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In this episode of the DCLA podcast, Michelle Read reads the first three stories featured in The Long Gaze Back. Michelle Read, is an actor and voice artist and an advocate of reading aloud for adults. She reads ‘The Purple Jar’ by Maria Edgeworth; ‘Frank's Resolve’ by Charlotte Riddell; ‘Poisson d'Avril’ by Somerville and Ross.

In this episode of the DCLA podcast, authors Susan Stairs, Nuala O’Connor and Eimear Ryan discuss their short stories in The Long Gaze Back. Chaired by Sinéad Gleeson.Susan reads from ‘As seen from space’Nuala reads from ‘Shut Your Mouth, Hélène’Eimear reads from ‘Lane in Stay’Recorded at Cabra Library on 23 April 2018Nuala O’Connor (aka Nuala Ní Chonchúir) is a writer and poet who has published 14 books, including Miss Emily and Becoming Belle. She has been published in Granta, The Stinging Fly, and Guernica, among many others. Eimear Ryan’s writing has appeared in Winter Papers, The Dublin Review, gorse, The Stinging Fly, Granta.com and the Faber anthology Town & Country. She is co-editor of the literary journal Banshee. From Co. Tipperary, she lives in CorkSusan Stairs received her Masters in Creative Writing from University College Dublin in 2009 and her story ‘The Rescue’ was shortlisted for the Davy Byrnes Irish Writing Award the same year. She has published three novels: The Story of Before (2013) and The Boy Between (2015) and her third novel One Good Reason (2017).Sinéad Gleeson is the editor of The Long Gaze Back and The Glass Shore, two anthologies of stories by Irish women writers. Sinead's collection of essays Constellations was published in 2019 by Picador.  You can subscribe to the Dublin City Libraries and Archives podcast on Soundcloud, iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. This season is based on recordings from the 2018 Dublin: One City, One Book events. Dublin: One City, One Book is an award-winning Dublin City Council initiative, led by Dublin City Libraries and Dublin UNESCO City of Literature, that encourages everyone to read a particular book during the month of April every year. 2018's choice was 'The Long Gaze Back' which you can read on Borrowbox and of course you can order it from your favourite bookshop.The Dublin: One City, One Book for 2020 is Tatty by Christine Dwyer Hickey, available electronically on our BorrowBox app and from your favourite bookseller.Finally if you’re interested in podcasts why not check out the Dublin Festival of History podcast which features recordings from the free annual event and the new City of Books podcast with Martina Devlin, the podcast for people who believe stories matter. And that you can never have too many books.

In this episode of the DCLA podcast, art historian Jessica Fahy discusses portraits of Irish women writers in collections of the Hugh Lane Gallery.

In this episode of the DCLA podcast, The Long Gaze Back authors Bernie McGill, Lia Mills and Éilís Ní Dhuibhne read from their work and talk with Sinéad Gleeson about the anthology, their work, and being a female author in Ireland today.Recorded at Blanchardstown Library on 12 April 2018, with thanks to Fingal Libraries.

