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Irene Graham |
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Irene Graham is a write and photographer. In 1991 she founded The Creative Writer's Workshop, which has become an international success in memoir and fiction writing. Irene lives in the west of Ireland, writing and taking photographs — when she is not tutoring workshops! |
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Terence Frisby |
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Terence Frisby is a playwright, actor,
director and producer. His most famous play,
There's a Girl In My Soup, was London's
longest-running comedy and a worldwide smash
hit. Kisses On A Postcard started life as
an award-winning radio play, then a stage
musical, which is currently being mounted
for a West End production. |
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Roisin Boyd |
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Roisin Boyd, broadcaster and journalist
recently produced with Fomacs (Forum on
Migration & Communications) and the
Irish Refugee Council an animated DVD on
asylum 'Burden of Proof' and mentored a
radio series in the DIT with migrant women.
Roisin has reported for RTE from Africa
including Rwanda, Burundi, Somalia and the
DRC and from Asia: the Philippines, Cambodia
and Vietnam. |
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Colm Doyle |
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Colm Doyle is a retired Colonel of the
Irish Defence Forces having served for 43
years. His overseas service includes Cyprus,
Middle East, Lebanon, Department of Peacekeeping
Operations at UN HQ in New York and has
given evidence at the International Criminal
Tribunal in the Hague, at the trials of
Slobodan Milosevic and Radovan Karadzic. |
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Abie Philbin Bowman |
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Abie Philbin Bowman is the writer and
performer of 'Jesus: The Guantanamo Years',
'Eco-Friendly Jihad' and 'Sex, Lies and
the KKK', with sold-out shows all over the
world. He was the only Irish radio host
to have interviewed the Klu Klux Klan on
the night of Barack Obama's election. He
has been endorsed by Osama bin Laden and
boycotted by Ian Paisley's DUP. |
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Claire Keegan |
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Claire Keegan has published two collections
of short stories, Antarctica and Walk the
Blue Fields, to enormous critical acclaim
and has won numerous awards, including the
Rooney Prize and the 2008 Edge Hill Prize.
Recently she won the Davy Byrnes Memorial
Prize for her story, Foster (2009). Claire
also has a great reputation as a reader
and teacher. |
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Michael D Higgins |
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Michael D Higgins: Author, Poet and Politician.
Michael is the Party President and Spokesperson
for Foreign Affairs, and is a current sitting
deputy for Galway West. He is a former Minister
for Arts, Culture, and the Gaelteacht(1992-1997),
was first elected to the Dail in 1981. His
first collection of poems, "The Betrayal"
was published in 1990. His second book,
"The Season of Fire" in 1993,
and his third collection "An Arid Season"
was published in 2004. A collection of political
writing, 'Causes for Concern' was published
in 2006. An international campaigner for
human rights, he was awarded the Greek Peace
medal in 1992 and in the same year the first
recipient of the McBride Peace Prize of
the International Peace Bureau. |
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Donncha O'Connell |
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Donncha O'Connell was Dean of the Faculty of Law NUIG from 2005—2008 . He is a Director of Druid Theatre Company. He is co-editor of Justice in Controversy, published by Irish Academic Press and he edits the Irish Human Rights Law Review for Clarus Press. |
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Lorraine Francis |
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Lorraine Francis: Athlone born and bred
children's book author, Lorraine Francis
has written five books. Lorraine's first
book, was "Lulu's Tutu" and her
second book, "Save Our Sweetshop"
Poolbeg published "A Giant Never Dies",
"The Great Trolley Race", "The
Origami Bird", "Pandora's Lunchbox"
and her most recent book will be published
in Belgium "Sammy and the Skyscraper
Sandwich". |
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Jason Gill |
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Jason Gill was editor of The Athlone Observer
prior to its re-launch as The Athlone Advertiser.
He is a frequent actor on the stage of the
Athlone Little Theatre. He wrote, directed,
and acted in his very successful play The
Brothers Malone which featured on the amateur
drama festival circuit in 2008. His book,
A Year In My Room has just become available. |
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Liam Horan |
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Liam Horan is an award-winning journalist
and broadcaster and former Gaelic Games
Correspondent of the Irish Independent.
He was the founding editor of the Athlone
Voice and creator of the Championship Man
series on RTE Radio One. He runs Sli Nua
Communications based in his home town of
Ballinrobe, Co. Mayo, where he lives with
his wife Noreen. |
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Gearoid O'Brien |
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Gearoid O'Brien is Senior Executive Librarian
with Westmeath County Library service. He
is the author of more than a dozen books
and over the years he has broadcast widely
on RTE (radio and television), TG4 and local
radio. He has had about 20 contributions
broadcast on the ever popular Sunday Miscellany
programme. |
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Jean Farrell |
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Jean Farrell is a local teacher and author
of note. She is a long time friend and supporter
of the Athlone Literary Festival and all
arts related events in the town. Jean has
been published in The Irish Times, in several
local publications and has performed on
RTE radio and published her short stories. |
