Dromineer Nenagh Literary Festival marks 20th anniversary with stellar line-up of writers

The Dromineer Nenagh Literary Festival will mark its 20th anniversary when it kicks off in the town next month.

This year’s festival has once again attracted some of the top national, international and local writers and artists to the town and the lakeside village of Dromineer, where it all began. Nenagh was added to its title in 2019.

Launching the event last week, festival Chair Ger mcNulty, recalled that it had started when “two worlds collided” with the arrival of county arts officer Melanie Scott, who set her task as building festivals around the county, and locals in Dromineer.

“The festival now has a reputation on the festival circuit for being well-organised and an intimate event,” said Ms McNulty.

She said that while its ethos was that writers and performers be celebrated, it also had an economic and social benefit to the town through a working partnership with people in the area.

Cllr Ger Darcy, Cathaoirleach of Tipperary County Council, who officially launched the festival, said that it had now reached a “significant milestone” and the council was proud to be among its supporters.

“Festivals play a key role in the fabric of the local community,” he said.

Cllr Darcy said that DNLF had a reputation for excellence, the championing of writers and as a platform for new writers.

“It is nurtured by dedicated volunteers and successive committees have kept it alive,” he said.

This year, the festival has engaged with Choose Respect, a campaign launched by locals Marney O’Regan and Denis Finnerty in the wake of the murder of Ashling Murphy.

Mr O’Regan revealed that the group was due to unveil large hoardings telling their message in MacDonagh Park and Nenagh Ormond Rugby Club’s grounds and would be placing posters in shops and premises around the town, including in sports facility dressing rooms.

He also revealed that he had spoken to people in Clonmel about launching the initiative in the town.

The aim of the campaign is to show respect to women and they teamed with the festival to hold a short story competition on the theme of Respect, which was judged by acclaimed local author Donal Ryan, who also presented the prizes.

The winners were: Annouk Baldin-Merer, Emily Treacy, both from Borrisokane Community School, and Zia Davies from St Mary’s Secondary School, Nenagh.

Mr Ryan described the festival that "ranks among the finest of its kind anywhere in the world".

The launch concluded with Kathleen O’Meara reading her poem, Warm in the Bed of Heaven, in memory of Deirdre Ryan, who served on the committee.

Ms McNulty also remembered others who had since passed away, including David McAvinchey, Hjordis Waller and Tom O’Donoghue.

Andrew McAvinchey read from a diary kept by his father, David, while sailing across the Atlantic Ocean.

The festival runs from October 5 to 8; details can be had from dnlf.ie