Congratulations to Fermanagh Writers’ members – and especially Gordon Williams and his proofreading team – for all their hard work. When we went to work on the project last year members scribbled furiously to produce stories and poems for Tuesdays At Charlie’s and the production team put it all together. Tuesdays just celebrated the first anniversary of its release last month and this week we have learned that the collection was shortlisted for Writing Magazine’s Writers Circle Anthology contest. So well done everyone!
Yesterday at the Dialogues Through Literature Readers’ Symposium in Ballinamore, Co Leitrim Fermanagh Writers celebrated the launch of Tuesdays At Charlie’s. We had already launched the book in Enniskillen in May. But since two of our members live in Co Leitrim we also wanted to celebrate the book in Co Leitrim. The book was on sale at the event and was well received by readers.
Helen Osborne
Helen Osborne, Northern Ireland Libraries, introduced members of our group who read excerpts from the book and she commended the book to the audience.
Angela McCabe and her stepson read two of her poems. The pieces clearly evoked a sense of these places that are important to Angela.
Anthony Viney read one of his prose pieces, a chilling story entitled Friends Re-united.
Ballinamore Festival, Dialogues through Literature, had as it’s theme the concept of
Angela McCabe
borders and of crossing them to establish dialogue through the medium of literature. On the day that we attended, we shared a platform with Booker Prizewinner, DBC Pierre, who explored the concept of borders in his presentation as well as reading extracts from his book concerning the US-Mexico border. Later we had a presentation from Tony McAuley, about his childhood in Belfast, how social and political borders were inculcated in him from a young age, through prejudice, fear and bigotry. He spoke about how he crossed those borders and began a lifelong commitment to breaking down barriers here in Northern Ireland, bringing people
Anthony Viney
together through literature. He emphasised that people have much more in common, than what they have different. These presentations and following discussions have inspired us to further develop our commitment to do more cross-border work and to challenge barriers that still exist in Fermanagh. At the event, we met with people from both sides of the border and exchanged ideas and we discovered a mutuality of interests and potential for future cross-border co-operation.
The benefit to ourselves, is not just the pecuniary ones from the sales of our book, welcome that those are, but the chance to meet and talk with a wider range of people than we usually would.
We look forward to extending and reinforcing our links with the likes of the Ballinamore Festival to further develop cross-border relations and profile.
We would like to thank them for inviting us to be a part of their event and we look to a brighter shared future together.
Here’s a couple more photos from Tuesdays At Charlie’s launch evening at the Ardhowen Theatre. For the first one we got almost all the contributors to the book together for a photo with Keith Baker. In the second one, Fermanagh Writers’ treasurer and secretary pose with Keith Baker.
Fermanagh Writers with Keith Baker
The photos were printed in the Impartial Reporterfollowing the launch. They are used here courtesy of the photographer, Ronan McGrade.
Here’s a photo of our members, Tony Brady and Catharine May with Keith Baker. This photo is used courtesy of Fermanagh News.
We couldn’t have had a better evening – we launched Tuesdays At Charlie’s on Thursday at the Ardhowen Theatre in Enniskillen and the evening was a terrific success. The weather was gorgeous, we had a full house and everyone enjoyed the entertainment and the wine and nibbles. As we walked around the room at the end of the evening we could hear people still talking about the stories they had heard read – it was great to know they had made an impression on our listeners.
Tony Viney
Our Chair, Tony Viney welcomed everyone and introduced our Master of Ceremonies, Keith Baker.
Keith Baker
Keith Baker delighted the audience by saying that he feels there are two literary capitals in the world – Paris and Enniskillen. From his comments, he seemed to enjoy Tuesdays At Charlie’s and meeting members of Fermanagh Writers – we’re a very mixed, lively group so dinner with us before the launch must have been an interesting experience for him.
Peter Byrne
Peter Byrne read his story, My First Performance, and had the audience laughing along with the antics of the young lead character.
Cait Vallely
Cait Vallely read a selection of poems by Angela McCabe as Angela was unable to attend the evening. The room was silent as the audience imagined the mountain described in Sliabh an Iareann.
Gordon Williams
Gordon Williams stretched the audience’s credulity as he read, Survivor, a tale of a search for the wreck of the Titanic. There was silence as they hung on his words interspersed with bouts of laughter as various points sunk in.
In between the readings Together One Voice choir gave an enthusiastic performance, singing a variety of songs from around the world.
Together One Voice
The guests also enjoyed refreshments – wine and nibbles. There were a couple tables piled with cheese and crackers, other finger food and the most delicious mini-muffins which were baked by our member, Tammy Swift. The nibbles nearly flew off the table and Tammy and Grainne Farrell were kept busy all evening keeping it replenished.
Since the evening was about Tuesdays At Charlie’s our book table was set near the door where it was easy to find. Marie Connor and her helpers rarely had a break all evening as there was a steady demand for books.
Marie Connor manning book table
We had all the ingredients for a great launch and they combined in just the right way to produce a wonderful evening. So we’ve now sent Tuesdays At Charlie’s into the world. It is available at Easons Bookshop in Enniskillen and also directly from us. To purchase a copy directly from us email us at fermanaghwriters AT aol. DOT com. It is £5 when purchased directly from Fermanagh Writers.
Tuesdays at Charlie’s has been getting some media attention during the past week and our members have stepped up to the mark to talk about the book. Cait Vallely was interviewed on Ocean FM last Thursday. She had a great chat with Margaret C Flynn on her radio programme about the book and the many types of stories included in it. Ian Butler was interviewed by Roisin Gorman of the Sunday World last weekend about his forthcoming novel, Burger Bar Dad, and also Tuesdays’ upcoming launch. Angela McCabe was interviewed by the Leitrim Observerabout the book and the Ballinamore launch in August and her interview will be in the paper this week.The book is also popping up online. Writing.Ie (www.writing.ie) has posted an article by our secretary, Dianne Trimble, about the process we went through to produce the book and how it turned out. It’s on their website at:http://writing.ie/writers-toolbox/getting-published/more-publishing-options/591-tuesdays-at-charlies-fermanagh-writers-group.html
They have also listed our launch in their events page and they will be reviewing the book soon.
We couldn’t have had a better evening – we launched Tuesdays At Charlie’s on Thursday at the Ardhowen Theatre in Enniskillen and the evening was a terrific success. The weather was gorgeous, we had a full house and everyone enjoyed the entertainment and the wine and nibbles. As we walked around the room at the end of the evening we could hear people still talking about the stories they had heard read – it was great to know they had made an impression on our listeners.
with cheese and crackers, other finger food and the most delicious mini-muffins which were baked by our member, Tammy Swift. The nibbles nearly flew off the table and Tammy and Grainne Farrell were kept busy all evening keeping it replenished.
produce a wonderful evening. So we’ve now sent Tuesdays At Charlie’s into the world. It is available at Easons Bookshop in Enniskillen and also directly from us. To purchase a copy directly from us email us at fermanaghwriters AT aol. DOT com. It is £5 when purchased directly from Fermanagh Writers.
