Frances Browne Literary Festival announces rescheduled programme

The Frances Browne Literary Festival which was postponed in the wake of the Creeslough tragedy has been rescheduled. 

All proceeds from the rescheduled festival will go to the Creeslough Community Support Fund.

Organisers say it is not possible to run the full original programme, but every effort is being made to host an enjoyable weekend.

A spokesperson said: “We are very grateful to all our funders, supporters, participants and friends who understood our decision to postpone and have helped us reschedule as many of the events as possible.

“We are really looking forward to meeting old friends and new at these very special events.

“We couldn't remount everything that was originally planned and are sorry not to be able to offer them all this time out. We are sure that the unique magic that our Frances inspires will make for some truly memorable shared moments!”

The Frances Browne Literary Festival takes place this Friday and Saturday, November 11 and 12. 

Friday, November 11

A free, unticketed event will take place on Friday evening at 8pm in Kee’s Hotel, Stranorlar. Poets, authors, musicians and dramatists will gather to celebrate the works and legacy of Frances Browne.

Highlights include:

-Prize-giving ceremony for the multi-lingual poetry competition

-Reading from new poetry in Ulster Scots Póames by author and playwright, Anne McMaster

-Live music

-Performances from the prize-winning poets in Irish, English and Ulster Scots

-A choir led by Gordon Speer will perform the hymns of Cecil Frances Alexander, a contemporary of Frances Browne

Saturday, November 12

Creative Writing in Irish led by author and poet Dubhán Ó Longáin in the Isaac Butt Heritage Centre, Cloghan, from 10am to 12 noon. Cost is €15 and the workshop is suitable for fluent and non-fluent Irish speakers

Creative Writing in Ulster-Scots led by Angeline King, Writer in Residence at Ulster University, in the Parish Centre, Stranorlar from 1pm to 3pm. Costing €15, this is an interactive introduction to writing in Ulster dialect considering Scots, Ulster Scots and Ulster English.

Anyone who wishes to register their interest in attending a workshop can do so by emailing info@francesbrowneliteraryfestival.com

Other highlights in Saturday include:

-Launch of the book Bláth an dTulach, a connection of short stories from Ulster will take place in the Coffee Loft, Alexander’s, Ballybofey at 2pm. Contributor Dubhán Ó Longáin will be in conversation with fellow contributor Eithne Ní Ghallchobhair

-Celebration of Ulster Scots Culture in the Parish Centre, Stranorlar at 8pm. This evening of storytelling, drama, music, poetry and more compered by Angeline King is a free, unticketed event. Highlights include Sarah Leech: Strangers To Our Own - a play by Pauline Holland about the 19th Century Donegal poetess’s encounter with the man who discovered her; piper Christy Murray; storytelling and the poems of Robbie Burns with Sam Fletcher; Angeline Kelly reads from her book Dusty Bluebells; writers Anne McMaster and Angeline Kelly share their journeys into writing in Ulster Scots.

There will be an opportunity at non-ticketed events to make a donation to the Creeslough Community Support Fund.

Further information on the festival can be obtained by emailing info@francesbrowneliteraryfestival.com or by calling 074 9131840.