Louis de Bernieres
Greece,Turkey and the 1923 Population Exchange.
Louis will be in conversation with Bruce Clark about their books. Louis’s novel, Birds without Wings, and Bruce’s history, Twice a Stranger, describe the forced Greek and Turkish population exchange in 1923.
Light Over Liskeard.
Louis will also talk about his recently published novel, The Light Over Liskeard. Moderated by Martina Devlin.
In association with the Irrawaddy Literary Festival.
Dr Roy Foster
- Yeats’s Tower
W.B.Yeats’s tower house near Gort , Co Galway, became a central and
enduring symbol for his work, and much of his greatest poetry was built
around it. It later became a place of pilgrimage, notably for Seamus
Heaney. The Tower was also spectacularly inconvenient to live in, a
burden which (like many others) fell on his wife George. Roy Foster’s
presentation explores the difficulties of living in a symbol.
- Seamus Heaney: Station Island
Roy Foster will discuss the significance of this collection of poetry as a hinge on which Seamus Heaney’s work turns.
Martina Devlin
- Playing with Fire – The Rights and Wrongs of Making Fiction from Fact.
In conversation with biographer Lyndsy Spence, moderated by Kathy Clugston.
- Reader, I Married Him
Charlotte Brontë created one of fiction’s bravest and most memorable heroines in her spellbinding debut novel Jane Eyre, an instant bestseller when it appeared in 1847.
Now, in Martina Devlin’s latest novel Charlotte, Brontë herself becomes a character. Devlin’s subtle, perceptive novel highlights the Irish roots which shaped Brontë, including a father from County Down, husband born in County Antrim, and honeymoon spent touring Ireland.
Charlotte’s husband, the Revd. Arthur Bell Nicholls, was determined to introduce her to Ireland after their marriage in 1854. Charlotte was enchanted by what she saw during that month, as letters back to England revealed.
Their marriage proved to be a brief period of happiness for the acclaimed novelist – nine months later, she was dead. But her fame continued to grow as the Brontë legend took root.
Martin Doyle
Dirty Linen: The Troubles in My Home Place
Martin discusses his book, a personal, intimate history of the Troubles seen through the microcosm of a single rural parish, the author’s own, part of both the Linen Triangle – heartland of the North’s defining industry – and the Murder Triangle – the Badlands devastated by paramilitary violence.
Martin will be interviewed about his book by Carlo Gébler.
Carlo Gébler
- ‘All About My Mother’.
Edna O’Brien is my mother. She died in July 2023. People are interested in her. I’d like to satisfy that interest in some way, but rather than taking the conventional approach talking about her, I propose to do something different. Attendees will write down their questions about Edna O’Brien in advance of the session; these questions will be piled into a hat; I will pluck these at random and answer the questions as best as I can. Not everyone’s questions will be answered. The experience will be interactive and unpredictable and hopefully fun.
- Is Traditional Media Yesterday’s News? Panel discussion with Jamil Anderlini and Carlo Gebler. Moderated by Andy Heyn.
In association with The Mitchell Institute and the Irrawaddy Literary Festival.
Patrick Donegall
- Heaven on Earth.
Over a hundred years ago Somerville and Ross galloped across the pages of popular Irish literature writing of horses, hunts, and high jinks. Today, Wexford-based Patrick Donegall has taken over their reins to record the Ireland of his youth. An Ireland that has almost, but not quite, disappeared.
Written with cracking pace, he recounts tales of a pack of lively characters such as an ill-mannered royal photographer who was shown the door by a grand butler… There are frisky ponies with ‘attitude’ problems along with thoroughbred racehorses… A drunk priest being chased by the police and a former Royal Navy officer whose scoring at a horse event became somewhat blurred by a bottle or two of whiskey… A slippery eel features unexpectedly in a bath as does fishing in the days when there weren’t many that got away (even though most of the poachers did)… An eccentric gym shoe-wearing daughter of a millionaire businessman shares pages with gentlemanly huntsmen of the old school accompanied by their equally elegant, but almost always high-spirited, ladies… And, as if there weren’t already enough amusing diversions, there’s even an Irish cricket match or two.
