Good evening everyone, you are all very welcome. We have had a good year in Pen with many enjoyable and unique evenings with contributions from wonderful writers, but first, I must thank those who helped so much to make this possible. We are very fortunate to receive a small number of grants and are very grateful to the Arts Council who have given us a grant and will continue to do so this year which in the financial circumstance we are all the more grateful, although they have reduced the amount slightly. We thank Dublin City Arts for their continuing support which also means a lot to us. And may I thank the committee of the Arts Club here who allow us the use of this room and the bar, they are always helpful and we appreciate this comfortable and convenient venue. Our highlight of the year was of course the giving of the Irish Pen award for contribution to Irish Literature. This year the winner was the distinguished poet and lecturer Brendan Kennelly, and we presented this to him at our annual dinner. This was a sparkling evening. Brendan’s former TCD colleague Senator David Norris made the presentation for us with his usual brilliance, Brendan then most movingly showed his deep appreciation in receiving the award then gave us a magical recitation of poetry, interspersed with his great Kerry wit. All this happened despite the snow and cold in the hospitable Royal St George Yacht Club, and we thank them again for this wonderful facility. All of these things combined to make this a more than delightful evening. This leads me to mention that for the last two years we have not had a sponsor for our award, and we need one, Cross Pen generously supported this award for some years, this generosity we warmly appreciated. Now, however, we are looking for and needing a new sponsor, as our funds are small and limited, we would appeal to any member who might know a possible sponsor to let us know as we will be making an extra effort this year to find a new one. During the year we have had many distinguished and delightful writers reading from their work and discussing it, also panel discussions, and workshops dealing with all the various forms of writing from fiction,non fiction, humour, how to get published all beginning last May with Gerry Stembridge and Chris Binchy, in November we had a workshop on writing a successful novel with Patricia O’Reilly, also that month we had the pleasure and fun of having a conversation with Frank McGuinness who delighted us with his candour, his answers to questions were like his name frank and full of his unique creative energy. We also hosted Patricia Scanlon and Aidan Story, had a night for the Associate Members. We came towards the close of this year with the Great Debate, on the Arts and the Economy, the panellist included, Declan Kiberd, Arthur Lappin, Aidan Burke, Claire Doody, and Gerry Godley. It was a lively night with heated contributions from the floor. This just a taste of the many events that took place during the last year. Thank you so much to all these generous contributors. I would also add that we are in need of members subscriptions, we realise that hard times are upon us, but we do need your support to keep all these good functions going, thank you so much. Now I want to thank this wonderful committee, it is they who with great generosity do all the work, Dee Cunningham who acts as secretary taking all the minutes, Joe Armstrong who took great trouble setting up our web-site, Fr Tony Gaughan who is a long time member over the years and always helping on the committee, Catherine Daly who was such a dedicated Chairperson for the last few years. Caroline Brady thank you for all you have done, Fedelma Kelly who puts in such hard work and was such a help and support to me at the annual dinner, Mary Rose Callaghan who was there to help too, finally Marita Conlon-Mc Kenna, our present treasurer, who to our great regret is going off the committee this year. Marita is so knowable about PEN, has been Chairperson four times, and always full of energy and ideas. She sadly is retiring this year and personally I do not know what we will do without her, thank you Marita and all of the committee, you are all wonderful, generous and fun to be with. Thank you

We appeal to all members to attend the AGM. Several committee members are leaving the committee and Irish PEN cannot continue to serve Irish writers without people to replace them. This is a cri de coeur, appealing to you to make yourself available for service on the committee, whether you are a full-time or associate member. Please consider offering some of your time for the benefit of Irish writers.

Long-time committee member, treasurer and former chair Marita Conlon McKenna will sadly be stepping down after many years of committed service.

The committee meets once a month for the hour preceding the monthly Irish PEN event. Now is the time to go for it. Please turn up and make yourself available. We need you!

By Caroline Brady

The burning topic of the Arts and the Economy, the Irish Pen debate exploring the role and vital contribution of the Irish arts to the national economy, had rebellious attendees out in their droves on April 15^th 2010 at the United Arts Club. 

