Burning Books Ireland

Éilís Ní Dhuibhne tells Ruth McKee about the books which have been important in her life, through childhood, love, and loss—and talks about how her writing practice has evolved.  Éilís Ní Dhuibhne, The Laureate for Irish Fiction, writes in both Irish and English. A member of Aosdána, she is Writer Fellow at UCD, where she teaches MA-level Creative Writing. She has been the recipient of many literary awards, most recently the Pen Award for an Outstanding Contribution to Irish Literature, and a Hennessy Hall of Fame Award, many Oireachtas Awards for her writing in Irish, and the Stuart Parker Award for Drama. Her novel, The Dancers Dancing, was shortlisted for the Orange Prize in 2000. She has published several collections of short stories, the most recent being Selected Stories (Blackstaff 2023) and Fáínne Geal and Lae (Clo Iar Chonnacht 2023).

Brendan Mac Evilly talks about  Jean Paul Sartre, Dermot Healy, the art world and the artist as he tells Ruth McKee which books he’d save if his house was on fire.  Brendan Mac Evilly is director and co-editor of Holy Show, an annual arts journal and production company. He is the 2024/25 Emerging Curator in Development at Kilkenny Arts Office. His debut novel, Deep Burn, is published by Marrowbone Books. 

Theo Dorgan talks about Doris Lessing, Robert Graves, observation and imagination as he talks to Ruth McKee for the latest episode of Burning Books. Theo Dorgan has published ten collections of poetry, and is also a translator, editor, essayist, novelist, broadcaster and documentary screenwriter. Volumes of his work have been published in Spanish, Italian, Greek and French, while among his own translations are three collections from the French of Syrian poet Maram al Masri and a version in Irish Gaelic of Lorca’s Romancero Gitano. His latest novel, Camarade, is out now with Mercier Press.

Gráinne O’Brien talks about moving to California, the influence of music in her life and work, and how she became a bookseller and writer as she tells Ruth McKee which books she’d save if her house was on fire. Gráinne O'Brien is a bookseller and the founder of Rontu Literary Service, which is dedicated to supporting writers of fiction for children. She is the author of the children’s book  A Limerick Fairytale (O’Brien Press). Solo is her debut verse novel for young adults (Little Island Books).

Rosemary Jenkinson talks about not being able to find the university library, living up to her Wikipedia page, and her experience in Ukraine, as she tells Ruth McKee which books she would save if her house was on fire. Rosemary Jenkinson is an award winning author who writes plays, short stories, and recently a collection of poetry. Now she has published her debut novel, The Memorisers, with Arlen House.

Claire Hennessy talks about Malory Towers, Wonder Boys, Rachel’s Holiday and all kinds of everything from depression to editing as she tells Ruth McKee which books she would save if her house was on fire. Claire Hennessy is a writer, editor and creative writing facilitator. Best known as an author and reviewer of YA fiction, In the Movie of Her Life (Doire Press) is her debut collection of short stories for adults.

Patrick Holloway talks about acting, language, and art as a deeper way of communication as he tells Ruth McKee which books he would save if his house was on fire. Patrick Holloway’s debut novel, The Language of Remembering, is out now with Époque Press.

Ashwin Chacko talks about Curdie and the Goblin, Lord of the Rings, The Shack by Paul Young, the Bible and more as he tells Ruth McKee which books he’d save if his house was on fire. Ashwin Chacko is an author, illustrator, and motivational speaker who specialises in positively playful, visual storytelling. His books include Keep At It, Little Optimist, Everybody Feels Fear, and his most recent, Wild City which is published by The O’Brien Press.

Julianne Mooney Siron talks about growing up in Greystones, her travels after college, and returning to Ireland and the Dublin Book Festival as she tells Ruth McKee which books she’d save if her house was on fire. Julianne Mooney Siron has been programming the Dublin Book Festival since 2010. Alongside the festival, she has worked at The Ark, is author of The Time Out Guide to Ireland and was Reader-in-Residence for Dublin City Public Libraries and DLR Libraries. 

Poet Jessica Traynor talks about The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, Linda Gregg’s All of it Singing, and Mary Ruefle as she explores growing as an artist, a time of loss, and the joy of mystery in poetry as she tells Ruth McKee which books she’d save if her house was on fire.   Jessica Traynor is the author of Liffey Swim (Dedalus Press), The Quick (Dedalus Press), and Pit Lullabies (Bloodaxe Books), and is the poetry editor of Banshee. Her forthcoming collection is New Arcana, which will be published by Bloodaxe Books.

