Irish at international literature festivals

May 2016, Tallinn and Tartu

In May, two international literature festivals take place in Tartu (Prima Vista) and in Tallinn (HeadRead), bringing to Estonia many acclaimed literary persons and enlivening the Estonian literary society, creating a perfect timing and audience to introduce a ‘play’ by an Irish actor Frank Boyle. The ‘Around the Fire at the Club’ and ‘Cast a Cold Eye’ is an entertainment based on Yeats poems – the 1st part deals primarily with Yeats early life up until 1916-1919, and the 2nd part with the later period and his poems from ‘A Vision’. The Yeats poetry night would fit in well with drawing special attention to the centenary of the 1916 Easter Rising as well, as Yeats poetry reflects deeply on the Rising and the founding of the Irish Free State and resonates in dreams of Ireland today. The play will be on stage in both Tartu and Tallinn. The actor brings along a musician, too.

Venue and time TBC.

During the HeadRead Literature Festival in Tallinn in the end of May, the Embassy is hoping to host also a public Irish storytelling event for children with an Irish and/or Estonian storyteller. The event will possibly take place at the Estonian Centre of Children’s Literature.

Venue and time TBC.