The shortlist for 2019's International Dublin Literary award has just been announced and it includes two Irish authors! The award is for novels written in English or translated to English. As well as the entries form Ireland this year's shortlist of ten includes books from France, Pakistan, the UK and the USA.The International DUBLIN Literary Award is proudly sponsored by Dublin City Council and managed by Dublin City Libraries. The award is worth €100,000 to the winner. If the book has been translated the author receives €75,000 and the translator received €25,000.   The two Irish novels are Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney and Midwinter Break by Bernard MacLaverty. The complete list of shortlisted titles are:Compass by Mathias Énard  (French) Translated from French by Charlotte Mandell. Nominated by Paris, France and Kecskemét, Hungary.Borrow a copy from the library History of Wolves by Emily Fridlund (American). Nominated by Zurich, Switzerland and Stamford, USA.Borrow a copy from the library Exit West by Mohsin Hamid (Pakistani / British). Nominated by Bridgetown, Barbados; Brussels, Belgium; Halifax and Toronto, Canada; Dusseldorf, Germany; Barcelona, Spain; Houston, Los Angeles, Cincinnati, San Diego and Pittsburgh, USA.Borrow a copy from the library | Borrow an ebook Midwinter Break by Bernard MacLaverty (Northern Ireland). Nominated by Newcastle and London, UK; Galway, Ireland; Bern, Switzerland; Milwaukee and San Diego, USA.Borrow a copy from the library | Borrow an ebook Reservoir 13 by Jon McGregor (British). Nominated by Brussels, Belgium; Sydney and Winnipeg, Canada; Nottingham, UK; Limerick, Ireland and Bergen, Norway.Borrow a copy from the library  | Borrow an ebook Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney (Irish). Nominated by Liverpool, Dublin and Stockholm, Sweden.Borrow a copy from the library | Borrow an ebook Idaho by Emily Ruskovich (American). Nominated by Brugges, Belgium.Borrow a copy from the library Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders (American). Nominated by Prague, Czech Republic; Reykjavík, Iceland; Barcelona, Spain; Cincinnati, Portland, Kansas City, Denver, Concord and Iowa City, USA.Borrow a copy from the library | Borrow an ebook A Boy in Winter by Rachel Seiffert (British). Nominated by Bergen, Norway.Borrow a copy from the library Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie (Pakistani / British). Nominated by Philadelphia, Richmond and Columbia, USA.Borrow a copy from the library Speaking about the award Lord Mayor of Dublin, and Patron of the Award, Nial Ring said "The egalitarian way in which books are long listed, through public libraries worldwide, is to be commended in a world where sales figures can dominate the literary conversation so often. The beauty of this award is that it reaches out to readers and authors worldwide, while also celebrating excellence in contemporary Irish literature represented on the 2019 shortlist by Sally Rooney and Bernard MacLaverty."The titles on this year’s shortlist were nominated by public libraries in Barbados, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the UK and the USA said Mairead Owens, Dublin City Librarian. The novels come from France, Ireland, Pakistan, the UK and the USA and it is from this diverse list that the eventual winner will be chosen. Memorable characters tell stories of identity and displacement, violence and war, family, relationships and loss, set in both familiar and unfamiliar countries and cultures. ‘The five member international judging panel, chaired by Hon. Eugene R. Sullivan, will select one winner, which will be announced by the Lord Mayor, Patron of the Award, on Wednesday 12th June.

Congratulations to Sara Baume whose second book 'a line made by walking' has been shortlisted for the Goldsmiths Prize 2017. 'A line made by walking' charts a young artist's search for meaning and healing in rural Ireland. Struggling to cope with urban life and life in general, Frankie retreats to her family's rural house on "turbine hill," vacant since her grandmother's death three years earlier.Listen back to Sara reading from and discussing 'a line made by walking' at our recent Contemporary Irish Authors series at the Central Library.Irish authors have good form, winning three out of four Goldsmiths Prizes since its inception in 2013.The shortlist features two former winners of the International Dublin Literary Award, Nicola Barker, who won in 2000 with Wide Open and and Jon McGregor, who won in 2012 with Even the Dogs.  Will Self as the author of many books, needs no introduction! There is one debut novel on the shortlist, Playing Possum by Kevin Davey. First Love is the fifth novel by English author Gwendoline Riley. She has previously won the Betty Trask Award and a Somerset Maugham Award.The full shortlist, with links to our catalogue:H(a)ppy by Nicola Barker. Williiam HeinemannA Line Made by Walking by Sara Baume. William HeinemannPlaying Possum by Kevin Davey. Aaaargh! PressReservoir 13 by Jon McGregor. 4th EstateFirst Love by Gwendoline Riley. GrantaPhone by Will Self. VikingAbout the AwardThe Goldsmiths Prize was established in 2013 to "celebrate the qualities of creative daring... and to reward fiction that breaks the mould or opens up new possibilities for the novel form." (Quote) The prize is sponsored by Goldsmiths, University of London in association with the New Statesman, and is open to works by authors from the UK and the Republic of Ireland.Previous winners2016: Solar Bones by Mike McCormack2015: Beatlebone by Kevin Barry2014: How to be Both by Ali Smith2013: A Girl is a Half-Formed Thing by Eimear McBrideThe winner will be announced on 15 November. 