Eoghan Smith talks about the influence of philosophy, learning the piano, and staying curious in his reading and work as he tells Ruth McKee which books he’d save if his house was on fire. Eoghan Smith is the author of The Failing Heart,  A Provincial Death, and A Mind of Winter (Dedalus Books).

Cauvery Madhavan talks about Mulk Raj Anand, Amitav Ghosh, Khalil Gibran and more as she talks to Ruth McKee about starting school early, a tragedy in her life, and moving to Ireland when she was 23. Discover the books she’d save if her house was on fire in the latest episode of Burning Books.   Cauvery Madhavan was born in India and moved to Ireland thirty-three years ago. She is the author of Paddy Indian, The Uncoupling, and The Tainted. Her latest novel, The Inheritance (HopeRoad Publishing), is out now.

Michael Magee talks about his early life, finding the path to becoming a writer, and the influence of Hemmingway and Chekhov—and much more—for this special live recording of Burning Books at the West Cork Literary Festival. Michael Magee’s debut novel Close To Home won the Rooney Prize for Literature, the Nero Book Award for Debut Fiction and the Waterstones Irish Book of the Year in 2023.

Sarah Webb talks about her early days in Waterstones, how she doesn’t write for the market, and learning to give time to what’s important, as she tells Ruth McKee which books she’d save if her house was on fire.   Sarah Webb is an award-winning Irish children’s writer and creative writing teacher. She is also the events manager at Halfway up the Stairs children’s bookshop in Greystones, Co Wicklow. Her books include Blazing a Trail: Irish Women who Changed the World (illustrated by Lauren O’Neill) and I am the Wind: Irish Poems for Children Everywhere (co-edited by Lucinda Jacob, illustrated by Ashwin Chacko). Her latest book is The Weather Girls (The O’Brien Press) which was inspired by real WW2 events in Ireland.

Catherine Dunne talks about her childhood in Clontarf, an inspiring teacher, and what led her to write her new novel as she tells Ruth McKee which books she would save if her house was on fire.  Catherine Dunne is the author of several award-winning novels, essays, and one work of non-fiction. She received the 2018 Irish PEN Award for Outstanding Contribution to Irish Literature and is a member of Aosdána. Her latest book, A Good Enough Mother, is out now (Betimes Books).

Rónán Hession talks about the natural buoyancy of observations which make it to the page, using a fragment from the day in his writing, and the juice at the heart of a creative work as he tells Ruth McKee which books he'd save if his house was on fire.  Rónán Hession is the multi award winning novelist of Leonard and Hungry Paul (Bluemoose Books, 2019), and Panenka (Bluemoose Books, 2021). His latest novel, Ghost Mountain, is out now, with Bluemoose Books. 

Jane Casey talks about The Hounds of the Morrigan, The Secret History, The Wild Places and more as she explores how it feels to live between London and Dublin, writing the beloved character Maeve Kerrigan, and how there is one book she is reluctant to ever finish. Jane Casey is the best-selling author of the Maeve Kerrigan crime series, and the stand-alone The Killing Kind. Her latest book, A Stranger in the Family, is out now with Harper Collins.  

Jackie Lynam talks about her early reading, Marianne Power, Bob Geldof, the inspiration of Constellations by Sinéad Gleeson, and how a book started the romance with her future husband as she tells Ruth McKee which books she would save if her house was on fire. Jackie Lynam is the author of Traces, her debut collection of poems and essays which engage with the body, illness, motherhood, music, family and friendship. You can find Traces in Books Upstairs, Alan Hanna's Bookshop, and borrow it from libraries nationwide.

Noel O’Regan talks about a reading switch turning on as a teenager, Carver, McGahern, learning from Claire Keegan, and his desire to become a writer as he tells Ruth McKee which books he would save if his house was on fire.   Noel O’Regan is from Tralee, in Co. Kerry. His short fiction is published in The Stinging Fly, Granta, Ambit, Banshee and The London Magazine. His debut novel, Though the Bodies Fall, is published by Granta Books. 

Órfhlaith Foyle talks about a kind of faith in creativity, a different way of being in the world as a writer, and a sense of the other-worldly as she tells Ruth McKee which books she would save if her house was on fire.   Órfhlaith Foyle writes fiction, poetry and drama and lives in Galway. Her work includes the novel Belios (Lilliput Press) and the collections Revenge, Red Riding Hood's Dilemma, Somewhere In Minnesota, and Clemency Browne Dreams of Gin (Arlen House). Her latest short story collection is Three Houses in Rome, published by Doire Press.