Four New Innovative Literary Tourism Framework Models Developed.

Through the Spot-lit.eu project, four Literary Tourism Models have been developed to grow products and markets in the sector. The regional models (pilots) have now been delivered, demonstrating a high level of innovation and originality.

WILDETHINGS Literary Model: Arts Over Borders celebrate the Wilde and Beckett connection to Enniskillen, Northern Ireland with the launch of two new literary products. Oscar Wilde, with the installation of 150 gold-leaf swallows on buildings around central Enniskillen and close to the new mural of The Happy Prince by Jordan Shaw, and Beckett, with 64 black and white chess board squares in separate indoor locations across Enniskillen. Find Out More HERE.

The Wild Atlantic Way Literary Performance Model: The Western Development Commission in the west of Ireland have developed two Literary Performance Models, that focus on enhancing the existing tourism product The Wild Atlantic Way through literature, space and performance. The models have been developed and piloted, a collaboration between curator/producer Dani Gill with sound designers, visual artists and theatre makers has resulted in the creation of The Lighthouse Project, a series of walks inland in the vicinity of lighthouses.

Independent Literary Producer Brendan McEvilly has collaborated with local authors to develop a live stage show that contains visuals filmed around the west of Ireland by filmmaker Jamie Goldrick. Audiences have literature presented in a format including curated live performances in tandem with pre-recorded elements. Find Out More The Lighthouse Project and The Alphabet of Birds HERE.

Young Peoples Literary Model: Wigtown Festival Company in South West Scotland, who run the annual Wigtown Book Festival, continue to develop their child-and family-centred literature model. Story Book Dumfries to establish the main town of Dumfries & Galloway as Scotland’s home of children’s literature, a destination for families to visit and a national cultural resource. The Wigtown team has taken inspiration from the recent establishment of Scotland’s new National Centre for Children’s Literature at Moat Brae House, where Peter Pan author JM Barrie played as a child. But Story Book Dumfries is not tied to any one organisation. It offers a platform for a wide range of partners who believe in the power of children’s literature to inspire and bring tangible benefits (economic, cultural, social and educational) to the Dumfries community and beyond. Find Out More HERE.

Digital Innovation Model: The Kainuu region of Finland has led the way with the development of 13 Digital Applications to showcase the rich literary assets across the four partner regions. The Regional Council of Kainuu have worked closely with the local university, Kajaani Univercity of Applied Sciences to pioneer the use of digital technology to help literary tourism business tell their story at home and abroad and promote Literary Tourism. Find Out More HERE.

The four regional delivery outcomes together form a complementary, but united set of Literary Tourism test models devised and documented for future transferability, which reflect and capitalise on each region’s unique own sense of place and literary strengths.

Connemara Writers Pilgrimage in Letterfrack, County Galway.

February 2022 marks the centenary of the publication of Ulysses a significant date in Irish and world literature. Spot-lit.eu partner, Artisan House inaugural literary tourism event entitled ‘Mid-week break with Buck Mulligan’ will take place over a two-night retreat in Renvyle House Hotel on Wednesday, 23rd and Thursday, 24th March, 2022. The 2-night break will include B&B on both nights and a 5-course dinner on the evening of 24th March; a performance of ‘Nora’ by Curlew Theatre Company on the 23rd March, a workshop led by Ray Burke, author of Joyce County, and a 5-course meal on the evening of 24th March. Hosts will be Mary Ruddy & Vincent Murphy of Artisan House and Books at One bookshop, Letterfrack. For more information, visit www.artisanhouse.ie or email artisanhouseeditions@gmail.com.

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Writers have long been drawn to Connemara, W.B. Yeats with his new wife Georgia, spent their honeymoon at Renvyle House, the country house of Oliver St John Gogarty. Gogarty played host to countless distinguished friends including Augustus John and W.B. Yeats whose Noh play was first performed in the Long Lounge there.

Oliver St John Gogarty, himself a writer, poet, politician and raconteur is probably most celebrated now as Joyce’s model for Buck Mulligan in Ulysses. Indeed, the novel’s very first four words ‘Stately, plump Buck Mulligan’ refer to Oliver St John Gogarty then proprietor of Renvyle House Hotel, and sometimes friend of James Joyce. Today he is probably remembered mostly as Buck Mulligan in Ulysses.

Louis MacNeice, Irish poet and playwright whose father John Frederick MacNeice, was born on Omey Island, that most desolate and haunting of Connemara places. His father’s father, William MacNeice from Sligo, was the schoolteacher in Omey. Nearby Claddaghduff is where MacNeice mother Elizabeth Clisham, was born.

