THE LIT FESTIVAL 2021

Waterford, Nov 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th 2021

The Lit Festival of Reading and Writing for Young People is back for 2021 with both in-person and online events!

Workshop and Events:

Wednesday 17th Nov

Raven Interview (US.)

Sarah created Raven, The Acid Bath Princess of The darkness in 2007 when she was 17. These days Sarah lives in Dallas, Texas and loves mockumentaries, making friends with stray cats and eating too much ice cream.

Venue: YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter
Time: Wednesday 17th at 6pm

Bill Koningsberg Interview (US.)

Bill Koningsberg is the award-winning author of six young adult novels. The Porcupine of Truth won the Pen Center USA Literary award and The Stonewall Book Award in 2016. Openly straight won the sid Fleischman Award for Humour, was a finalist for the Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award and Lambda Literary Award in 2014 and has been translated into five languages. His debut novel, Out Of The Pocket, won the Lambda Literary Award in 2009. The Music Of What Happens, released in 2019, received two starred reviews, and has been optioned for a film. His latest novel, The Bridge, was released in the fall of 2020. It has received two starred reviews. In 2018, The National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE)’s Assembly on Literature for Adolescents (ALAN) established the Bill Koningsberg Award for Acts and Activism for Equity and Inclusion through Young Adult Literature.

Prior to turning his attention to writing books for teens, Bill was a sports writer and editor for The Associated Press and ESPN.com. He lives in Phoenix, Arizona, with his husband, Chuck, and their Australian Labradoodles, Mabel and Buford.

Venue: YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter
Time: Wednesday 17th at 6pm

Uppbeat Interview – Hip Hop Singer Finn Costello (IRL.)

An experimental and ambitious artist from the West of Ireland. Uppbeat captivates audiences with raw lyrics depicting the social issues of our time. He’s on a mission to fuse the sounds of our generation with the stories of our generation. Boasting complete independence and garnering 100’s of thousands of streams across Spotify and a punchy live set Uppbeat is carving his own lane in the world of music and culture.

Venue: YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Time: Wednesday 17th at 6pm

Sophie Gonzales Interview (Aus.)

Sophie Gonzales writes young adult queer contemporary fiction with memorable characters, biting wit and endless heart.

She is the author of ‘The Law Of Inertia’ and ‘Only Mostly Devastated’. ‘Perfect On Paper’ and ‘IF This Gets Out’ (co-written with Cale Dietrich) are forthcoming in Winter and Fall 2021 from Wednesday Books / Macmillan.

When she isn’t writing, Sophie can be found ice skating, performing in musical theatre, and practicing the piano. She currently lives in Melbourne, Australia where she works as a psychologist.

Venue: YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Time: Wednesday 17th at 6pm

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Thursday 18th Nov

The Ghostly World of Gothic Fiction – Creative Writing Workshop

A primary school event with Caroline Busher.

Enter into the ghostly world of gothic fiction. Children will be introduced to classic gothic novels such as Frankenstein and Dracula. We will look at how classic gothic novels influence children’s books today and children will learn how to create a gothic atmosphere by looking at setting and characters. Caroline will read from her new novel “The Legend of Valentine Sorrow” and children will get the opportunity to write their own gothic story.

*This workshop will be happening with a school group, and will not be available to the public*

Venue: Local Primary School
Time: Thursday 18th for 1 hour

Instagram Live By Members of The LIT Committee

Lit Committee members talking about their favourite books and authors
and what we can look forward to at this years festival.

5pm start on Instagram

Venue: Instagram
Time: Thursday 18th at 5pm

 

 

 

 

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Friday 19th Nov

Creative Writing in Schools

A secondary school event with John Cummins

A creative writing workshop for secondary school students with writer and poet John Cummins.

*This workshop will be happening with a school group, and will not be available to the public*

​Venue: Local Secondary School
Time: Friday 19th

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Voices From Direct Provision

To highlight the new publication ‘Voices from Direct Provision’ (published
this coming November) – This new work contains pieces written by
people currently in or who have been in Direct Provision in Ireland
writing about their experiences of the system, as part of a campaign to
provide human faces and voices to the numbers of those oppressed by
the State.

Venue: St. Patricks Gateway Centre
Time: Friday 19th at 7:30pm
Tickets: Free

Click for tickets.

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Saturday 20th Nov

The Legend of Valentine Sorrow – Creative Writing Workshop With Caroline Busher For 9 – 11 Year Olds

Take a trip through Irish history and meet some of the ghastly ghosts unique to Irish myths and legends. Learn how to create your own ghost story and discover how to write creepy tales from Caroline Busher the author of “The Ghosts of Magnificent Children and “The Legend of Valentine Sorrow” (Poolbeg Press). Caroline will read an extract from her novel and will answer any questions that you have about the life of a writer.

Venue: Garter Lane studios, 5 O’Connell Street
Time: Saturday 20th at 11:30am to 12:30pm
Tickets: €5

Click for tickets.

Creative Writing Workshop With John Cummins For 15 – 19 Year Olds

Spoken Word Poet John Cummins has been writing for over twenty years,. “I love playing with language. I call what I do ‘pear-formance’ – spelling it that way with the underline on ‘ear’. It’s a two way thing. When people share the experience with you, well it’s a very spiritual thing, for me anyway”. The workshop will encourage the participants to get on paper what you know, deliver it, say it and speak it.

Venue: St Patricks Gateway Centre
Time: Saturday 20th at 11am to 12:30pm
Tickets: €5

Click for tickets.

Performance Poetry – Lunchtime Public Event

Three poets and performers Sasha Terfous, Stephen James Smith and
John Cummins read from their latest work.

Venue: St. Patricks Gateway Centre
Time: Saturday 20th at 1pm to 2:30pm
Tickets €5

Click for tickets.

Creative Writing Workshop With Stephen James Smith For 15 – 19 Year Olds

“Passionate, witty, just plain great; this man’s voice hops right off the page.”, Roddy Doyle

For this workshop Stephen will focus on his method for writing about people and place.

“Here are poems fuelled by the raw urgency of language leaping to meet the world — and here, too, are poems of a tender heart, always willing to reach out, to try to understand. Stephen James Smith is a poet of uncommon energy, utterly alive to the here and now.”, Paula Meehan

Venue: St. Patricks Gateway Centre
Time: 3pm to 4:30pm
Tickets: 5

Click for tickets.

Discussing Music and Acoustic Set

This will be an informal gathering of young people who have a passion for music and both aliensincaves and The Black Roses will talk about the benefits for them of being involved in music. Both acts will also share some of their music in an acoustic set.

All welcome – all ages event.

Venue: St. Patricks Gateway Centre
Time: Saturday 20th 5pm to 6pm
Tickets: €5

Click for tickets.

Open Mic Night

Open Mic Night aimed at teenagers who wish to perform their writing or
songs or just be an audience member – open to all. With MC – Sasha Terfous.

Venue: TBA
Time: Saturday 20th 7:30pm to 9pm
Tickets: €2

 

 

 

The shortlisted entries for The Creative Writing Competition for Teenagers will be read out during the Open Mic Night which starts at 7:30pm.

This competition was introduced for this year’s LIT festival.

Prizes:
1st prize Book Voucher €100
2nd prize book Voucher €60
3rd prize book voucher €40

Judges comprise of ex-members of the Lit Committee

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Waterford Youth Arts, The Arch, The Barracks, Barrack Street, Waterford X91 YX7Y

Email: info@waterfordyoutharts.com
thelityoungwritersfestival@gmail.com
Website: https://www.thelit.eu/