Literary Conferences on Flann O'Brien + Edgar Allan Poe Taking Place in Boston this Week

-

 


(April 6, 2022) --  Two literary conferences on distinctive authors born a century apart are being held in Boston, Massachusetts this week that highlight the work of two literary giants: writers Flann O'Brien and Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849).  

O'Brien, who also wrote under his real name, Brian O'Nolan (1911-1966) as well as the pen name Myles na gCopaleen, was born in Strabane, County Tyrone and spent most of his career in Dublin.   Poe was born in Boston, while his father  David Poe emigrated here from Dring in the Parish of  Kildallon in County Cavan.  The two places in the Ulster Province are about 70 miles apart. 


Flann O'Brien 6th International Conference, April 6-9, 2022 

Boston College is hosting the Flann O’Brien 6th International Conference, an eclectic gathering of specialists, academics, writers and pundits devoted to the work of Dublin writer Brian O’Nolan, whose pen names included Flann O’Brien and Myles na gCopaleen. 

 The conference, titled Flannagain in Far Amurikey, is being hosted by BC’s Irish Studies Program and the Institute for Liberal Arts. 

Among the speakers, according to Boston College: “there’s world-famous author Kevin Barry, and public intellectual Fintan O’Toole. There’s Irish Times columnist Frank McNally and literary critic Catherine Flynn, as well as author and editor Maebh Long.” 

 Here is a list of keynote speakers.

The John J. Burns Library at Boston College has an important Flann O’Brien Collection, consisting of O’Brien’s manuscripts and his personal library.  

5th International Edgar Allan Poe Conference, April 7-10 

Hosted by the Poe Studies Association, The 5th International Edgar Allan Poe Conference takes place at the Omni Parker House in downtown Boston. 

 The conference, titled Poe Takes Boston, this year has a hybrid format, allowing presenters and members to attend either in person at the Omni Parker House Hotel or online. 

The Guest of Honor and keynote speaker is Marilynne Robinson, who has taught at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, won the Pulitzer Prize, the National Humanities Medal, and the Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction. She is the author of five remarkable novels: Housekeeping (1980), Gilead (2004), Home (2008), Lila (2014), and Jack (2020), as well as various works of nonfiction, including a keen appreciation of Edgar Allan Poe.

In 2014, a statue of Poe was placed in near Boston Common in downtown Boston, not far from where he was born on January 19, 1809.   

For more about Irish heritage and culture in Boston, visit IrishBoston.org. 




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

General Edward L. Logan, Namesake of Boston's Logan International Airport

-
Image
General Edward L. Logan (1875-1939), namesake of Boston’s Logan International Airport , died on July 6 1939 from a sudden 'heart ailment.'  His brother, Reverend Leo J. Logan, presided over the funeral mass at the Gate of Heaven Church in South Boston, with tributes by leading politicians like Senator David I. Walsh , former Massachusetts Governor and Boston Mayor James M. Curley and former Mayor John F. Fitzgerald .  Logan is buried at the Calvary Cemetery in West Roxbury.  A first generation Irish-American, military leader, civic leader and municipal judge with family roots in Galway and South Boston,  Edward was the oldest of nine children of Lawrence and Catherine (O’Connor), according to Michael Cummings of Milton, an expert on the Logan Family. Edward’s father Lawrence immigrated to Boston from Ballygar, County Galway, in 1858, and became a successful businessman at a young age when he became president of the Boston Brewing Company in South Boston.  The family resided a
Read more

Damian McGinty, former Celtic Thunder Star, Performs in Hartford and Providence this Fall

-
Image
Damian McGinty , the young singing star from Derry, Northern Ireland who performed with Celtic Thunder , is returning to New England in October as part of a national tour with  Ethan Bortnick . They will be performing in Hartford, CT on October 5, followed by two shows in Providence, RI on October 12, 2014. Find details here. McGinty was part of the original Celtic Thunder ensemble for several years, and left the band in 2012 when he won a coveted spot on the television show Glee .  Since then he has embarked on a solo career that has taken him around the world.  In 2013 McGinty was Cultural Ambassador for his home city of Derry, Northern Ireland . Find year round details on Celtic and Irish cultural activities at IrishMassachusetts.com .
Read more

Commemorate the 25th Anniversary of Boston Irish Famine Memorial on June 28, 2023

-
Image
On Wednesday, June 28, the Irish community from greater Boston is gathering alongside public officials, businesses and immigrant organizations to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Boston Famine Memorial. The event, which is free and open to the public, runs from 11 a.m. to Noon and features reflections from local leaders as well as traditional Irish music and a blessing of the memorial park and of those gathered.  Please check back for updated information  in the coming days  Thank you.
Read more