Listen back to authors Danielle McLaughlin and Roisín O'Donnell reading from their collections and discussing their creative writing process. Recorded in the Central Library on 7 April 2017 as part of their Contemporary Irish Literature Series which took place during March and April 2017.

Tá leabhair Ghaeilge den scoth le fáil i leabharlanna áirithe Bhaile Átha Cliath an Seachtain na Gaeilge seo i gcomhar le Love Leabhair Gaeilge.Seo rogha de leabhair Ghaeilge le daoine fásta a fháil ar iasacht: Cluiche na coronach. George R.R. MartinÚrscéal fantaisíochta móréilimh, agus an chéad imleabhar sa tsraith eipiceach ‘A Song of Ice and Fire’ leis an úrscéalaí iomráiteach Meiriceánach George R. R. Martin — agus é aistrithe ag Oisín Ó Muirthile. Tá an tsraith aistrithe go hiliomad teangacha agus tá leagan scannánaithe ag HBO á chraoladh ar an teilifís go hidirnáisiúnta. I mBéarla, in 1996 a foilsíodh ar dtús é, faoin  teideal A Game of Thrones.Seo chugainn an Geimhreadh!  Portráidí na Scríbhneoirí Gaeilge: Glacadh ag Máire Uí Mhaicín. In eagar ag Dr Liam Mac AmhlaighTionscadal eiseamláireach é Portráidí na Scríbhneoirí Gaeilge a dhéanann an Scríbhneoir Gaeilge a chomóradh agus a thugann ábhar grianghrafadóireachta den scoth i láthair an phobail. Sa chnuasach álainn lán-daite seo, foilsítear portráidí de 107 de na scríbhneoirí is aitheanta i saol na Gaeilge, idir údair liteartha agus scríbhneoirí acadúla, ar tógadh a bportráidí go digiteach idir 2009-2013, ag Máire Uí Mhaicín d’Fhoras na Gaeilge. Cuimsítear filí, úrscéalaithe, gearrscéalaithe, scríbhneoirí béaloidis, scríbhneoirí do pháistí, scoláirí léinn agus scríbhneoirí ó sheánraí liteartha eile. Cuirtear beathaisnéis agus, de réir mar a oireann, sliocht dá saothar go tánaisteach leo.  Bliainiris 11.Eagarthóirí Ruairí Ó hUiginn agus Liam Mac CóilIris bhliantúil a dhíríonn ar ealaín an fhocail agus a chuireann leis an gcuspóir sin trí aird a dhíriú ar na healaíona eile, go háirithe ar an ealaín phictiúrtha.Ar na scríbhneoirí sa eagrán seo tá: Cormac Ó Gráda, Aindrias Ó Cathasaigh, Seán Mac Mathúna, Marie Whelton, Micheál Mac Craith, Fionntán de Brún, Art Ó Maolfabhail, Aingeal Ní Chualáin, Isobel Ní Riain agus Mry Creimin. Chomh maith le saothair ealaíne le Sinéad Ní Mhaonaigh.  Solas ar na Dumhchannaí: Aistí i gCuimhne ar Mhuiris Ó Meara. In eagar ag Ailbhe Ní Ghearbhuigh agus Siún Ní Dhuinn.Ba mhór an stangadh a baineadh as pobal na Gaeilge nuair a cailleadh Muiris Ó Meara go hóg i samhradh na bliana 2014. Bhí an-ghealladh faoi Mhuiris mar scoláire agus mar scríbhneoir cruithaitheach. Iarradh ar chairde agus ar léachtóirí Mhuiris aistí acadúla a sholáthar don chnuasach aistí seo.Cuimsíonn na haistí seo na réimse spéise a bhí ag Muiris féin: an scannánaíocht,an chritic chultúírtha, an amhránaíocht, an fhílíocht agus an Cumann Lúthchleas Gael.  Go mbeinnse choíche saor. Scéalta le Máire Dinny WrenBailiúchán scéalta faoi mhná láidre a mbíonn orthu streachailt in éadan a ndíchumhachtaithe i saol nach bhfuil i gcónaí ceart ná cóir. Tá uaillmhian na saoirse le feiceáil sna mná seo, tallanna dochloíte na beatha a thugann orthu troid ar son a saoirse agus a neamhspleáchais. Foréigean, fealladh, dealús, imirce; tá siad go léir sna scéalta seo agus iad tiomáinte ag tuigsint ghéar ar an daonnacht agus ar an ghrá atá i gcroílár gach carachtair. Scéalta curtha i láthair i nguth fileata a thugann le fios go bhfuil i gcónaí níos mó ag tarlú ná mar a tchítear ar an chéad amharc.  Croí ag lorg an tSuaimhnis. Dáithí Ó Ceallaigh OSATurais spioradálta agus creidimh Naoimh Agaistín agus na príomhphointí teagaisc agus Diagachta a tháinig uaidh sna Faoistiní agus i saothair eile maidir leis an mbeatha Chríostaí. Evangelii Gaudium Gairdeas an tSoisceil. An Pápa FrainsiasAn chéad Apostolic exhortation ó Phápa Francis."An Joy an tSoiscéil líonann an gcroí agus saol gach duine a bhíonn Íosa. Iad siúd a glacadh a thairiscint an tslánaithe a leagtar saor in aisce ó pheaca, brón, fholús inmheánach agus uaigneas. Le áthas Críost a rugadh i gcónaí as an nua. Sa exhortation mian liom a spreagadh an dílis Críostaí tabhairt ar chaibidil nua de evangelization marcáilte ag an-áthas, agus ag cur in iúl cosáin nua do thuras na hEaglaise sna blianta amach romhainn." Pápa Francis (Evangelii Gaudium) Love Leabhar Gaeilge is a national campaign sponsored by Foras na Gaeilge, run by MeasMedia, and featuring all of the leading Irish language book publishers. Look out for Love Leabhar Gaeilge stands in libraries.

