Dec 16, 2009 | Latest
19th December. Finished reading ‘Changing Places’ by David Lodge, author of ‘The Art of Fiction’ and ‘The Practice of Writing’. 17th December. Last night was in the Ulster Bank, Donegal Square East, at the launch of the ‘Dictionary of Irish Biography’, a collaborative...
Dec 4, 2009 | Latest
28th November. As chair of Féile I introduce historian Dr Eamon Phoenix and Dr Jörg Rademacher who are speaking about the visit of James Joyce to Belfast exactly one hundred years ago. The event is co-sponsored by the ‘Belfast Telegraph’ and Féile an Phobail. 27th...
Nov 12, 2009 | Latest
10th November. The late Siobhan O’Hanlon, former IRA activist, Armagh prisoner, and latterly secretary to Gerry Adams MP, was in South Africa several times before and after the peace process proper. She and her partner, Pat Sheehan (one of the 1981 hunger strikers and...
Nov 3, 2009 | Latest
31st October. Greeted Noam Chomsky to West Belfast and Féile an Phobail before his address at St Mary’s University College, organised by our Discussion & Debate group. Later, we had dinner with him. He is very quietly spoken and draws upon a wealth of information...
Oct 26, 2009 | Latest
18th September – 23rd September. In East Friesia, Germany, on a visit to schools and colleges to address English Language and Literature students. Spoke at Aurich, Vocational School; Ubbo-Emmius-Gymnasium, Leer; Gymnasium, Rhauderfehn; Teletta-Groß-Gymnasium, Leer;...
Oct 8, 2009 | Latest
5th October. Attended a disturbing play in the Old Museum, ‘Transparency’. It was written by Suzie Miller and directed by Rachel O’Riordan. The play has resonances with the case of the two 10-year-olds who murdered two-year-old Jamie Bolger in Liverpool in the early...