Cleggan was home to Richard Murphy, the distinguished Irish poet who was born in at Milford House, near Shrule on the Mayo-Galway border, into an Anglo-Irish family. Murphy devoted his life to a poetry that sought to reconcile Ireland’s and his own two traditions. He established his reputation with The Last Galway Hooker, a poem inspired by his experience of buying and restoring a sailing boat of traditional design. He started a fishing and tourism business in Cleggan and in 1969 he purchased High Island where he could work in solitude.

Oscar Wilde’s parents, Sir William and Lady Jane Wilde, had a hunting lodge close to Rosroe, the small fishing village where Wittgenstein wrote some of his seminal philosophical work and referred to the area as ‘the last pool of darkness’ – subsequently used as a book title by Tim Robinson. Rosroe is also where Richard Murphy spent his first period in Letterfrack, although he is now associated more strongly with Cleggan, Inishbofin and High Island.

28 New Literary Tourism Experiences Across the NPA Region.

The aim of the Spot-lit.eu SME Development Programme was to design and deliver of a programme for SME’s to develop literary tourism products and services and to expand their market reach beyond local.

28 SME’s with new product ideas across the partner regions took part in an intensive and bespoke programme to assist them to develop new literary tourism products. The programme was tailored to meet the needs of the individual participants across the partner regions and provided each participant with one-to-one mentoring, specialist advice/guidance, product development support, field trips, networking opportunities and exchanges with SME’s from other partner areas. It also included a Business Exchange Programme , a transnational SME cluster and a new literary Tourism Network to oversee and ensure the strategic development of literary tourism in the NPA.

During the project implementation, new networks have been created, promoting literary tourism business and development opportunities across and between all the regions involved. We are happy to share the best practice learning from the project as featured in the ‘Transformative Guide’. This Guide and a range of other resources are all available on the website spot-lit.eu.

Find Out More About The New Literary Tourism products developed, the businesses involved and see some videos depicting the wonderful literary locations across the 4 partner regions HERE.

Download The Business Support Toolkit & Resources HERE.

Connecting the Literary Landscape in South Galway.

Anna O’Donnell the chairperson Yeats Thoor Ballylee Society.

The Yeats Thoor Ballylee Society work with the Western Development Commission through the Spot-li.eu project has allowed us to develop not only a strong profile for our site but to begin to build awareness of the significance literature has had in the region since the sixth century.

Our site houses a 14th century Norman Tower House that became the home of Nobel Laureate for literature WB Yeats. This tower was where he and his family lived in the 1920s. Here, he conceived and wrote such major works as The Tower and The Winding Stair. By highlighting the other important literary locations close by we could encourage slow tourism, where a visitor can immerse themselves in the literary landscape that inspired so many over the centuries. The visitor would not just visit Thoor Ballylee, but gain an understanding of how the written word played such an important part of the culture. We have produced five videos:

By bringing Literary tourism in a connected approach through the Spot-lit.eu project, we are able to strengthen the economy of our businesses, via hotel stays, restaurant and cafés and other sites of interest for tourists. We hope you enjoy the videos and would love to welcome you in person to our amazing and inspiring landscape.

Supported by The Western Development Commission through the Spot-liot.eu Project funded by Interreg Northern Periphery and Arctic Programme.

Raftery Returns Arts & Poetry Festival:March 25th to 30th.

Anthony Raftery (Ó Raifteirí) – 1779-1835 – was born, one of ten children, in the townland of Cill Aodáin, Kiltimagh on the estate of the, then, landlord, Frank Taaffe. When Raftery was about ten, disaster struck when nine of his siblings died of smallpox and he lost his sight. It is said the last thing he saw was his nine siblings laid out on the floor. Friar Taffee, Frank’s uncle, is said to have seen to Raftery’s basic education.

The story goes that Raftery was banished after a dispute with the landlord when he was about twenty-four. He was to spend the rest of his life in south and east Galway where he lived from his poetry and his fiddle. He was partial to a drink and to such beauties as Breedeen Vasey and Máire Ní hEidhin. Among other things, Raftery wrote about his support of the ‘Whiteboys’ and for this he was charged with sedition in Galway.

Lady Gregory of Coole Park, first heard of Raftery about the year 1900 when visiting the workhouse in Gort. She overheard two old women arguing about the relative merits of poets from the area. Raftery was mentioned and thus began her research into his life and work. With the aid of WB Yeats, Edward Martyn and residents of the Gort area, she had a headstone erected to his memory in Killeeneen graveyard, where he is buried.

