Eoin has always loved numbers. And, inspired by Ellen O’Rourke, his business teacher at school, he went on to study the subject at college. After that he joined Irish Life – a company he had cause…
Louise’s father was a lawyer who was prevented from practicing by Hitler. In England, as a refugee, he started a family business. “He never talked about the experience,” says Louise. “But he refused to speak German…
Tamsin has always been drawn to the arts. “As a child I expressed myself in art and music – it was an escape from a difficult childhood. I loved words. One of my first memories was…
Dara has always been passionate about the natural world. “I remember, when I was very small, watching pigeons for hours. My interest developed from there.” At just 16, Dara has long been recognised for his knowledge…
As a child, Laura read Fairy Tales and books by the Bronte’s; “And my mother introduced us to the Famous Five and the Secret Seven by Enid Blyton. I loved them!” Laura kept a diary, and…
Back in 2016, Kathleen MacMahon holidayed, as usual, with her family on the Costa Brava. Afterwards, whilst her husband flew home, she took a train to Antibes with their twin teenage daughters. She wanted to start…
Caragh Bell simply loves writing. She adores her characters – enjoys talking about them, and misses them when, having written, The End, she has to bid them farewell. But that comes as no surprise to the…
A voracious reader, Susannah got her love of books from her grandmother; but as a child she wanted to be an artist with celebrity status. “I started writing prose poetry at university,” she says. “The poems…
Liadán has always wanted to write – English was her best subject, but being shy, she hated it when her work was read out in front of the class. She wanted to be a journalist, but…
With the 2020 festival cancelled, I’m wishing I was in Bantry, and am remembering last year. Roll on July 2021! HERE ARE THE 12 THINGS I LEARNED: 1. John Boyne auditioned for Boyzone – and only…
During university holidays Giles worked for an adventure company. He taught in Kenya, before setting up a division in Peru. He returned often, leading mountaineering expeditions. And after graduation, he worked in Ghana, then Fiji, as…
At 7, Niamh asked for a real typewriter for Christmas. “I paid for my own ribbons and had to conserve ink. I’ve always known I’d be a writer, but it’s hard to write well. It took…