NUI Galway and Leitrim County Council have confirmed plans for the John McGahern International Seminar following a successful inaugural event last weekend in Carrick-on-Shannon.
From next year the seminar will include an international summer school, aimed at advanced undergraduate and postgraduate students, as well as researchers.
The school, which will carry academic credits from NUI Galway, will commemorate the life and work of the author.
Professor Ger Hurley, vice-president for Strategic and External Affairs at NUI Galway, said: "This programme will be located between Galway and Leitrim and it is our intention that going forward from 2008, this summer school will become an annual feature of the university's summer school programme."
He continued: "Given the impressive scale of interest this year, we envisage attracting high-level students of literature and of Ireland who will contribute to our growing knowledge of McGahern, of his homelands and of the nature of contemporary fiction."
A book celebrating the longstanding relationship between McGahern and the university will be published in the autumn. John McGahern at NUI Galway will contain contributions from university staff.
With an introduction by Dr Iognáid Ó Muircheartaigh, president of NUI Galway, the book will include articles from Prof Gearóid Ó Tuathaigh of the history department; Dr Riana O'Dwyer and Dr John Kenny of the English department; Séamus O'Grady, director of Adult and Continuing Education; librarian Marie Reddan; archivist Fergus Fahey; and Keith Warnock, vice-president for physical resources.
It will be illustrated with eight colour portraits of McGahern by Brian Bourke, commissioned by NUI Galway.
