Two-day literary festival launched on Garnish Island
Writer, Cónal Creedon (left), and the head of heritage at the Office of Public Works, Rosemary Collier, at today's launch. Picture: Valerie O'Sullivan
A two-day literary festival will take place this month to mark the 70th anniversary of Garnish Island being bequeathed to the Irish State.
The 'Crosstown Drift Goes To Garinish' festival will take place on the island on August 12 and 13. It was launched on Wednesday by the Office of Public Works (OPW) head of heritage Rosemary Collier and acclaimed Irish writer Cónal Creedon.
The festival was created by the OPW in association with the Good Room collective and will see a number of authors visit the island.
The festival will open on Saturday at 5.30pm with writers Doireann Ní Ghríofa, Cónal Creedon, Catherine Kirwan, Danny Denton and Lisa McInerney joining the Eoghan O’ Sullivan for a ticketed event.
A range of free events all around Garnish Island will cover a broad range of topics including sports, food, rewilding on the Bere peninsula and the ecology of the birds of Co. Cork.
Sunday's events will feature writers such as Eoghan Daltún, Patrick Smiddy and Mark Shorten, Eimear Ryan and Ciarán Murphy, and Denis Cotter.
The island was left to the Irish State in 1953 by Roland L’Estrange Bryce following his death. The island had been bought by Roland's father, John Annan Bryce, in 1910 who helped create the gardens the island have become famous for.
Welcoming the event to mark the anniversary, Mr Creedon said it was one that he was looking forward to. According to the island's website, the guiding principle for the management of the property "has been to honour the wishes expressed in Roland’s will, specifically the condition that the house and its contents be kept intact".
Mr Creedon said: “Glengarrif is the gateway to Beara — and Garnish Island is the jewel in the Crown of Bantry Bay. My mother’s people are from Beara and my father from Iveleary — Garnish Island is always a homecoming.
Minister of State with responsibility for the OPW, Patrick O’Donovan, described the island as “a unique place”, speaking of his privilege “to share this treasure with visitors from near and far for 70 years”.
Minister O’Donovan said it is "fitting to celebrate the anniversary of the Bryce family’s gift to the nation with a special treat for visitors".
Some 63,000 people visited the island last year and Mr O'Donovan said literary events "will act as a further magnet to attract new and return visitors to this wonderful location”.
The festival is set against the island's garden backdrop, perfected by architect and garden designer Harold Peto, who worked with the original owners Annan and Violet Bryce to create the gardens in the early 20th century.
Today, the grounds are cared for and preserved by the OPW on behalf of the Irish State and the people of Ireland. Tickets for the ‘Crosstown Drift Goes To Garinish’ evening event on Saturday, August 12, are on sale from eventbrite.ie.
