Author Martina Devlin joined Waterford City and County Librarian Mary Conway for the first Writers at Waterford Libraries event of 2025 in Central Library on March 29^th to discuss her latest book Charlotte and writing life.

Martina Devlin is an author and newspaper columnist. She has written nine novels, two non-fiction books, two plays and a collection of short stories. Her latest novel, Charlotte, explores Charlotte Brontë’s Irish connections. Other novels include Edith about the Irish R.M. co-author Edith Somerville; and The House Where It Happened about a mass witchcraft trial in Co Antrim in 1711, which led to a plaque being erected to commemorate those convicted following a campaign she initiated.

Her work has won many prizes including the Royal Society of Literature’s V.S. Pritchett Prize and a Hennessy Literary Award, and she has been shortlisted three times for the Irish Book Awards. Martina writes a weekly current affairs column for the Irish Independent, and her journalism has also won acclaim including being named National Newspapers of Ireland commentator of the year, among other journalism prizes. She holds a PhD in literary practice from Trinity College Dublin and is currently a judge on the Dublin Literary Award.

Martina enthralled the audience of almost 80 people in Central Library with the stories of her research into Charlotte Bronte and the background to the book. She gave a very interesting insight into the life of Charlotte and her Irish husband Arthur Bell Nicols as well as recounting detail of the second marriage of Arthur to his cousin Mary Bell.

Mary Conway, Waterford City and County Librarian said, “It was an absolute pleasure to engage Martina Devlin in conversation about her work and it was clear to me how interested the audience were by their complete attention throughout the whole event.”

Margaret Boran with Martina Devlin

Antonette Ford with Martina Devlin

Jenny Loughran with Martina Devlin

Images credits – Waterford In Your Pocket