Nobel prize-winning author Nadine Gordimer, Balkans expert Misha Glenny, Derry journalist Eamonn McCann, the BBC's George Alagiah and Prof William Schabas of NUI Galway's human rights centre will contribute to a "War of Words" next month, the title of the keynote debate for the Cúirt International Festival of Literature.
The debate on April 25th in the Town Hall Theatre, Galway, will focus on the responsibilities of war reportage. The panel will discuss its experiences of reporting, narrating conflict situations and the current state of such work. It is one of a full programme of events for the festival, which runs from Tuesday April 23rd to Sunday April 28th. Alagiah, author of A Passage to Africa, will read from his book on Saturday April 27th.
This year's Anne Kennedy Memorial Lecture on April 25th also explores the subject of truth behind the fiction and will be delivered by broadcaster and author, Melvyn Bragg. The state of publishing will also be examined by a panel, including editor Diane Athill, Irish literary agent Jonathan Williams, and others.
Journalist Susan McKay will interview the renowned feminist polemicist, Andrea Dworkin, while the many international contributors during the week will include Anita Desai, Rohinton Mistry and Elaine Feinstein. The Irish contributors include Tim Robinson, Nuala Ní Dhómhnaill, Brendan Kennelly, Jamie O'Neill, Eilís Ní Dhuibhne and Mike McCormack.
There will be book launches, in-school readings and a two-day festival entitled Cúirt na Mara on Inis Mór, Arainn. The full programme is available from the Galway Arts Centre at (091) 565886 or e-mail gac@indigo.ie
This coming week, Féile 2002, the Irish language arts festival, takes over Galway, and the Taibhdhearc theatre is staging a new, all-star production of the Mairtín Ó Cadháin classic, Cré na Cille.
The cast includes Macdara Ó Fatharta, Joe Steve Ó Neachtáin and Diarmuid Mac an Adhastair, both of Ros na Rún, with Brid Ní Neachtáin, Máire Ní Ghráinne and Seán Ó Murchú. It opens tomorrow and runs until Sunday April 7th (except Easter Sunday) every night at 8 p.m., with details and bookings from (091) 563600.
Also running during the festival is Ualach an Uaignis or The Lonesome West by Martin McDonagh in the Town Hall Theatre, while Liam Ó Maonlaí performs in the same venue next Friday at 11 p.m.
Diarmuid de Faoite stages his one-man show, Pádraic Ó Conaire, next Saturday and Alex Hijmans's premiere of Aingilín is in the Bananaphoblacht Café in Dominick Street. "Gradam na Féile" is being given to Johnny Chóil Mhaidhc Ó Coisdealbha on Friday. Details from the Féile office at (091) 569777 or website www.feile2002.com