None of his poetry was written down but it remained in folk memory until it was collected by Douglas Hyde (The first president of Ireland) around the beginning of the 20^th Century. Lady Gregory and Hyde visited Cill Aodáin on several occasions and with the help of local man, Thady Conlon, they translated his work and collected stories and legends relating to his early life.

His work covered a very broad spectrum: poetry on love, religion and aspects of political life. Among his most enduring poems are Eanach Chuin and Cill Aodáin. In Cill Aodáin, he sings the praises of his birthplace and eulogizes about returning – which sadly, he never does.

”The awareness of Anthony Raftery (1779 to 1835) has always been in the air around Cill Aodáin, Kiltimagh, so when a Raftery committee, Kiltimagh Tourism and the Tidy Towns team put their heads together, the idea of, symbolically, returning Raftery to his place of birth, became an exciting and meaningful project. It was felt that promoting the Raftery legend and tradition could be of huge economic benefit to the town and surrounding area.

We were aware from his writings and poems of his love for Mayo and his home in Cill Aodain Kiltimagh. Everybody in Ireland probably learned the poem (song) “Cill Aodain” in school. It was used in Riverdance and was considered one of Raftery’s greatest pieces. In the poem he describes his longing to come back to Cill Aodain and the journey he would take on his return.

On the route he’d dreamed of returning in his poem, he will be returned by a group of cyclists via Claremorris, Balla and Ballinamore – who will undertake the 100 kilometre journey from his grave in Killeeneen County Galway to his birthplace in Cill Aodain, Kiltimagh. More and more cyclists will join the group in Claremorris, Balla and Ballinamore, and when they get to Kiltimagh, they will escort Raftery in a horse and carriage to the market square – here, with great jubilation, he will be welcomed in poetry and song.

Raftery Returns Arts & Poetry Festival Programme – March 25th to 30th 2022

Friday March 25th

Sean Keane Concert in The Park Hotel Kiltimagh.
Doors Open at 7pm. Show starts 7.45pm Sharp.
Tickets €20. Available at The Park Hotel, Ryans Bar, Teach O Hora or any committee member or call Martin 087 3501626.
30 pm: Open Mic and Music in Teach O’Hora.

Saturday March 26th

Writing Workshop

10am to 11.30am: creative writing workshop with Terry McDonagh and Gabriel Fitzmaurice in The Parish Hall, Kiltimagh.
11.45 to 1pm: publisher Alan Hayes (Arlen House) talks on publishing in Ireland today.

Literary walk through Killedan

The intention of The Raftery Returns Arts festival is to promote the memory and work of the blind bard. As part of the festival on Saturday 26th March a bus will collect those interested at the Market Square and bringing them to Kileadan. Our own poet Terry McDonagh, a Killedan native, will lead a group through the townland pointing out landmarks and sharing poems and lore relating to Raftery and the area. Places of interest such as Lios Ard (The High Fort) where Raftery got the gift of poetry will be pointed out – as will the contribution of the McManus family of Killedan House to the awareness of Raftery. Lottie McManus, a prolific author, established The Gaelic League in the area. Lady Gregory and Douglas Hyde visited when researching Raftery on several occasions. Their main source of information on Raftery’s early life in Killedan, was bard and teacher, Thady Conlon, who is buried in Killedan graveyard. He was Terry McDonagh’s great grandfather.
When the walk is over the bus will return to the Market Square.

Bus leaves the Market Square at 3pm.
Poets, Terry McDonagh, Gabriel Fitzmaurice, Colette Nic Aodha and others…
Ending with readings and music in the Cill Aodain graveyard.

Music Comedy & Poetry at the Theatre

Doors open at 7.15pm. Admission €10. in The Town Hall Theatre: an evening of music, poetry readings with acclaimed poets, Gabriel Fitzmaurice and Colette Nic Aodha…also with special guest comedian and unforgettable entertainer, Aindrias De Staic.
Afterwards, all come back to Kitty’s for open mic session.

Sunday March 27th

Raftery Returns Cycle

When planning the Raftery Returns Arts festival, the committee were interested in connecting the two communities where Raftery was buried in Kileeneen Graveyard near Croughwell in County Galway to Kiltimagh where he was born. We were aware from his writings and poems of his love for Mayo and his home in Cill Aodain Kiltimagh. Everybody in Ireland probably learned the poem (song) “Cill Aodain” in school. It was used in Riverdance and was considered one of Raftery’s greatest pieces. In the poem he describes his longing to come back to Cill Aodain and the journey he would take on his return.

