans improve their lives, will tell the story of her experiences in Russia, from the intricacies of soviet-style bureaucracy, to the threat of violence from international criminals.

Those are just a few of the events! Click here for the full programme.

A series of free events will take place throughout too, from a ‘Tell Your Own Story’ session encouraging everyone to get writing, to a wonderful genealogy workshop with leading Irish family history expert John Grehnam.

I'll be there for lots of the festival- hope you will be too!  See you in Waterford!