Comhráite with Patrick Radden Keefe

The Irish Creative Collective presents the second installment of Comhráite: a dynamic live series of ordinary conversations with extraordinary people.

About Patrick Radden Keefe:

“If you are someone who engages in… sneaky conduct, the last person you want reporting on you is Keefe” – Slate

It takes just a few sentences to become completely engrossed in Patrick Radden Keefe’s writing. Just ask Barack Obama, who included Patrick’s work in his favourite books of the year list… twice. Or Grammy Award-winning artist, Dua Lipa, who chose Say Nothing as the monthly read for her Service95 Book Club this past June. Or even Roddy Doyle, who calls Patrick a “terrific storyteller”.

Listing all of the accolades Patrick has garnered in the past decade of indefatigable journalism could fill one of his New Yorker longreads. But the highlights alone speak volumes: his last two non-fiction books were named among the New York Times’ 100 Best Books of the 21st Century.

His Orwell Prize-winning book, Say Nothing, is perhaps the most moving and riveting accounts of the Troubles that we’ve seen in decades; demystifying the conflict’s key figures and shining a light on the lives that were claimed by the violence of the time. In Empire of Pain (TIME’s Non-Fiction Book of the Year), he uses his discerning eye to expose how the Sackler family’s greed and deceit lit the fire for an opioid crisis that has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives across the United States.

Patrick joins singer-songwriter, James OR, to chat about his links to Ireland, how this has shaped his life and work, and the ways he fosters his own creativity in today’s attention economy.

The Irish Creative Collective is a grassroots organisation that curates networking, cultural and showcasing events for Irish creatives and artists living in London. Whether you’re Irish-born or connected by heritage, you’re invited to join our thriving community. Comhráite is just one component of our exciting 2024 plans, which you can learn more about on Instagram (@irishcreativecollective).

At checkout, you’ll see an option to donate £10 directly to the Collective to help it continue its work of nurturing Irish creativity across the capital. Please don’t feel obliged to select this tier, but every contribution is much appreciated.