Celebrating the Golden Age of Readers
As part of his public programme, Laureate for Irish Fiction Sebastian Barry seeks to acknowledge the part played by readers in the life of books. Life Lines, the Laureate for Irish Fiction Book Club, aims to engage readers across a variety of distinct and harder to reach settings with contemporary Irish fiction.
In 2019, Laureate for Irish Fiction Sebastian Barry joined people in Clonakilty Direct Provision at the Community Garden Dome built by Friends of Asylum Seekers, Clonakilty.
Clonakilty Friends of Asylum Seekers provides friendship and support to people living in the Clonakilty Lodge Direct Provision Centre. Sharing music, arts, yoga, homework club, a community garden and social activities as well as many other social supports.
Lifelines Book in 2018
The first Life Lines Book Club event took place at the University Hospital, Waterford in August 2018. This event was for the Patients and Key Staff in the Renal Dialysis Unit and was presented in partnership with Waterford Healing Arts Trust and Ardkeen Library, Waterford County Libraries.
The second Life Lines Book Club event took place at the Mercer’s Institute for Successful Ageing at St. James Hospital. This event was people who were over 65 years of age from the community, MISA patients, their families and hospital staff who enjoy reading. The book club met weekly from 3 July in their Creative Life area, leading up to the final book club event on 21 August. It was presented in partnership with the Creative Life Unit of MISA and Inchicore Library, Dublin City Libraries.
The third Life Lines Book Club event took place at the Central Mental Hospital in Dundrum on 23 August. This event was for the patients and key staff in the hospital and was presented in partnership with the National Forensic Mental Health Service.
The fourth Life Lines Book Club event in 2018 took place at the Cork University Hospital on 29 August. This event was for the patients and key staff in the Renal Dialysis Unit and was presented in partnership with Cork University Hospital Campus Arts Committee.