Heaven on Earth is also a homage that is dedicated to his beloved Wexford, and he considers carefully how his part of the country has developed and changed, the issues it, and Ireland, face, and his hopes for the future.
- Challenges of the Irish Country House Today.
Patrick Donegall in conversation with Robert O’Byrne discusses the joys and challenges of running a country house in the 21st Century.
Dr Heidi Edmundson
- Novel-writing: Darkness in the City of Light
This novel combines magical realism with mystery. It is an Agatha Christie style Whodunnit set in a fantastical city called the City in the Sea – my re-imagining of Venice with a little bit of Portrush and the Regent’s Canal thrown in. I believe that a good story should gave many layers. It is a crime novel, but the crime is that someone is killing mermaids. It’s structure it very much that of a traditional, ‘puzzle’ mystery inspired by the golden age of crime. It is also a coming-of-age novel as the heroine learns something about herself as she solves the mystery.
Heidi has written several short stories. One of these ‘The Road to Belonging’ was chosen to be included in ‘Global Emergency Care Stories’ an anthology of short stories published by the Australasian College of Emergency Medicine to reflect the incredible work that emergency care providers perform on a daily basis.
- Belly Full
Heidi’s autobiographical book ‘Belly Full’, is due for publication in May 2025. It is a work of narrative non- fiction, which includes a reflection on her love of Emergency Medicine despite the challenges of working in it post COVID combined with all the issues that the NHS is currently facing. It is also a frank account of her own health issues, and being on the other side of the consulting room.
In conversation with Iris Pendergast
Andrew Gailey
‘Chivalrous knights and fickle ladies, George Wyndham and the Making of Ireland’.
‘George Wyndham should have lived in the age of Roland. He was most romantic and beautiful to look at – already iron-grey although he was still quite young, with, in contrast, dark brows above deep blue eyes. I’ve often said he could have been a Troubadour – that he, alone of the men I’ve known, could have looked the part.’ (Elizabeth, Countess of Fingall).’ I am absorbed in my work here. Politically we have halcyon days and I’m trying to launch as many crafts as I can on the smiling, but treacherous seas. All the talk is of agreement, regeneration, revival. The dead bones rattle. The lion frisks with the lamb.’ (George Wyndham to WE Henley, 25th January 1903).
‘But just now… they do still in fact believe in me and trembled towards a belief in the empire because of their belief in me. By ‘they’ I mean the whole lot- unionist, nationalist, Celt, Norman, Elizabethan, Cromwellian, Williamite, agriculturist and industrialist, educationalist and folklorist. What more do you want?’ [ Wyndham 9th of October 1903 ]
‘The question one has to ask is, however, how long will this golden age last, and whether an age of fire may follow it’ (M.Brault, French Consul in Dublin in 1903
On being asked in retirement what remained of his Irish policy, Arthur Balfour (formerly PM and Wyndham’s leader) exclaimed ‘Everything, Everything. Look at the position of Ulster now. That remained to us. And what was the Ireland which the Free State took over? The Ireland we made’.
Paddy Donnelly
- Stormy Seas, Shape-Shifting Creatures & Picture Books
Award-winning author illustrator, Paddy Donnelly, shares his journey of breaking into picture books and how his childhood in Ireland inspires his stories. He has 25 picture books under his belt, including Badger Books,
The Golden Hare, Fox & Son, Tailers and The Vanishing Lake, with many translated into multiple languages.
Paddy grew up on the rugged North Antrim coastline, looking out on the stormy waves of the Atlantic Ocean. Surrounded by the many myths and legends emerging from the land and sea, these stories were destined to bleed into his picture books.
Introduced by Dr Lois Burke.
