Eimear O’Herlihy

Eimear O’Herlihy, Festival Director with the West Cork Literary Festival looks ahead to 2020 and back at 2019.

 

Hopes for 2020?

That I and all of my family and friends will remain as healthy as possible, in terms of both physical and mental health. If we achieve that we’ll all be very fortunate.

 

Most looking forward to in 2020?

The post-Christmas detox and the evenings getting longer. I’ve always loved the idea of a new year and a new start. It feels like anything is possible.

And that feeling is particularly strong as we enter into a new decade.

 

Hopes for Cork for 2020?

I notice a huge increase in the number of homeless people in the city and it is heartbreaking to see people sleeping in doorways and queueing for donations of food.

We have a very serious homeless situation between people sleeping rough and people unable to find long-term accommodation at an acceptable cost and I think that the Government has to address this at a local and national level.

 

Any resolutions?

I think I’ve had the same New Year’s resolutions for about twenty years. To be more punctual and to lose a stone.

I think I’ve already missed a deadline for this piece and I end up losing (and regaining) the same stone every year, so I’m not sure how likely I am to stick to these resolutions in 2020!

 

Was 2019 a good year?

It was a mixed year for me but I am incredibly lucky personally and professionally compared to so many people. I am very healthy, I have a job I love and I have amazing friends and family. What more could I ask for!

 

What did 2019 teach you?

To be grateful for all that I have and to worry less about the things I cannot control. It’s a work in progress!

 

Major highlight in 2019?

I spent quite a bit of time in Greece this year and I love the slower pace of life there. It’s a lifestyle that really suits me and I love the blue skies and sunshine, the opportunity to spend lots of time outside and to swim in the sea every day.

From a professional point of view, 2019 was the most successful West Cork Literary Festival ever and our attendance numbers and box office takings both reached record highs. We received fabulous feedback from the audiences, the participating writers and the people of Bantry. It was an absolute pleasure to be involved.

 

Events to look out for in 2020?

I am biased but I am obviously very excited about next July’s West Cork Literary Festival. I’m still working on the line-up but have already confirmed some really exciting guests such as novelists Anne Enright and Eimear McBride, poets Paul Muldoon and Frank Ormsby, and crime writers Jane Casey and Liz Nugent.

Cork is very fortunate in that we are home to so many world class festivals and events. I can’t wait to see what each of these festivals has in store for us in 2020.

 

Cork individuals to look out for in 2020?

From a literature point of view, novelist Sara Baume and poet Doireann Ní Ghríofa are both publishing non-fiction titles with Tramp Press in the spring and I have very high hopes for these books.

They are incredible writers and this is a new and exciting departure for both of them.

The Cork members of Sanctuary Runners are a really inspiring bunch. Cork City Council is also in the process of recruiting a new Cork City Arts Officer to work with artists and arts organisations to provide high quality artistic experiences for locals and visitors alike. I can’t wait to see who it will be.