SUNDAY MISCELLANY CELEBRATES CHRISTMAS WITH THE RTÉ CONCERT ORCHESTRA at the National Concert Hall, Thursday 1st December 2022, 8pm-9.30pm
Conducted by Gavin Maloney, with special guests Connor McKeon, harpist Úna Walshand singer Róisín O'Reilly -- who'll sing a special composition of Brendan Graham's -- this highly popular annual concert will make for two Miscellany Christmas programmes on RTÉ Radio 1. If you missed getting tickets, make sure to tune in to RTÉ Radio 1 at 9.10am on Sunday 18th December and at 9am Christmas morning.
With writers Edel Coffey, Tim Carey, Rachael Hegarty, Declan Kiberd, Jackie Lynam, Kathleen MacMahon, John Toal and Christmas Miscellany perennial star, Paul Howard.
Presented by Sunday Miscellany producer Sarah Binchy.
Who are this year's writers?
Edel Coffey is an Irish journalist and broadcaster. She has worked as a journalist and editor with the Sunday Tribune, and was editor of the Irish Independent Weekend Magazine, and Books Editor of the Irish Independent. She has also written columns for The Irish Times and worked as a presenter and reporter with RTE Radio. She is a columnist with the Irish Examiner and The Sunday Business Post.
'Breaking Point' is her debut novel, was a No 1 bestseller in Ireland and has just won the An Post Irish Book Award for Crime Fiction Book Of The Year. She lives in Galway with her husband and children.
Tim Carey is a bestselling historian who has worked for many years in the field of history and heritage; his books include 'Dublin Since 1922', 'Croke Park: A History' and 'Mountjoy: the Story of a Prison'. He is a regular contributor to Sunday Miscellany.
Rachael Hegarty is an award winning poet, a lecturer, a regular voice on Miscellany and a native of Finglas. Her latest collection is 'Dancing With Memory', published by Salmon.
Declan Kiberd teaches at Notre Dame (Dublin). Among his books are 'Inventing Ireland', 'Idir Dhá Chultúr' and 'Ulysses and Us'. He taught for over three decades at UCD and was visiting professor at Cambridge University and the Sorbonne. He has lectured on Irish literature in many countries and was on the board of the Abbey Theatre. He was recently elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and a lifelong interest in cricket had led to his next book 'England and Eternity', which is currently being finished.
Jackie Lynam is from Dublin. As well as having essays broadcast on Sunday Miscellany she has also written articles for the Irish Independent, and her poetry has been published in several journals including Washing Windows Too Anthology. In 2021 she was shortlisted for the Anthony Cronin International Poetry Prize.
Kathleen MacMahon is a bestselling novelist, short story writer and journalist. Her work has been listed for numerous awards, including the Kerry Group Irish Novel of the Year and The Women's Prize for Fiction. Her fourth novel, The Home Scar, will be published in February 2023.
John Toal is a writer from Co. Down, an award winning broadcaster for BBC Radio Ulster and BBC Radio 3, as well as a regular contributor to Sunday Miscellany.
Paul Howard is the creator of that icon of Irish rugby Ross O'Carroll Kelly, he is the author of 21 novels which have sold 1.5 million copies in this country alone – journalist, playwright, comedy writer and creator of 'Copperface Jacks The Musical' (which will get a third run and nationwide tour next year). He is a Sunday Miscellany Live at Christmas institution at this stage.