- Children’s Session. Badger Books – Storytime & Drawalong Workshop for children. Ideal for ages 5+.Paddy’s second session on Sunday afternoon will be for families and children.
A Kite for Aibhín with Seamus Heaney HomePlace.
Join Angeline Kelly, Education Officer from Seamus Heaney HomePlace, for this poetry workshop, designed for p.4 to p.7. Angeline will introduce pupils to Seamus Heaney’s touching poem for his granddaughter, and children will have the opportunity to make kites. Weather permitting, there will be a chance to fly them in the grounds of Ballyscullion Park.
Bruce Clark
- Plundered
Bruce will discuss the ethical issues facing museums and art collections all over the world in view of demands for the restitution of unfairly or illegally acquired items. Parthenon or Elgin marbles and also the Benin Bronzes as well as art works looted by the Nazis and objects plundered from recent war zones such as Afghanistan, Mali, Syria and China.
- Greece and Turkey 1923. Bruce will be in conversation with Louis de Bernieres about their books. Louis’s novel, Birds without Wings, and Bruce’s history, Twice a Stranger, describe the forced Greek and Turkish population exchange in 1923. In association with the Irrawaddy Literary Festival.
- Democracy V Authoritarianism: Are the autocrats winning? Panel Discussion with Jamil Anderlini, Ramita Navai and Bruce Clark. Moderated by Andy Heyn.
In association with The Mitchell Institute and the Irrawaddy Literary Festival.
Owen O’Neill
HOLD YER TONGUE
Hold Yer Tongue is a hybrid of poetry and storytelling. An informal performance which manages to be both heartfelt and hilarious.
O’Neill is an award winning writer and performer. Two Fringe firsts at the Edinburgh Festival. Best actor off Broadway for his portrayal of Nathan Cassidy in his one man play Absolution. The New York critics award for best play.
Lyndsy Spence
- Playing with Fire – the Rights and Wrongs of Making Fiction from Fact.
Lyndsy in conversation with Martina Devlin and Kathy Clugston about the the challenges of writing about real women as fiction and as biography.
- She Who Dares
Writing about complex women who were frequently involved in scandals is my specialty, and I hope that by doing so, I have altered the perception of these women. I will talk about the Mitfords, Vivien Leigh, Margaret, the Duchess of Argyll, and Maria Callas (who are, I admit, rather complicated!) and include historical women from the area, like Jean Viscountess Massereene and Mariga Guinness.
Nicholas Courtney
Introduced by Kathy Clugston
- Gale Force 10, the Life and Legacy of Admiral Beaufort
… Irish Sea, Rockall, Malin, Northwest, 3 to 4, occasionally 5 …
Few who hear the familiar shipping forecast know just what lies behind the man whose name it bears, Admiral Sir Francis Beaufort. Gale Force 10 is the biography of that Irish polymath, whose early life comes from the pages of a Hornblower novel Scientific and antiquarian discovery, polar and lunar exploration follow as the early 19th century progresses. Beaufort ends as Hydrographer to the Navy, responsible for all the major explorations of the day – from Darwin and the Beagle to the discovery of the North West Passage.
- The Life of a Writer Nicholas describes how he became a writer. In conversation.
Colin Urwin
Traditional oral storytelling
Session One.
Featuring a selection of original stories and recitations from the book, The Madman’s Window and other tales from the Antrim Coast. The audience will be taken on a journey of enchantment around the
beautiful Glens of Antrim and the stories will reflect the diverse characters, folklore and legends found in this part of Ireland. The session will be interspersed with music and song performed by myself.
Session Two.
Traditional oral storytelling presentation for families, featuring a selection from the, The Man Who Talked to the Wind and other Rathlin Folktales from the Tommy Cecil Archive. Through these unique island stories reimagined and retold, the audience will be taken back to the time of the Vikings and beyond when ghosts and otherworldly creatures were all part of the islanders everyday lives and beliefs. The session will be interspersed with music and song performed by myself.
