Chairman's Welcome

Cuireann se gliondar i mo chroi, mar chathaoirleach ar an gcoiste seo, cead mile fáilte a chur romaimh go leir, idir daoine áituila agus cuairteori , go dti an ceathrú Scoil Samraidh Litriochta Trevor / Bowen.

It is with great pleasure that I welcome you to the fourth Trevor / Bowen Summer School. Each year we consider aspects of the world and work of William Trevor and Elizabeth Bowen, and look at the wider context of the short story.

Mitchelstown born, Cardio-thoracic Surgeon, Tom Aherne will perform the official opening of our weekend. Irish Born Julian Gough, Singer, Novelist, and winner of the BBC National Short Story Award 2007 will follow.

Eibhear Walsh of UCC returns to speak on “Elizabeth Bowen and Ireland”. The C.B.S. documentary “Ireland, the Tear and the Smile”, narrated by Walter Cronkite and written by Elizabeth Bowen, will be an integral part of this lecture.

The Emeritus Professor of English at University of Hull Tom McAlindon will give us the reasons why he thinks “ Fools of Fortune” is William Trevor’s greatest achievement.

Heather Ingman of T.C.D. is going to take a new look at the Irish Short Story and Professor Maurice Harmon returns to give us his thoughts on Joyce’s “Dubliners”.

Professor Phyllis Lassner of North Western University, Illinois will speak on Bowen as an “onlooker” of her time while, Cullen born, Bernard O’Donoghue will discuss “North Cork Writers: their short stories as poems”.

Afric McGlinchey is a fiction writer, poet and freelance journalist who will be facilitating our short story writing workshops on the Saturday and Sunday mornings.

St. Colman’s Church and Graveyard in Farrahy, where Bowen is interred, will be open to visitors from 6.30pm to 7.00pm on the Saturday evening, by kind permission of the Trustees.

Finally, I would like to, again, thank Barry O’Callaghan for the financial support of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, over the agreed three-year period, that enabled our committee initiate this project.

We continue to receive local support from:
Almedia Graphic & Web Design: for design and upkeep of our website.
Association of Certified Bookkeepers in Ireland.
Brooks & Co., Solicitors.
Horgan’s Deli Supplies, for catering for our launch.
Brenda & Pat Tangney, for the use of Firgrove Hotel.
Donncha Crowley, for the use of Mitchelstown C.B.S.
Jane Annesley, for the use of Farrahy Church.
Gleeson Wines for drinks for launch

Billy Fitzgibbon,
Chairman.