A panel of experts, Aidan Burke, Operations Director with the Arts Council, Claire Doody, Project Manager for the Cultural Odyssey Project, set up by Dermot Desmond following the Irish Economic Forum in Farmleigh, Gerry Godley, Director of the Improvised Jazz Company, broadcaster and spokesperson for the National Campaign for the Arts (NCFA), Declan Kiberd, literary critic and Chair of Anglo-Irish Literature and Drama at University College Dublin, Arthur Lappin, Film and Television Producer, In America, My Left Foot, The Field and Some Mother’s Son and a packed audience discussed the topic.

The debate was attended by journalists, directors, writers, civil servants and students.  Arguments mooted were whether the Arts should be an agent for change and whether the time for lobbying is over and direct action required.

Voices filled the packed room until well after 10.30 pm when everyone then adjourned to the bar to continue deliberations on the value of the arts to Ireland’s economic and social recovery.

The Arts and the Economy

When?        Thursday 15th April 2010 at 8pm.

Where?      United Arts Club, 3 Upper Fitzwilliam Street, Dublin 2.

Irish PEN, in association with Dublin City Arts 0ffice, is delighted to announce its forthcoming debate on the Arts and the Economy.

Panellists are:

Aidan Burke, Operations Director with the Arts Council.

Claire Doody, Project Manager for the Cultural Odyssey Project, set up by Dermot Desmond following the Irish Economic Forum in Farmleigh.

Gerry Godley, Director of the Improvised Jazz Company, broadcaster and spokesperson for the National Campaign for the Arts (NCFA)

Declan Kiberd, literary critic and Chair of Anglo-Irish Literature and Drama at University College Dublin.

Arthur Lappin, Film and Television Producer, In America, My Left Foot, The Field and Some Mother’s Son

The debate will explore the role, and vital contribution, of the Irish arts for the national economy, adds to the current public deliberations on the value of the arts to Ireland’s economic and social recovery.

Ticket prices are €3 Irish PEN members, €5 non-members.

All are welcome. Early booking advisable as places are limited.

E-mail info@irishpen.com or phone: 087 966 0770.

Was Dickens’s Thomas Gradgrind secretly the first non-fiction commissioning editor, when he exclaimed: ‘Now, what I want is, Facts…. stick to Facts, Sir!’? Or did he just have a healthy respect for the breadth and wondrous world of communicating factual information, recording lives and historical events, exploring and enthusing over hobbies, art, music or architecture?  Not to mention the ‘how to’ books on a range of topics from personal finance to making your will, guides to relationship survival or growing your own vegetables.   

Irish PEN is delighted to invite writers of all genres to attend this very informative and broad-reaching discussion on non-fiction publishing in Ireland.  Our panel on the evening will include: 

Ivan O’Brien, publisher and MD of The O’Brien Press;  Seán O’Keeffe, publishing director of Liberties Press, Joe Armstrong, non-fiction author and commissioning editor for international academic publisher Peter Lang and Gillian Hick,  a vet who has penned her memoirs, Vet on the Loose  and a forthcoming title Vet Among the Pigeons.

WHEN:         8.00pm.  Thursday, March 11^th 2010

WHERE:       United Arts Club, 3 Upper Fitzwilliam Street, Dublin 2.

COST:          €3 members, €5 non-members.

BOOKING ESSENTIAL:    

Tel:  087-9660770,  email:irishpen1@gmail.com

The Panel:

Ivan O’Brien is Managing Director of O’Brien Press, Ireland’s leading independent publisher of books for adults and children.  Born into the family firm, Ivan started his own publishing at the age of eight – and sold copies in the Hodges Figgis.  After an extended academic interlude, he began to work full-time at O’Brien Press in 1997, where he was held roles in production, sales and IT before becoming MD.

Seán O’Keeffe is the publishing director of Liberties Press and has been working in book publishing for 15 years.  He is also a published poet.  Seán co-founded Liberties in 2003 with his business partner Peter O’Connell. The press has quickly become one of Ireland’s leading non-fiction publishers, with more than 100 titles in print across a range of genres, including best-sellers by Garret FitzGerald, Richard Crowley and Michael D. Higgins. Liberties Press has an active foreign-rights programme and will be launching a fiction list in spring 2010.

