Literature fans to head to Northern Ireland

13 January 2009 -

Authors, artists and poets will head to Belfast between February 24th and March 1st for the city's Book Festival.

More than 30 events will be staged at venues across the capital, including the Linen Hall and Central libraries.

There will be bilingual workshops for children in Irish and Ulster Scots, readings and talks about different books and literature, with appearances from broadcaster Gerry Anderson and Barbara Best, who recently published a memoir of the life of her brother George.

David Lewis, Belfast Book Festival director, said the event is for people who take great pleasure in reading books.

"The Belfast Book Festival is for everyone who reads and enjoys books. We want to destroy any stuffy stereotypes," he stated.

Mr Lewis added that Lucy Caldwell will launch her new novella, The Furthest Distance, on board the Belfast to Derry train and that young poets will have the chance to attend a masterclass with Ciaran Carson, director of the Seamus Heaney Centre for Poetry.

In other news, Belfast-born writer Jack Higgins has been forced to withdraw from his scheduled performance at the festival due to unforeseen circumstances.