William Wall
You can listen to William’s reading here.
Photo By Liz Kirwan
William Wall has published four collections of poetry, five novels and three collections of short fiction. Among his many prizes, he is the first European to win the Drue Heinz Literature Prize. His most recent books are The Yellow House (Salmon Poetry, Clare, 2017) and Grace’s Day (Head of Zeus, London 2018). He holds a PhD in Creative Writing from UCC. He has been translated into many languages and translates from Italian.
Ó Bhéal‘s End of Year Event presents
Leanne O’Sullivan
You can listen to Leanne’s reading here
Photo By Aisling O’Sullivan
Leanne O’Sullivan comes from the Beara peninsula in West Cork. The winner of several of Ireland’s poetry competitions in her early 20s, she has published four collections with Bloodaxe, most recently A Quarter of an Hour (Bloodaxe Books, February 2018). She received the Ireland Chair of Poetry Bursary Award in 2009, the Lawrence O’Shaughnessy Award for Irish Poetry in 2011, and a UCC Alumni Award in 2012. She is a lecturer in creative writing at University College Cork.
‘Skilful and soulful, her achievements as a writer are as clear as ever in her powerful new book, A Quarter of an Hour.’ – John McAuliffe, The Irish Times
Ó Bhéal in association with First Fortnight presents
Stephen James Smith
You can listen to Stephen’s reading here.
Photo By Bob Dixon
Ó Bhéal’s First Fortnight festival guest is Dublin poet Stephen James Smith, a poet and playwright central to the rise of the vibrant spoken word scene in Ireland today. To date, his poetry videos have amassed over 1 million views online. He is a co-founder of LINGO Festival, Ireland’s only spoken word festival, and poetry curator of the annual First Fortnight Festival. He co-produced Dublin: A Year in Words poetry video series for Dublin UNESCO City of Literature. Stephen’s latest collection is Fear Not (Arlen House, 2018).
Rachael Hegarty
You can listen to Rachael’s reading here.
Rachael Hegarty is a Dubliner. She is 7th child of a 7th child. She was educated by Holy Faith nuns in Finglas, the U. Mass. Bostonians, the Trinity M. Phillers and the PhD magicians at Queens University Belfast. Her poetry is widely published and broadcast. Her kids say she uses the 3 F- words too much: Finglas, feminism and feckin’ poetry. Her debut collection, Flight Paths Over Finglas (Salmon Poetry, 2017) won the Shine Strong Award in 2018 and her forthcoming collection, May Day 1974, will be launched in spring 2019.
James Finnegan
You can listen to James’s reading here.
Dublin-born James Finnegan has been highly commended in the Patrick Kavanagh Poetry Competition, short-listed in Over The Edge New Writer of the Year, short-listed in The Canterbury Anthology for Poet of the Year, and published in The Irish Times – Hennessy New Irish Writing (Feb 2018), Poetry Ireland Review (July 2018), CYPHERS, Skylight 47, North West Words, and the anthology The Best New British & Irish Poets 2018.
Finnegan, who holds a doctor of philosophy in living educational theory, is married to Livinia and lives outside Letterkenny in the countryside. His first full collection of poems, Half-Open Door, is published by Eyewear Publishing and was launched in Listowel on June 1st 2018.
Ó Bhéal in association with Foras na Gaeilge presents
You can listen to Ceaití’s reading here.
Ceaití Ní Bheildiúin is an Irish language writer of poetry and plays. Three volumes of her work have been published and she is currently putting the finest of touches to her fourth and forthcoming volume, Agallamh sa Cheo – a themed collection of poems which has earned the Oireachtas Award 2018 for Best Collection of Poetry.
Is iad Meirge an Laoich (2013), Púca gan Dealramh (2010) agus An Teorainn Bheo (2007), na trí chnuascach filíochta (Coiscéim) ó pheann Ceaití go dtí seo. Thar na blianta, ó thosnaigh sí ag scríobh, bronnadh Duais Foras na Gaeilge, sparánacht Chomhairle Ealaíon, sparánacht Ealaín na Gaeltachta agus duaiseanna filíochta éagsúla ag Féile Fhilíochta Béal Átha na mBuillí ar Ní Bheildiúin. Léiríodh dhá ghearrdhrámaí dá cuid ag An Lab, An Daingean, Co. Chiarraí.
“In her new work, Ceaití Ní Bheildiúin continues to be one of the most innovative and interesting voices in contemporary Irish language poetry.” – Doireann Ní Ghríofa, Poetry International.