Patsy will be reading some of her children’s books at the Ballyscullion Book Festival on Sunday 11th May in the afternoon. There will be two book reading sessions with the first one for 2–5-year-olds and the second for 4–7-year-olds. All children must be accompanied by an adult. Each session will last about 30 minutes.
Gareth Reid
In Conversation with Kathy Clugston
Gareth will be answering questions from the audience about his career as a painter.
In 2017 he won Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year, painting Graham Norton for the National Gallery of Ireland. In 2019 Historic Royal Palaces commissioned a portrait of the then HRH Prince of Wales, now King Charles III for Hillsborough Castle. In 2023 Gareth was awarded Sky Portrait Artist of the Decade for his Drawing of Dame Judi Dench.
His work is held in the collections of the National Trust, Royal Bank of Scotland, Ralph Lauren, The Old Bailey, Dublin City Council, the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, Historic Royal Palaces, The Royal Collection and the National Gallery of Ireland.
Robert O’Byrne with Patrick Donegall
- THE IRISH COUNTRY HOUSE IN THE 21ST CENTURY
After a turbulent period 100 years ago when many important properties were lost, Ireland’s country houses have enjoyed mixed fortunes. While some have thrived, others have sadly failed to survive, their contents dispersed, their buildings left to fall into decay. Even in the 21st century, few of them can be assured of a stable future. This talk will look at the challenges owners now face and offer examples of houses which are reinventing themselves for the present age.
- In Conversation with Dr Edward McParland
Stephen Price and Peter McMullan
THE EARL BISHOP
Frederick Hervey, The Earl of Bristol and Bishop of Derry. The man and his mansions – Downhill and Ballyscullion.
Stephen and Peter are working on a project to recreate the palace of Ballyscullion virtually, as they have done with Downhill, and will take tours of the remains of the palace.
Caroline Campbell
- The Power of Art and of Cities.
My talk will look at cities, and how they continue to be a stimulus – good
and bad – of artistic production and activity. In this talk I’ll discuss the
Italian city of Siena, the focus of the exhibition I’m curating this spring at
the National Gallery, London. I’ll look at how artists from Siena changed
the course of painting a century before the Italian Renaissance.
- Art for everyone: 170 years of the National Gallery of Ireland.
The National Gallery was founded in 1854 to provide enjoyment, solace
and inspiration through the medium of art. Today it’s the only place in the
world where you can experience together seven centuries of European
painting, and the best historic collection of Irish art. My talk will discuss
some highlights of the Gallery’s collection, old and new, including
Fontana, Caravaggio, Vermeer, Goya, Orpen, Lavery, Jellett and Le
Brocquy.
Jamil Anderlini.
In association with the Irrawaddy Literary Festival and The Mitchell Institute at Queens University
Jamil will be participating in two panel sessions with speakers discussing important topical issues. One session will discuss the threat from autocracies throughout the modern world, and the second will be a discussion about politics and the media.
- Democracy V Authoritarianism: Are the autocrats winning? Panel Discussion with Jamil Anderlini, Ramita Navai and Bruce Clark. Moderated by Andy Heyn.
- Is traditional media yesterday’s news? Panel discussion with Jamil Anderlini and Carlo Gebler. Moderated by Andy Heyn.
Ramita Navai
- City of Lies. Ramita will speak about her first book City of Lies: Love, Sex, Death and the Search for Truth in Tehran which won the Debut Political Book of the Year at the 2015 Political Book Awards, and was awarded the Royal Society of Literature’s Jerwood Prize for non-fiction.
She will also speak about her documentary film-making including AFGHANISTAN UNDERCOVER for PBS Frontline and NO COUNTRY FOR WOMEN for ITV (2022). It is the result of a six-months investigation into the Taliban’s treatment of women, exposing mass arrests and abductions. The documentary will be shown on Saturday 10th at 1pm in the marquee.
