Nora

ULYSSES 100 EVENTS

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Ulysses 100 image by At It Again

I’m busy, naturally, as we get closer to the Ulysses 100 anniversary on 2.2.22, so here are a few of the events & things you can catch me at:

22nd January 2022 – I have a piece about the background to writing Ulysses – how life was for Nora and Joyce – in the Irish Independent.

Saint Brigid’s Day / Lá ‘le Bríde – 1st Feb. – I’m talking live to Ambassador Eamon Hickey at the Embassy of Ireland, Bern, in Switzerland. 5pm Irish time. Link to follow.

Saint Brigid’s Day / Lá ‘le Bríde – 1st Feb. – I’m taking part in the celebration of Ulysses at Embassy of Ireland Paris, with Ambassador Niall Burgess. Time tbc. Link to come.

2nd Feb – Ulysses 100 day – the exhibition I’ve curated at MOLI – ‘Love, says Bloom’ – opens today. So exciting! Sadly, Covid restrictions mean we won’t be having a shindig, but please visit the museum to see this immersive audiovisual presentation, where I took the love between the four Joyces – and their love of music – as inspiration. It includes some magnificent performances from artists including Julia Spanu of Moxie, Ian Lynch of Lankum, and Lisa O’Neill.

2nd Feb – Ulysses 100 day – I’ll be on RTÉ’s Arena talking Ulysses with Sean Rocks and a panel of Joyce fans. 7pm. RTÉ Radio 1.

2nd Feb – Ulysses 100 day – I am giving away a signed copy of the One Dublin One Book edition of NORA (out Feb. 24th from New Island Books). Enter until midday 2nd Feb! See my insta for details.

4th Feb, 6.30pm – I’m launching the new edition of Ray Burke’s wonderful book, Joyce County – Galway and James Joyce, in Galway city at Charlie Byrne’s Bookshop. Illustrated by Joe Boske. Published by Artisan House in Connemara.

4th Feb, 10.45pm – I’m on BBC Radio 3, on The Essay, concluding a week of Reading Ulysses, with my thoughts on the Penelope episode. Other essayists include Mary Costello, John Patrick McHugh, Colm Tóibín and Anne Enright. More here.

NORA IN NYT TOP 10

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I’m very pleased the New York Times names my novel NORA among the 10 best historical novels of 2021. ‘A lively fictional rendition of Nora Barnacle, the minimally educated, blue-collar woman who propped up one of literature’s most challenging highbrow writers.’ Huge thanks to Alida Becker. Lovely to be in there with personal faves Alison MacLeod and Colm Tóibín.

More here.

TERTULIA BOOKS, WESTPORT

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I had a fab time at Westival in Westport, this weekend gone by. My event was hosted by the magical Tertulia Books, run by Bríd and Neil, and they gave me such a warm welcome to their beautiful shop and town. They are up for a book award at the APIBAS (as is NORA!), and you can vote for them here. Big thanks to the Tertulia crew, to the yoga boys for the gorgeous venue, and to Caroline Healy for the interview on the night.

NORA SHORTLISTED IRISH BOOK AWARDS

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I’m delighted that Seán Rocks and the Arena crew have nominated NORA in the RTÉ Audience Choice Award at the An Post Irish Book Awards. As a big Arena fan, this is such an honour. I’m also honoured that NORA is the only novel on the shortlist.

You can vote here.

NORA & OTHER EVENTS – LATE ’21

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Nora Barnacle Museum,
Bowling Green, Galway

I have several events coming up, many around my novel NORA, which was published here in Ireland in April with New Island Books, so I thought I’d do a preview/round-up list:

12th Sep, 9am GMT: SUNDAY MISCELLANY: I’ll be on RTÉ Radio 1 on Sunday morning with a radio essay about my relationship with my name, Nuala. More here.

17th Sep, 7pm GMT: CULTURE NIGHT: I’m in an artist collective here in Ballinasloe, Group 8, and we’re holding the opening of our annual exhib, UNBOUND, on Culture Night at the Town Hall Theatre in Ballinasloe. My work is a photo book with extracts from an essay I wrote about crying, that featured in Banshee. More here.

18th Sep, 4.30pm GMT: SHORELINES ARTS FEST, PORTUMNA. I’m doing an in-person fiction event with Louise Kennedy in the church. Tickets and more here.

19th Sep, 10am GMT: RETREAT WEST FLASH FESTIVAL. I’m doing an online event – delivering a keynote on writing flash and answering questions too. Tickets and more here.

23rd Sep, 7pm GMT: ULYSSES FOR THE REST OF US. I’m doing an online (and limited-tix in-person) event – chatting with the fab Conner Habib about the Penelope episode of Ulysses (my fave!!). More here.

15th Oct, 11am GMT: CHELTENHAM LITERARY FESTIVAL. I’m doing an in-person event on biofiction with the wondrous Connie Palmen. More here.

22nd Oct, TBC GMT: WESTPORT ARTS FESTIVAL. I’m doing an in-person event on biofiction and women. More to come, keep an eye here.

27th Oct, 8pm GMT: HOPE FOUNDATION BOOK CLUB. I’m doing an online event with NORA. More to come, keep an eye here.

SAN FRAN BOOK REVIEW

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The San Francisco Book Review has given NORA a lovely tiny review. A snip: ‘a truly impressive work of biographical fiction, Nuala O’Connor pens a powerful and incisive account of the life of Nora Joyce, who despite being remembered as “Irish literature’s greatest muse” was really a far more complex, commanding, and intriguing individual than her lasting reputation suggests.’ More here: https://sanfranciscobookreview.com/biographies-memoirs/