Joe Armstrong’s book  Men’s Health – the Common Sense Approach was published by Gill & Macmillan in 1999 and translated into several languages. He also self-published Write Way to Stop Smoking in 2004. He co-authored another non-fiction book in 2009: From Special Care to Specialist Treatment - a History of Muckamore Abbey.  For the first title, he was commissioned by a publisher. For the second, he set up his own imprint. For the third, and most lucrative, he was paid by the hour. In his role at international academic publisher Peter Lang, Joe commissions books for publication and in 2009 commissioned 45 new titles in Ireland.

Gillian Hick was born in Dublin and has practised as a vet both in Dublin and in Wicklow for the past seven years, where she now has her own practice. She also works for the Irish Blue Cross. Her first humorous memoir was Vet on the Loose, and her second title Vet among the Pigeons will be published this year with The O’Brien Press.

Irish PEN acknowledges the ongoing support of The Arts Council and Dublin City Council’s Arts Office.

WHEN: 8.00pm. Thursday February 11th 2010

WHERE: United Arts Club, 3 Upper Fitzwilliam Street, Dublin 2.

COST: €3 members, €5 non-members.

Booking essential as places are limited.

E-mail irishpen@ireland.com, phone: 087 966 0770.

The Panel: Eoghan Corry, formerly Features Editor with The Irish Press and Sports’ Editor with The Sunday Tribune, currently editor of Travel Extra, and travel correspondent to the Pat Kenny Radio Show. Sue Leonard, full-time freelance journalist, has published over 2000 feature articles, interviewed in excess of 250 authors and lectured on journalism. She writes mainly for The Irish Independent, The Irish Examiner and Books Ireland. Aine Toner, Editor of Woman’s Way magazine since 2008, previously worked for the BBC in Northern Ireland and for Daily Ireland, as well as freelancing for 10 years, for a variety of publications including The Irish Independent, titles of the Belfast Media Group, Confetti, NI4Kids, Face Up and Sunday Life newspaper and on websites www.ivenus.com and www.allaboutyou.com.

Senator David Norris, Anne Hartigan and Brendan Kennelly, recipient of the Irish PEN lifetime achievement award for literature

Brendan Kennelly is probably the best-loved figure in Irish public life, said Senator David Norris, speaking at the Irish PEN award ceremony on Friday 29th January 2010.  He described Kennelly as one of the world’s greatest teachers. In a funny and entertaining speech that had the captive audience at the Royal St George Yacht Club laugh loud and often, he revered Kennelly for imagining himself in poetic form inside the mind of Cromwell, his nation’s bitterest enemy, and Judas. To the appreciation of those gathered, he quoted from one of Brendan’s acclaimed poems ‘I See You Dancing, Father’ which ends: ‘Whatever happens or cannot happen/In the time I have to spare/I see you dancing, father.’

He thanked Brendan on behalf of Irish PEN for all that he has done to enrich our lives. ‘You have been my teacher, my mentor, my advisor. It is a great privilege to be here presenting this award, in this most distinguished company of your peers, your fellow artists. It is appropriate that you should receive this. You are a brilliant poet.’

‘I can’t say how honoured I am. It’s an amazing award,’ said Brendan Kennelly of the Irish PEN accolade. He peppered his softly lilted twenty-minute speech with several recitations of poetry in English and Irish. He recited poems from memory, such as Kavanagh’s ‘The Dawning of the Day’ first in Irish and then in English. He recounted a tale of Kavanagh asking someone for a large whiskey and then a fiver. He then asked for another large whiskey and another fiver. He continued in this vein, requesting whiskey and fivers until eventually the other man said No and Kavanagh, twinkle in eye, called him stingy. All who heard Brendan speak and recite felt honoured to be there, privileged to share the moment. It was like what a sacrament is meant to be: a recreation anew of eternal truths of humanity. The priest: Kennelly. The liturgy: the poetry.

Sarah Webb & Marita Conlon McKenna at launch of Sarah's latest book

The launch of Sarah Webb’s new novel The Loving Kind, published by Pan Macmillan, took place at Hughes and Hughes, Dun Laoghaire on Wednesday 3^rd Feb 2010. It was launched by Irish PEN Treasurer and former Chair, Marita Conlon McKenna and then at the Royal St George Yacht Club. Sarah’s books Amy Green 2 and Emma the Penguin are ever popular books with younger readers.