We are delighted to announce that Echoland by Joe Joyce, published by Liberties Press, is the Dublin: One City One Book choice for 2017. Echoland is the first novel in the Echoland series by Joe Joyce. Set in Dublin in the 1940s, with the threat of British or German invasion hanging over the country, it features young lieutenant Paul Duggan, who is tasked with investigating a suspected German spy. An addictive thriller about the double-dealing world of spies and politics, it shines a light on an exciting period in Ireland’s history.The announcement follows a highly successful Dublin: One City One Book Festival in 2016, when the book choice was Fallen by Lia Mills, and the festival became Two Cities One Book, when it twinned with Belfast for the commemorative year.Lord Mayor Brendan Carr said "I am very pleased that Echoland by Joe Joyce has been chosen for 'Dublin: One City One Book' 2017. I am sure that lovers of thrillers and of history will enjoy this book. I encourage all Dubliners to read this book and participate in the programme of events during the month of April 2017, which offers opportunities to engage with Echoland in a range of contexts.'Dublin City Librarian Margaret Hayes added “Dublin: One City One Book 2017 will be the twelfth year of this annual programme. Echoland is set in the Dublin of 1940, expertly capturing the atmosphere of the city as its citizens cope with the challenges of the Emergency. It's a brilliant opportunity for us to re-imagine our City as it was, while enjoying a thrilling read."Joe Joyce said, "I'm delighted and honoured that Echoland will be Dublin's One City One Book for 2017. The city is an integral part of the book, not just the backdrop to a spy story. As I was writing it, I was very conscious of the hardships and great dangers of the Emergency period, faced - as always by Dubliners - with resilience and wit."Since its inception in 2006, the Dublin: One City One Book Festival has encouraged everyone to read a book connected with Dublin during the month of April. The initiative is led by Dublin City Council's Public Library Service as part of Dublin's  UNESCO City of Literature designation and is supported by the Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs.Check the availability of 'Echoland' in the library catalogue. | Download Echoland eBook.Listen to Joe Joyce reading from Echoland (recorded in the Central Library, 3 October 2013)A full programme of events will be announced in early 2017.About the BookJune, 1940.France is teetering on the brink of collapse. British troops are desperately fleeing Dunkirk. Germany is winning the war. Its next target is Britain . . . and Ireland? In neutral Dublin, opinions are divided. Some want Germany to win, others favour Britain, most want to stay out of the war altogether.In this atmosphere of edgy uncertainty, young lieutenant Paul Duggan is drafted into G2, the army’s intelligence division, and put on the German desk. He’s given a suspected German spy to investigate, one who doesn’t appear to do much, other than write ambiguous letters to a German intelligence post box in Copenhagen. Before Duggan can probe further, however, he is diverted by a request from his politician uncle to try and find his daughter, who’s gone missing, possibly kidnapped.Enlisting the help of witty Special Branch detective Peter Gifford, the two lines of inquiry take Duggan into the double-dealing worlds of spies and politics, and lead him back to a shocking secret that will challenge everything he has grown up believing. An addictive thriller that will keep you glued to the page, traversing the City of Dublin, right through to its heart-pounding finale.About the AuthorJoe Joyce is the author of five thrillers: Echoland, Echobeat and Echowave  (all set during the Second World War in Dublin); The Trigger Man (set during the Irish 'Troubles' in the late 1980s) and Off The Record (set in the 1970s world of Irish journalism); a history/biography of The Guinnesses and a critically acclaimed play, The Tower, about James Joyce and Oliver St John Gogarty.He is co-author with Peter Murtagh of The Boss, the classic account of Irish politician Charles Haughey in power, and Blind Justice, about a celebrated miscarriage of justice in Ireland in the 1970s.He has worked as a journalist for The Irish Times, The Guardian, and Reuters news agency. He lives in Dublin.D1C1B on Twitter | #1city1book | #Echoland