Moderated by Andy Heyn. In association with the Irrawaddy Literary Festival and The Mitchell Institute.
- Democracy V Authoritarianism: Are the autocrats winning? Panel Discussion with Jamil Anderlini with Ramita Navai and Bruce Clark. Moderated by Andy Heyn (In association with ILF and Mitchell Institute)
Martin Enright
- In the Footsteps of Colmcille. The archaeological legacy of St Columba in North West Ireland and Scotland.
The recovery of the once missing arm of the Clonca High Cross is a remarkable story. It’s reinstallation on the cross led Martin to consider the place and the art of the Clonca High cross in the context of all the other early medieval crosses in Inishowen and beyond to Islay, Iona and several sites along Ireland’s west and north-western seaboard. Motifs such as spirals, interlace and the inscribed cross designs all form part of this richly illustrated presentation. The majority of these sites are all part of the ‘Columban’ trail.
- Unravelling the Spiral – The Sculpture of Fred Conlon
‘My work has been in conjunction with the spiral. The centre is everything. There is nothing without a point of energy. There is in nature and man a great centre of force.’ The Spiral motif is part of humankind’s quest to understand light life. Early civilisations recognised the Sun as a source of life, this can be seen across all continents, from the Near-East to Japan, to India, and Ireland’s Passage Tomb builders. The magnificence of the Winter Solstice at Newgrange on December 21st is a continuing source of wonder. The spiral motif on the Newgrange entrance stone is common throughout the Stone and Bronze Ages, the Celtic Iron Age and appears as a geometric motif on the Chi Ro page of The Book of Kells. Fred as a practicing Sculptor was enthralled with such concepts. As with W.B. Yeats’ “widening gyre” Fred explored the question of energy and movement, he saw the spiral in nature, in a sea shell, in the galaxies, in mysticism, and in ritualistic art dance.
Thomas McErlean
- Church Island, St Parick’s Bell and the Mulhollands
The lecture explores the interrelated stories of Church Island in Lough Beg, the Bell of St Patrick and it’s hereditary guardian the Mulholland family. The little Island has a fascinating history commencing in the 6th century as a monastery founded by St Thaddeus (St Teague) evolving in the 12th century into the parish church of Ballyscullion and surviving into the 21st century as a place apart still preserving an aura of sanctity.
The Bell of St Patrick with its enclosing shrine one of Ireland’s leading medieval art historical objects and is presently on display in the National Museum in Dublin. From at least c.1100 to c. 1600 it was zealously guarded by the Mullholland family on their lands in this part of South Derry. After 1600 it disappears from history only to sensationally re-emerged in 1819 after the death of its last keeper Henry Mullholland.
- Antrim Castle Gardens
Dr Edward McParland
- The language of architectural classicism.
This sounds obscure, but it isn’t! Classicism is everywhere, from the Times Roman of the newspapers, to the buildings shown on euro banknotes, to neo-Georgian housing estates. I ask people to look at classical buildings and to see the difficulties which through history (15th century to the 21st) architects have run into when clients want buildings to look ‘Roman’ (or ‘Greek’). The subtitle of my book says it all ‘From looking to seeing’. The talk will take in buildings designed by Sir John Soane for the Earl Bishop.
- Dr McParland will also be discussing architecture with John Goodall, Architectural Editor of Country Life magazine.
Rebecca O’Connor
- Rebecca will talk about her poetry and fiction writing. Her forthcoming collection (described by Stephen Sexton as “really sublime, novel and utterly compelling. I felt kind of nostalgic for it even as I was reading it, quite aware that I had not, as it happens, read a book like it before. I found it striking in all the good ways: surprising and tender and utterly luminous,” and will sing some songs.
- The Moth Magazine
Rebecca talks about her experiences of starting up The Moth Magazine, an arts and poetry publication, with her husband, Will Govan. Moderated by Charlotte Lauder.
