Doolin gets literary for inaugural writers’ weekend

ESTABLISHED and aspiring writers will congregate in North Clare this weekend for the inaugural Doolin Writers’ Weekend.
The event opens on Friday at 8pm with a conversation between journalist and author Henry McDonald and memoirist and founder of Good Vibrations record shop and label, Terri Hooley. Henry is the Ireland correspondent with The Guardian and has spent 25 years working for print and broadcast media. He is also the author of seven books. Terri is a prominent figure in the Belfast music scene and the subject of a recent film, Good Vibrations.
A highlight of the festival is a sports writing workshop taking place this Saturday featuring GAA writer Seamus King (A History of Hurling), sports writer Trevor Keane (Running through Walls) and sports photographer John Garrett (Be Inspired, Images and Stories of Limerick Leaders).
The three-hour workshop is aimed to give up-and-coming writers the tools they need to get their sports book from an idea on a notepad to a bookstore shelf.
All three authors will share their experiences and will give aspiring writers the inside track on getting published.
This workshop aims to build on the experience garnered from 20 successfully published books and will cover top tips for structuring a book, getting ideas on paper, sourcing a publisher and promoting the book once it hits the bookshelves.
Playwright and director, Peter Sheridan, novelist John McKenna, Steve Wall of The Walls and The Stunning are among a host of literary and arts figures scheduled to take part in the weekend.
The weekend features workshops, lectures and readings by some of Ireland’s leading writers, mixed with live traditional Irish music sessions in the North Clare hotel. The festival will also include the announcement of the winner of the 2013 Doolin Short Story Competition 2013.
More information on the festival is available from www.doolinwritersweekend.com.