We invite children to delve into the world of Ebony Smart, a 12-year old girl whose world has just changed forever  - a new home in Dublin that is full of secrets, a magical book that unlocks the mystery to her past and a mysterious boy called Zach who befriends her – for the Citywide Reading Campaign for Children 2016.The campaign is run by Dublin UNESCO City of Literature and Dublin City Public Libraries, in partnership with Mercier Press, and runs from January to March 2016.The Book of Learning by E.R. Murray is a story of mystery and adventure, and will appeal to both girls and boys of 9 years and older. There will be author visits to branch libraries as well as city-centre based events to promote the campaign, which encourages children to read for pleasure. The book features many well known Dublin landmarks such as Glasnevin Cemetery, the Botanic Gardens, the Natural History Museum, the National Library and Saint Stephen's Green.An t-Ardmhéara Críona Ní Dhálaigh said: "The Book of Learning is a book that will enchant and engage boys and girls from aged 9 upwards, and I encourage children and their parents all across the city to read it and to visit their local Dublin City library to find out more about the fun events taking place. Is scéal draíochtach é a bheadh taitneamhach do éinne thar 9 mbliana d’aois.""I'm delighted The Book of Learning has been chosen for this year's Citywide Reading campaign, especially since Dublin is so central to the story." says E.R. Murray. "I wanted to capture the city's essence in an adventure story that was both magical and mysterious – so get ready for wildcats, enchanted books, underground lairs, and shark submarines! I can't wait to meet lots of young readers at events in the New Year – after all, it's the readers that bring stories to life and make writing so worthwhile."Details of the campaign will be available in early January here and at www.dublincityofliterature.ie. The project is funded by Dublin City Council's Library Service and the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.