Bruce Campbell
- The de Burgh earls of Ulster and their great mausoleum church of
Athassel Priory, Co. Tipperary.
This generously illustrated talk will examine the close but little-known connection between the great Augustinian Priory of Athassel, Co. Tipperary and the de Burgh earls of Ulster, six generations of whom were buried there. Located beside the River Suir and within sight of the Knockmealdown and Galtee Mountains, few Irish monastic ruins are today more impressive, nor, as Bruce Campbell will explain, as misunderstood. It is an architectural enigma just waiting to be resolved. - The Great Transition: climate, disease and society in the late-medieval world (Cambridge University Press, 2016) Awarded the 2017 biennial Gyorgy Ranki Prize by the Economic History Association for the most outstanding book in European economic history. It deals with themes of global climate reorganisation, the eruption of deadly panzootics of livestock and pandemics of humans (the Black Death), and the collapse of the pan-Eurasian commercial system which had become established during the 12 th and 13 th centuries and made possible Marco Polo’s celebrated journey from Venice to Beijing and back. In this conversation Bruce Campbell will discuss how he came to write it and the many resonances with the range of global challenges facing society today.
Lois and Charlotte both completed their PhDs in Scotland. Joining together Charlotte’s background in Scottish history and magazine culture, and Lois’ background in children’s literature and juvenilia, they are writing a monograph on the unique form and development of the manuscript magazine between 1800 and 1950 for Edinburgh University Press.
- The Rambler and Manuscript Magazines. The Rambler was a handwritten and hand-illustrated magazine that was edited by Miss Jean M. Bruce of Ballyscullion Park in the early twentieth century. Jean described The Rambler as an ‘Amateur Magazine of Varied Contents’ and the issues contain contributions of poetry, articles, illustrations and photographs from contributors from around the UK. The Rambler is particularly unique in its recording of historical events, such as women’s suffrage marches and Irish Home Rule. In this talk we introduce
manuscript magazines, contextualise The Rambler, and discuss how it compares other examples of manuscript magazines produced elsewhere in the UK.
Sophia Hillan
“The Divine Jane”
Samuel Beckett described Jane Austen as ‘The Divine Jane’: What is it about Jane Austen that brings every generation back to her?
Anne-Marie McStocker
Anne-Marie will lead a creative writing poetry session for interested KS3, KS4 and KS5 students. Anne-Marie will mentor participants as they use the breathtakingly beautiful natural surroundings of Ballyscullion Park as the muse for writing their own poetry.
ROCK CHOIR
Rock Choir will perform in the garden on Sunday 11th May at 5.00pm.
Rock Choir was established in Northern Ireland 3 years ago and has since grown to encompass 17 choirs province wide with nearly 600 members across the country. It is an inclusive and welcoming community of singers who regularly perform at local as well as national level events. The ethos behind Rock Choir is that everyone can sing, and that singing together boosts well being at both an individual as well as at a community level. No auditions are required to take part and you don’t have to be able to read music. Just a love of singing and making music is all you need to get started! Free taster sessions are provided to those interested in trying out Rock Choir for themselves and can be booked online via rockchoir.com
Rock Choir is the UK’s leading contemporary award-winning choir experience offering local weekly rehearsals, performances and life-affirming events to more than 400 towns and communities across the UK.
Rock Choir was created by singer and musician, Caroline Redman Lusher and remains a family-run organisation originating in Farnham, Surrey in 2005. She initiated a brand new, accessible and glamorous approach to contemporary community singing which grew quickly and dramatically from humble beginnings into what it is today.
The Harty String Quartet
We will be playing at lunchtime each day in the garden.
Our repertoire is eclectic, ranging from mainstream, through traditional Irish to baroque and classical music. Some of it difficult to play but hopefully all easy to listen to .
We undertake gigs from time to time, invariably in support of friends or charities, amongst the most notable being for Hilary Clinton when she visited Belfast.