Éigse Michael Hartnett: Arts and literature festival returns to Limerick town

A HUSH will fall over Newcastle West this Thursday as the sound of rolling drums marks the opening of literary and arts festival, Éigse Michael Hartnett.

The festival will take place over four days and nights in the heart of the town.

Newcastle West was home to and helped shape the late poet Michael Hartnett and will play host to a wide range of talented poets, writers, musicians, singers and artists in a packed programme of engaging events.

Launching the programme for the festival, at a reception in Newcastle West, Mayor of Limerick City and County Francis Foley said it contained “very interesting events that will surely spark lively debate and conversation.”

In Pictures: Limerick town looks forward to return of 'in-person' Eigse Michael Hartnett

He also commended the organisers for taking “the brave and bold step of adding a fourth day to the festival which will be family and community oriented.”

He congratulated Eleanor Hooker, the winner of this year’s Michael Hartnett Poetry Award. Ms Hooker, who lives in Tipperary, will accept the award on the opening night of the festival.

The festival will open on Thursday at 7pm in the Square where renowned street act The Hit Machine Drummers will perform before leading a Lantern Parade through the town to the opening ceremony in the council buildings, Áras William Smith O’Brien.

Friday will kick off with a reading over coffee by Ms Hooker and a lunchtime reading by Glenstal monk and author Mark Patrick Hederman.

Friday evening events include readings by award-winning poets Kerry Hardie and Peter Sirr as well as a screening of the box-office hit film, An Cailín Ciúin.

'She was a language seldom spoken.
She was a child’s purse, full of useless things.'#MichaelHartnett #DeathOfAnIrishWoman #poetry pic.twitter.com/52UQhOOW6K

— Eleanor Hooker (@EleanorHooker_) September 26, 2022

Saturday will hear master piper and RTÉ broadcaster Peter Browne’s anecdotes, recordings and musings about a memorable tour of Scotland in the company of Michael Hartnett, with a few tunes added to the mix.

Author Mary Costello will go under the spotlight on Saturday evening when she can be heard in conversation and reading from her work.

Salad Sunday is a new addition to the Éigse programme, a nod to one of Hartnett’s humorous ballads celebrating a local event/non-event and is intended as a community-focused day of family fun and entertainment.