When the spring comes, and the days get longer after St Brigid’s day.
To Kiltimagh I will go and I will not stop until I sit down in County Mayo.

He talks about spending his first night in Claremorris and Balla where he will have a drink.
Then he will head for Kiltimagh where he will spend a month and visit Ballinamore House which is just two miles away.
He says he will then travel to his home in Cill Aodain where everything grows and he will be happy among his own people.

We decided that a cycle from his grave in Kileeneen to Kiltimagh (100K) would be an ideal way to connect the two areas. In doing so we decided to take the route he has outlined in his poem.

100k cycle from Raftery’s grave in Killeeneen Co. Galway to his birthplace in Kiltimagh – following his journey in his famous poem Cill Aodain.
Elite cyclists will cycle from his grave that morning to Claremorris arriving at 1pm where they will by joined by all cycling enthusiasts. Further stops at Balla and Ballinamore Gates before arriving in Kiltimagh at 3pm.
A symbolic parade will take place from Keane’s Garage to the Market Square led by a horse and trap carrying Raftery.

Antaine Ó Raifteirí 1784-1835

“Anois teacht an Earraigh
beidh an lá dúl chun shíneadh,
Is tar eis na féil Bríde
ardóigh mé mo sheol.
Go Coillte Mach rachad
ní stopfaidh me choíche
Go seasfaidh mé síos
i lár Chondae Mhaigh Eo.”

I gClár Chlainne Mhuiris
A bheas mé an chéad oíche,
Is I mballa taobh thíos de
A thosós mé ag ól
Go Coillte Mách rachad
Go ndéanfad cuairt mhíosa ann
I bhfogas dhá mhíle
Do Bhéal an átha Mhóir.

Fágaim le huacht é
go n-éiríonn mo chroí-se
Mar a éiríonn an ghaoth
nó mar a scaipeann an ceo
Nuair a smaoiním ar Cheara
nó ar Ghaileang taobh thíos de
Ar Sceathach an Mhíle
nó ar phlánaí Mhaigh Eo.

Cill Aodáin an baile
a bhfásann gach ní ann,
Tá sméara is subh craobh ann
is meas de gach sórt,
Is dá mbéinnse i mo sheasamh
i gceartlár mo dhaoine
D’imeodh an aois díom
is bheinn arís óg.

Bíonn cruithneacht is coirce,
fás eorna is lín ann,
Seagal i gcraobh ann,
arán plúir agus feoil,
Lucht déanta poitín
gan licence á dhíol ann,
Móruaisle na tíre ann
ag imirt is ag ól.

Tá cur agus treabhadh
is leasú gan aoileach
Is iomaí sin ní ann
nár labhair me go fóill,
áitheanna is muilte
ag obair gan scíth ann,
Deamhan caint ar phingin cíosa
ná dada dá shórt.

Now with the coming of spring
The days will grow longer
And after St. Bride’s day’
My sail I’ll let go
To Kiltimagh I will go
And I never will linger
Till I find myself back
In the County Mayo.In Claremorrris
I will stay the first night
and then in Balla below it
I will have my first drink.
To Kiltimagh I shall go where
I shall make a month of my visit
That’s just two miles from Ballinamore.I solemnly swear that the heart in me rises
as the wind rises up and the mists break below. When I think about Ceara
or Gaileang down from it, the bushand the mile or the plains of Mayo.Kileadan is my townland
where everything grows.
There are blackberries and raspberries
and every sort of fruit
and were I to be standing
in the centre of my people
age would depart from me
and I would be again young.There is wheat and oats
barley and flax there,
rye in abundance there,
flower-bread and meat
and folk who make moonshine
without a licence or care
as the pride of the country
are playing and drinking.There is sowing and plowing
and fertilizing without manure
and it’s many the thing there
of which I have not yet spoken:
kilns and mills
working without rest there
with hardly any talk about a penny rent
or about nothing of that sort.

Monday March 28th

9pm: Basil Burke talk on The McManus Family of Killedan House – in Langan’s Bar.

Tuesday March 29th

9pm: Seamus Corry talk on the history of Kiltimagh GAA – in Ryan’s Bar.

Wednesday March 30th

9pm: Brian McDonagh talks on ancient artifacts discovered in the area – in The Tavern Bar.

Literary Tourism The Next Chapter: Spot-lit.eu Closing Online Conference.

Join us for the Spot-lit virtual Closing Conference on Tuesday March 22nd from 10.00 to 11.30am GMT.

