Workshop - Frances Browne Literary Festival

Echoes of Frances Browne:Creative Writing Workshop with writer, director, and performer Rhona Trench

Join us for a weekend of creative writing sparked by the life and work of Frances Browne (1816–1879), the “Blind Poetess of Ulster.” Using her poetry and story as starting points, we’ll explore themes like imagination, nature, memory, and resilience. Open to writers of all levels, these workshops encourage responses in any form—flash fiction, memoir, dialogue, poetic prose, or hybrid experiments. No prior knowledge of Browne (or poetry) is needed. SPACES ARE LIMITED: BOOKING IS ESSENTIAL

Lives from Letters

How do scholars locate unpublished letters? How can we date an undated letter, or identify unfamiliar correspondents? And what business do we have even looking at the private letters of long-forgotten individuals? This practical workshop will introduce participants to the fascinating world of working with nineteenth-century letters. We will discuss the challenges of discovering, transcribing, editing, and annotating letters, as well as the overt and subtle messages suggested by a letter’s wording, margins, and method of delivery. The session will also consider the literary historian’s responsibility to the written past. Perfect for anyone with an interest in history, historical biography, historical fiction, or literary exploration.