Preview of the Inchicore Literary Festival

The Inchicore Literary festival will take place from Friday April 26th until Sunday April 28th.

The Literary Festival will take place in the Richmond Barracks and will look at and celebrate the works of local poets Thomas Kinsella, Michael Harnett, and Francis Ledwidge.

Michael O’Flanagan, the main organiser for the Inchicore Literary Festival, talked about what the festival means for the area and why the work of these poets is still important and celebrated today.

“The three poets associated with Inchicore have never been celebrated properly here before, in particular Thomas Kinsella,” he said.

The Festival will begin on Friday April 26th at 7pm with a talk on the work of Thomas Kinsella. This is the first year Inchicore will celebrate Kinsella, who was born in Inchicore.

Saturday April 27th will start at 11am by celebrating the work of Michael Harnett who wrote the Inchicore Haiku. “The Haiku is widely celebrated and understood and loved by the people of Inchicore,” Michael said.

At 2.30pm, a talk will be held about the work and life of Michael Harnett, who lived in Inchicore for 10 years.

On Sunday April 28th, ‘Behind The Closed Eye’ will be shown to celebrate the work of Francis Ledwidge. “Ledwidge has had a society going [in Inchicore] for 25 years and we hold a poetry reading and replaying ceremony in the park every year,” O’Flanagan told The Liberty.

At 2.30pm there will be talk on his life, his poetry and his experiences in World War One.

“This festival would’ve been impossible five years ago as we didn’t have the Richmond Barracks,” O’Flanagan said.

Located on Bulfin Road in Inchicore, the Richmond Barracks was originally a British Army barracks. The Barracks were reopened in 2016 as an exhibition centre.

“The Richmond Barracks are a major addition to the area as it’s venue of national language and national importance,” Michael said.

Admission for the event will be €5 per session or €20 for a weekend pass. Bookings can be made via email at inchicoreliteraryfestival@gmail.com