Discover the wonderful array of new literary tourism experiences brought to market by the our partners across Finland, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Ireland. Experience the literary locations across the NPA region through some stunning video footage and hear interviews from the businesses involved about their experiences developing the literary products and services through the NPA funded Spot-lit.eu project. We will also be speaking about the four Literary Framework Models that have been developed and tested together with the legacy elements of the Spot-lit.eu project.

REGISTER TO ATTEND

Once registered attendees will receive an Eventbrite ticket for the conference.

Access the conference on 22nd March via ‘View The Event’ link on the Eventbrite Ticket

(Users must be logged in to Eventbrite to access the conference).

Launch of Connemara Writers’ Pilgrimage and the Buck Mulligan mid-week break in Renvyle House Hotel.

Over the past three years – and despite Covid and its many restrictions -Artisan House/Books at One in Letterfrack has been actively involved in a new tourism initiative supported by the Western Development Commission under the EU NPA Programme. The aim of the Spot-lit (www.spot-lit.eu) is to assist SMEs and local communities to develop new liteary tourism products in peripheral regions.
‘Despite the difficult circumstances we faced in delivering this programme, we are delighted to report that the six partners in the west of Ireland have managed to develop exciting and innovative projects as you can see from the programme Artisan House have drawn up and which we are confident will develop further now that we are operating in less restrictive times’ stated Ian Brannigan, Western Development Commission.
The 2-night break will include B&B on both nights and a full 5-course dinner on the evening of 24th March; a performance of ‘Nora’ by Curlew Theatre Company on the 23rd March, a workshop led by Ray Burke, author of Joyce County, and a full 5-course meal on the evening of 24th March.

‘Our inaugural literary tourism event, entitled ‘Mid-week break with Buck Mulligan’ will take place over a two-night retreat in Renvyle House Hotel on Wednesday, 23rd and Thursday, 24th March, 2022. Such events will be on offer and we are also developing a literary trail reflecting the rich literary heritage of Connemara’ said Mary Ruddy.

Hosts will be Mary Ruddy & Vincent Murphy of Artisan House and Books at One bookshop, Letterfrack.

For more information, visit our website www.artisanhouse.ie
or
email: artisanhouseeditions@gmail.com

The birth of the Kalevala and Kainuu.

Juminkeo’s latest release is Kalevala’s Birth and Kainuu. Markku Nieminen’s book tells about Elias Lönnrot’s activities in Kainuu in the years 1831-1853. The book contains paintings by Karelian artist Vitali Dobrynin from Kainuu during Lönnrot and about 150 years later. You can order the book from Juminkeo’s online store or buy HERE.

Suomussalmi Municipality – Hossa Storytelling Bootcamp.

Suomussalmi municipality is located in the northern part of Kainuu region, bordering Russia. Known for its pristine nature, strong cultural sector and history. Raate village in Suomussalmi was the setting of decisive battles during the Winter War in 1940.

Supporting the distinctive culture of the region and developing the area of Hossa national park are priorities for Suomussalmi municipality.

Our Literary Tourism Plans:

Development and piloting a storytelling boot camp in the area of Hossa national park, bringing 10-12 writers from literature, theatre and movie industries in for 5 days in 2021.

The first Hossa Storytelling Bootcamp in November 2021 gathered together professional writers of different fields to the magical surroundings of Hossa National Park in Northern Finland. A small live audience, and a larger one online, enjoyed intriguing discussions on stories and writing. The event was a great success with strong interest shown in arranging a new, international event when restrictions allow.

The first night of the event offered the participants a chance of getting to know each other and to prepare for the main event to follow in an informal atmosphere. At the main event on Saturday, two facilitated discussion were organised in front of a small live audience, and live streamed online for a bigger audience. Feedback was also received via online channels during the event. Six writers participated the joint sessions, facilitated by Jan Erola and Marko Karvonen. The discussions touched on many interesting topics and the audience heard stories about how each of the participants had become writers, how they build good characters for their stories, and what do they think are dangerous grounds in writing a story. There also was discussion on transferring a book into a film or a play; what factors does one have to consider , and how is the process built?.

Find Out More HERE.

Eino Leino House Foundation – Kullervo Play.

Poet Eino Leino was born in 1878 in Paltaniemi, where you will find the Eino Leino traditional house, built according to Leino’s childhood home. Today the traditional house is maintained by Eino Leino House Foundation dedicated to showcasing the poet’s life and extensive work. The foundation promotes culture related to the house and its surroundings. One of the important tasks of the foundation is to support research related to both Elias Lönnrot and Eino Leino and the publication of related literature in various forms.