I have been known to read a book or two. It comes with the terriority of being an English and Theatre major. While it is sometimes difficult to get people to understand my choice in major, I have been awestruck with just how respectful and proud the Irish are towards their writers. These are my kind of people!
In my Contemporary Irish Writing course at UCD, I have been exposed to newly published works by both established and up-and-coming Irish writers. Over the course of the semester, we not only read five books by five different authors, but we also have them come in during class for an interview! Since the course's inception, the head lecturer (a lovely lady named Margaret Kelleher) invites contemporary Irish authors to visit in order to allow students to better understand and connect with the continually changing Irish canon. So far, we've had an interview with Oein DeBhairduin about his short collection on Irish Traveller culture (Why the Moon Travels). We've also had interviews with Nithy Kasa (about her debut poetry collection, The Palm Wine Tapper and The Boy at Jericho) and Mark Roper (about his new poetry collection, Beyond Stillness).
For the hour-long lecture, the professor will sit at the front of the lecture hall and ask the author questions.
