• 25 Feb – The North, Irish poetry special

    The Bloomsbury Hotel The Bloomsbury Hotel, 16-22 Great Russell Street, London, United Kingdom

    The ILS is working with The North poetry journal for this event to launch their special Irish issue. Editors and poets Jane Clarke and Nessa O'Mahony lead a rich evening of readings and discussion of contemporary Irish poetry. From an issue bursting with ideas and innovation (120 poems by 107 poets) we are gathering some fascinating poets to illustrate the ...

    £8
  • 25 March – Working Class Irish Literature

    The Bloomsbury Hotel The Bloomsbury Hotel, 16-22 Great Russell Street, London, United Kingdom

    In the recent years of political and social turbulence in the UK, state of the nation debates have become commonplace and discussion on the representation of working class lives in literature has become a hot topic. A clearer recognition is emerging that publishers must overcome barriers of class and social mobility with the same level of commitment that has developed ...

    £8
  • The Country Girls, a celebration – 18 April

    Irish Cultural Centre, Hammersmith 5 Black’s Road Hammersmith, United Kingdom

    I wakened quickly and sat up in bed abruptly. It is only when I am anxious that I waken easily and for a minute I did not know why my heart was beating faster than usual. Then I remembered. The old reason. He had not come home... So begins Edna O'Brien's The Country Girls. With the support of the Dublin: ...

    £8
  • Essaying the Body: Sinéad Gleeson and Emilie Pine – 5 June

    The Bloomsbury Hotel The Bloomsbury Hotel, 16-22 Great Russell Street, London, United Kingdom

    Sinéad Gleeson and Emilie Pine join the ILS to discuss their recent books of essays. Pine's winning last year's An Post Irish Book of the Year seemed to mark a reemergence of the essay form in Irish literature. Perhaps the flourishing of literary journals in Ireland has encouraged this, perhaps the renewed appreciation of Hubert Butler's work has been an ...

    £8
  • I Wouldn’t Start from Here – 30 Sept

    The Bloomsbury Hotel 16-22 Great Russell St, London, United Kingdom

    The ILS is delighted to start its 2019-20 season with a showcase of second-generation Irish writers in Britain. Not quite British, not quite Irish, through their essays, fiction and poetry about music, family, and history these distinguished writers explore questions of identity and belonging and ask the perennial question: where is home – here or Ireland? When questions of authenticity ...

    £8
  • Polly Devlin, Writing Home – 25 Nov

    The Bloomsbury Hotel The Bloomsbury Hotel, 16-22 Great Russell Street, London, United Kingdom

    Polly Devlin joins Joan Bakewell to discuss the latest collection of her work, Writing Home, and to reflect on a rich career as a writer, her working as features editor of Vogue in London in the Swinging Sixties, to encounters with Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin, Barbara Streisand, John Lennon...In the pieces brought together in Writing Home, Polly Devlin OBE, covers ...

    £8
  • The Female Detective – 27 Jan

    The Bloomsbury Hotel The Bloomsbury Hotel, 16-22 Great Russell Street, London, United Kingdom

    As we approach St Brigid's Day we are delighted to welcome an all-female panel to an event considering the continuing popularity of Irish crime writing, so-called "Emerald Noir". Our guests will read from their work, reflect on their portrayal of female detectives and as all three are UK-based we'll consider their London and Dublin settings. In Maeve Kerrigan (Casey), Bridie ...

    £8
  • Christine Dwyer Hickey – POSTPONED

    Irish Cultural Centre, Hammersmith 5 Black’s Road Hammersmith, United Kingdom

    THIS EVENT HAS BEEN POSTPONED DUE TO CONCERNS ABOUT THE CORONAVIRUS. WE WILL LOOK TO RESCHEDULE IN THE COMING MONTHS The Society is delighted to partner with the Dublin City Council for a second year to deliver an event on the Dublin One City One Book choice. This year's choice is Tatty by Christine Dwyer Hickey. Dublin One City One ...

    Free
  • 7th Annual Yeats Lecture – 8 December 2020

    Virtual Event

    The Irish Literary Society is delighted to announce that the speaker for this year’s Annual Yeats Lecture will be Garry Hynes, Director of Druid. Following an introduction by the President of the Irish Literary Society, Bernard O'Donoghue, Hynes will give a short presentation and then join in conversation on the recent DruidGregory season with the novelist and Druid board member, ...

  • Days of Clear Light – 1 Feb 2021

    Virtual Event

    We are delighted to join with our friends to mark the occasion of 40 years of Salmon Poetry and to celebrate the work of Jessie Lendennie. To mark that achievement 100 writers have come together in contributing to a special Festschrift presented as a complete surprise to Jessie at Christmas 2020. Editor Nessa O'Mahony interviews Jessie for the ILS and ...