Spike Island has officially launched their full programme of events for the inaugural Spike Island Literary Festival which will take place from Friday 2nd to Sunday 4th September 2022. Dedicated to the popular theme of crime writing, the festival will take place on a very fitting unique island location with a dark history of four prisons over 400 years.
The festival is led by Cobh author Michelle Dunne, Spike Island Manager John Crotty and the Island's museum curator Dorota Gubbins, and will welcome several acclaimed local and national writers, all while providing a unique event experience within the grounds of an ancient fortress and prison.
Those attending can further their knowledge and enhance their writing skills with many event formats to choose from including author-led talks, crime writing and screenwriting workshops as well as meetings with publishers. In addition, each visitor will have the opportunity to enjoy a special tour on arrival with a focus on murder mystery and the darker tales of the historic island.
The festival commences on Friday 2nd September with a fantastic evening featuring an interview with two of Ireland’s foremost thriller writers, Alex Barclay and Liz Nugent. Throughout the course of the weekend, attendees can also expect a stellar line-up of renowned authors such as Mark Billingham, John Connolly, Tadgh Coakley, Conal Creedon, Amy Cronin, Catherine Kirwin, Michelle Dunne and Andrea Mara.
Island Manager John Crotty said: "We are extremely excited for this interesting and highly appropriate event on the island. As well as the incredible speaking and workshop events, our guides cannot wait to take the attendees on a very special tour focused on the crimes and criminals associated with the island. The island has been home to tens of thousands of Irelands more notorious criminals over the last 400 years, who have inspired movies, books and songs. Who knows what inspiration the next generation of crime writers and seasons authors might find among the rich stories of Spike Island Cork.”
Tickets for all events are on sale now at www.spikeislandcork.ie
