There is something special about the launch of a debut novel: witnessing the birth of a promising new literary career. This event goes one further, presenting the first full-length works from two of Ireland’s most hotly tipped writing talents.
Following his 2007 Rooney Prize-winning story collection There Are Little Kingdoms, Kevin Barry’s first novel, City of Bohane — a startling mix of Celtic myth and graphic novel cool — arrives with ubiquitous praise: ‘a writer of truly extraordinary gifts’ (Joseph O’Connor); ‘hilarious and unpredictable’ (Roddy Doyle); ‘destined to be a true literary star’ (Irvine Welsh). John Butler is an Irish Times columnist and writer, and short film/ TV director (Your Bad Self). Tenderloin — his acutely observed and darkly comic coming-of-age tale — sees Evan, a Dublin-born innocent, cast adrift in mid-90s San Francisco.
Barry and Butler have already worked together, on an award-winning film collaboration, The Ballad of Kid Kanturk. Here they discuss their creative paths and passions, and read from their new novels.
A screening of The Ballad of Kid Kanturk film will take place at 5.30 pm