A night of readings and music to mark the book launch of Brian Friel’s short story collection “STORIES OF IRELAND”. This special event will be introduced by Louise Kennedy, author of the award-winning book “Trespasses”

The ICC is delighted to host the launch of this new collection of Brian Friel’s beautiful short stories, “Stories Of Ireland”. This special event has been brought to the ICC’s stage in association with Penguin Books.

‘There is a touch of spring about this collection and I find myself curiously helpless in front of them. The funny stories are a complete joy. The serious stories are concerned with the subtlest nuances of human emotions and relations which can neither be described nor directly expressed.’ The Irish Times

‘Some of the best stories ever written. They are everything short stories should be – deft, skilfully written, funny and quite often breathlessly sad’ Edna O’Brien

‘As natural and as beautiful as you can imagine… full of vitality, full of life’ Kevin Barry, author of Night Boat to Tangier

‘A fake! A quack! A charlatan! Get a grip on yourself, woman! We’ll say another rosary and then I’ll leave you home.’

Stories of Ireland is a brilliant, colourful compendium of mid-century Irish experience from one of Ireland’s greatest ever writers, Brian Friel. Demonstrating all of Friel’s peerless instinct for voice, scene, and the uncanny mystery found in the everyday, these tales tell of beauty, struggle and discovery: from the drowning of a man in the bog-black waters of Lough Keeragh, to the camaraderie of teenage potato gathers in County Tyrone, and from the careful work of the German War Graves Commission in Glenn na fuiseog, to trawlermen’s talk of sunken gold off the coast of Donegal.

Brian Friel (1929 – 2015) is one of Ireland’s greatest ever playwrights. Over a career of more than fifty years, he published 24 plays including Faith Healer, Translations and Dancing at Lughnasa, all of which are now defining documents of Irish literature. Globally, he is one of the most beloved and frequently performed dramatists of the 20th century. Friel was also an acclaimed short story writer, publishing two renowned collections in his lifetime. He died in 2015 at home in Donegal.

Come along to what promises to be an enchanting evening, in which you will hear some of Brian Friel’s magical short stories being read by some wonderful actors; plus there will be some beautiful music to bring you the sounds of County Donegal. This special evening will be introduced by Louise Kennedy, Author of the award winning book “Trespasses”! The names of the actors who will be reading on the night will soon be announced.

Stories of Ireland by Brian Friel will be published by Penguin Books on March 13th 2025