
The Frances Browne Literary Festival
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The Frances Browne Literary Festival
- Archives
- …
- Archives
The Frances Browne Literary Festival
Festival News
Updates on what's happening in the run up to our Festival LaunchSeptember 21, 2024Announcing the 2024 Frances Browne Poetry Competition Shortlist! We are thrilled to announce...September 14, 2024We are thrilled to announce the longlists for the 2024 Frances Browne Poetry Competition! 🌍 This...September 6, 2024Celebrated poet Nessa O’Mahony is special guest at the 2024 Frances Browne Literary Festival ...We are delighted to welcome outstanding Tenx9 event to Donegal for the first time in 2024 as part...June 27, 2024We’re thrilled to announce the launch of the 2024 Frances Browne Multilingual Poetry Competition ...In the flurry of activity that preceeds organising a multi-day, multi-event festival, we asked...More PostsAbout Us
Our festival is inspired by the life and work of Frances Browne, the Blind Poetess of Ulster (1816-1879) who was born in Stranorlar. Our aim is to promote a revival of interest in Frances in her native area and beyond. By reviving the literary legacy of Frances Browne we celebrate theunique linguistic and cultural diversity of this part of Donegal, the only place in Ireland where Irish, English and Ulster-Scots language is spoken on a daily basis.
Frances Browne's most famous poem, "Songs of our land," is a reflection on language, and how the soul of a nation is encapsulated in its literary outputs. She wrote prolifically in all formats. She was as much at home with an essay, an article, or a novel as she was with her great fortes, poetry and childrens' writing. Her masterpiece, the children’s storybook "Granny's Wonderful Chair" was a bestseller all over the world, but she also deserves to be remembered for her unswerving opposition to slavery and all sorts of injustice.
Find us / Get in touch
The Frances Browne Literary Festival is based is based in the Twin Towns of Ballybofey-Stranorlar.
Events take place in venues in the towns and across the East Donegal region.
Festival Funders & Programme Support
We thank our funders and programme supporters for their generous support and belief in the Frances Browne Literary Festival
Donegal County Council
Donegal County Council has generously funded, supported and encouraged the Festival since it began in 2021. Their enthusiasm and dedication to the Festival is greatly appreciated.
International Fund for Ireland
The International Fund for Ireland has kindly supported collaborative events between the Frances Browne Literary Festival, The Letterkenny Cathedral Quarter and The Steinbeck Festival. In our 2024 programme they are supporting performances of Brendan Behan's - The Quare Fellow and a talk by The Steinbeck Festival.
Conradh na Gaeilge
Conradh na Gaeilge has kindly funded Pop Up Litríocht.
Conradh na Gaeilge
Foras na Gaeilge has kindly funded Cheolchoirm Gaeilge/Gàidhlig - A night of song in Irish, English & Gáidhlig, and
Poetry Ireland
The launch of “The Risen Tree”,[Revival Press] Bernadette Gallagher's debut poetry collection is presented in association with Poetry Ireland.
Donegal Local Development Company
DLDC has kindly provided funding to support our Children's Fun Day.
Sponsors
Would you like to sponsor or donate to the Festival? Contact us at: info@francesbrowneliteraryfestival.com
Finn Valley Voice
The Finn Valley voices acts as the Frances Browne Literary Festival Headquarters and generously supports with PR and other activities.
B&S Credit Union
We thank the Credit Union for the generous annual support through their Community Fund
Karen Murphy
School of Speech, Drama & Communications
For her generous annual funding of the
Frances Browne Award
The Frances Browne Literary Festival Committee
Celine McGlynn, Festival Chair
Celine McGlynn iniated the Frances Browne Poetry competition with Dr. Pauline Holland in 2008. She has long been a dedicated supporter of Frances Browne and the movement to bring her back to prominance.
Celine is editor of the Finn Valley Voice and a noted artist and poet.
Frances Browne Literary Festival Committee © 2024
