Munster Literature Centre
Ionad Litríochta an Deisceart

Culture Night 2022: Catch a Culture Bus

Based at City Hall on 23rd September, this year sees the return of the Culture Buses provided by Bus Eireann. Featuring Words in Motion – spoken word performances by Cork poets and writers, curated by the Munster Literature Centre, and supported by the Local Live Performance Programming Scheme. The special bus service will begin at 7pm will run until 10pm on the night, with buses leaving approximately every 20 minutes from the three Culture Stops at City Hall. We will have seven writers featured on the buses.

Tadgh Coakley  is a Mallow native, living in Cork City. Coakley is a novelist and memoirist. Whatever it Takes – a crime novel was published in 2020. Coakley will read from his best-selling memoir on sport The Game as well as from his ‘hurling’ novel The First Sunday in September.

Alannah Hopkin is a novelist, short story writer and memoirist working and living in Kinsale. She served as Frank O’Connor Fellow in 2020. Hopkin will read from her memoir A Very Strange Man about living with her late husband, the renowned Irish writer Aidan Higgins. Hopkins will interweave readings from Higgins’ own memoirs.

Gerry Murphy was born in Cork City where he still lives. Murphy was bestowed with the unofficial title Poet Laureate of the People’s Republic of Cork. Murphy will read poems about growing up in a working-class family in Cork’s North Side during the 50s & 60s.

Billy O’Callaghan is from Douglas. O’Callaghan is a novelist and short story writer whose work has gathered praise from Bernard MacLaverty, John Banville and Ryan Tubridy. O’Callaghan will read from a selection of his fiction, which has been published across the world in translation.

Niamh O’Connell is a Cork-based poet. She holds an MA in poetry creative writing from Newcastle University. O’Connell runs creative writing workshops for both children and adults. Her poetry has appeared in multiple publications, including The Quarryman  and Banshee. O’Connell’s poetry touches upon the themes of nature, urban living, and relationships. 

Neo Florence Gilson is a Cork based poet, writer, singer, storyteller, she is originally from South Africa. Love, unity, respect, empathy, and affirmation are the themes she is most drawn to in her writing and performances. Her presentation for Cork Culture night 2022  will be a cultural exchange where Ireland meets Africa through storytelling and poetry. 

Mary Noonan teaches French literature at University College Cork. She also contributes to summer schools and community education workshops in creative writing. Her first collection The Fado House (Dedalus Press, 2012) – was shortlisted for the Seamus Heaney Centre Prize and the Strong/Shine Award, and won the Listowel Poetry Prize. Subsequent works have also been shortlisted for awards and have appeared in numerous publications. Mary is often featured reading at poetry festivals. Mary was Poetry Editor of the online literary magazine Southword Journal from 2016-2018.