The Cúirt International Festival of Literature is under way in Galway, with a focus on how the pandemic has impacted creativity and boosted reading during the last year.
For the second year in a row, all events are being held online, but organisers say this year's programme has been born of the opportunity brought about by public health restrictions and lockdowns.
Festival Director Sasha de Buyl explained that, before the pandemic, Cúirt was keen to try out an online aspect, to promote literature as far and wide as possible. But with just weeks to go before the 2020 festival, there was a scramble to ensure the event could happen at all.
For a finish, a reduced programme of 11 events was staged, mostly with participants connecting on online calls, which were streamed to the world.
It was a baptism of fire for the director just weeks into her job, but it got a "fantastic reaction".
That feedback led to a number of events through the last year, with book launches, discussions and some hybrid online/in-person events, when restrictions allowed.
Now for the second Cúirt without physical audiences or open bookshops, there is a hefty schedule, running until Sunday evening.
This time around, there has been a focus on bringing a 'visual difference’ to the events.
Some pre-recorded interviews have been filmed in Ashford Castle and the stage of Galway’s Town Hall Theatre has been transformed into a socially distanced gathering space, where writers and poets who can make the journey to the city, will talk about their work.
It is also notable that Cúirt is making events available on a 'pay what you can' model. Ms de Buyl said this comes with a challenge, "but as an Arts Council funded organisation, we take money from every single taxpayer to create artistic experiences. That means that they should be available to absolutely every human being.
"Financial barriers are a huge barrier for people accessing arts experiences, so this year we were able to trial that model. We understand this has been a really hard year for everyone. If you can afford a ticket, please pay, but if you can’t, this is still for you".
"I hope people will take this as an invitation to come and try it out and see what we have to say as a festival and what our writers have to say."
That move to the online realm has extended the reach and appeal of the festival well beyond Galway and out to the whole world. But that’s not without its challenges, when similar literature gatherings, such as internationally renowned events in places like Edinburgh or Melbourne, have gone down a similar path.
Cúirt programmers have got around that potential clash by ensuring there is a uniquely Irish take on the proceedings. So while Booker prize-winning author Douglas Stuart may have been on the circuit speaking about 'Shuggie Bain', he has not been interviewed by one of his favourite authors (Colm Tóibín) as will be the case on Sunday night.
The state of rude health that the Irish writing scene is in at present also provides rich pickings.
Authors like Lisa McInerney, Nuala O’Connor, Sarah Baume and Patrick Freyne are among a large cast of home-grown talent taking part in this year’s Cúirt.
They are sharing their perspectives on a tricky 12 months, with readers who have depended on the escape provided by a book, maybe more than any time before.
And as well as looking back, the festival is considering what the result of the recent flux will be on what we read and how we interpret life in the years ahead.
A fascinating programme of events is being streamed on Cuirt.ie, with some also being shown on rte.ie/culture
