The life and works of poet, short-story writer and playwright Dylan Thomas along with his ties to north County Clare are to be celebrated in a new international literary festival, details of which were announced today.
Thomas’ wife Caitlin was the youngest daughter of Francis MacNamara who transformed Ennistymon House into the Falls Hotel, the venue for the inaugural Dylan Thomas Literary Weekend from Friday 18th May to Sunday 20th May, 2012.
The three-day festival will feature lectures, poetry recitals, a documentary screening, and a history tour outlining Ennistymon’s connections to the Welsh literary legend and other poets, including Brian Merriman.
The keynote lecture will be delivered by Dylan Thomas biographer and journalist Andrew Lycett, who will join a host of national and international writers and poets at the festival.
Other contributors include John F. Dean (Poet and founder of Poetry Ireland), Fred Johnson (Hennessy Literary Award winner and co-founder of the Irish Writers Co-operative), Robert Minhinnick (award-winning Welsh essayist and poet), Diarmuid Johnson (freelance writer, translator and editor); Jo Slade (poet and painter), Clairr O' Connor (Dublin poet, playwright, fiction writer), Eddie Lenihan (author, storyteller, lecturer and broadcaster), and Paul O’Mahony (Limerick-born poet).
Acclaimed as one of the best-known and important poets of the twentieth century, Dylan Marlais Thomas’ most popular works include his play for voices ‘Under Milk Wood’, and his poems ‘‘And Death Shall Have No Dominion’, and ‘Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night’. Thomas died, aged 39, in New York in 1953. His wife Caitlin died in 1994 at the age of 80.
According to Festival Organiser Joanne Clancy of the Falls Hotel & Spa: “This Literary Weekend focuses not only on Dylan Thomas' inspiring work, but that of his contemporaries and those who continue to be inspired by him. The festival will enable fans of Dylan Thomas to celebrate his connections with Ennistymon, and to learn more about the man who is known the world over for the passion and love of life he infused in his poetry and prose.”
Commenting on Thomas’ links with the Falls Hotel, Ms. Clancy said: “The Dylan Thomas link with the hotel is that the original Ennistymon House was owned by the MacNamara family. Thomas himself did not live in Ennistymon at any stage but his wife Caitlin did. Her father Francis was the person responsible for transforming the manor house into a commercial property, what we know today as the Falls Hotel & Spa.”
Welcoming the event announcement, Barbara Faulkner, Chair of the Clare Tourism Forum said: “Cultural tourism is becoming increasingly popular throughout Ireland and Britain. In County Clare, we are particularly fortunate to be associated with numerous world-renowned poets, writers, artists and musicians.”
“The Dylan Thomas Literary Weekend is a very welcome addition to the local festival calendar that already boasts such popular annual events as the Ennis Book Club Festival, West Clare Drama Festival, Cumann Merriman Festival, Eigse Mrs Crotty, Ennis Trad Festival, Iniscealtra Festival of Art, Feakle International Traditional Music Festival and the Willie Clancy Summer School,” added Ms. Faulkner.
The Mayor of Clare Pat Hayes will officially launch the 2012 Dylan Thomas Literary Weekend on Friday 18 May at 6:30 PM. Visit www.fallshotel.ie or contact (0)65 7071004 for more details.
Thomas’ wife Caitlin was the youngest daughter of Francis MacNamara who transformed Ennistymon House into the Falls Hotel, the venue for the inaugural Dylan Thomas Literary Weekend from Friday 18th May to Sunday 20th May, 2012.
The three-day festival will feature lectures, poetry recitals, a documentary screening, and a history tour outlining Ennistymon’s connections to the Welsh literary legend and other poets, including Brian Merriman.
The keynote lecture will be delivered by Dylan Thomas biographer and journalist Andrew Lycett, who will join a host of national and international writers and poets at the festival.
Other contributors include John F. Dean (Poet and founder of Poetry Ireland), Fred Johnson (Hennessy Literary Award winner and co-founder of the Irish Writers Co-operative), Robert Minhinnick (award-winning Welsh essayist and poet), Diarmuid Johnson (freelance writer, translator and editor); Jo Slade (poet and painter), Clairr O' Connor (Dublin poet, playwright, fiction writer), Eddie Lenihan (author, storyteller, lecturer and broadcaster), and Paul O’Mahony (Limerick-born poet).
Acclaimed as one of the best-known and important poets of the twentieth century, Dylan Marlais Thomas’ most popular works include his play for voices ‘Under Milk Wood’, and his poems ‘‘And Death Shall Have No Dominion’, and ‘Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night’. Thomas died, aged 39, in New York in 1953. His wife Caitlin died in 1994 at the age of 80.
According to Festival Organiser Joanne Clancy of the Falls Hotel & Spa: “This Literary Weekend focuses not only on Dylan Thomas' inspiring work, but that of his contemporaries and those who continue to be inspired by him. The festival will enable fans of Dylan Thomas to celebrate his connections with Ennistymon, and to learn more about the man who is known the world over for the passion and love of life he infused in his poetry and prose.”
Commenting on Thomas’ links with the Falls Hotel, Ms. Clancy said: “The Dylan Thomas link with the hotel is that the original Ennistymon House was owned by the MacNamara family. Thomas himself did not live in Ennistymon at any stage but his wife Caitlin did. Her father Francis was the person responsible for transforming the manor house into a commercial property, what we know today as the Falls Hotel & Spa.”
Welcoming the event announcement, Barbara Faulkner, Chair of the Clare Tourism Forum said: “Cultural tourism is becoming increasingly popular throughout Ireland and Britain. In County Clare, we are particularly fortunate to be associated with numerous world-renowned poets, writers, artists and musicians.”
“The Dylan Thomas Literary Weekend is a very welcome addition to the local festival calendar that already boasts such popular annual events as the Ennis Book Club Festival, West Clare Drama Festival, Cumann Merriman Festival, Eigse Mrs Crotty, Ennis Trad Festival, Iniscealtra Festival of Art, Feakle International Traditional Music Festival and the Willie Clancy Summer School,” added Ms. Faulkner.
The Mayor of Clare Pat Hayes will officially launch the 2012 Dylan Thomas Literary Weekend on Friday 18 May at 6:30 PM. Visit www.fallshotel.ie or contact (0)65 7071004 for more details.
