Lismore Library is hosting a day of celebration on November 28th, the late author Dervla Murphy’s Birthday.

Dervla Murphy was a truly inspiring woman who is part of the history of Libraries in Waterford. There is much to celebrate about her life and work.

Lismore Castle Arts, St Carthage’s Hall Gallery will host an exhibition of work by local students from Blackwater Community School. Students worked with Waterford artist Kathi Burke on the Creative Waterford project, ‘After Dervla, Dare to Discover’ which focused on research and inspiration in creative practice. The students read about Dervla Murphy and her love for Lismore, sustainable travel and place, students then worked with practicing artist Kathi to examine their relationship with where they live. The resulting art pieces will be on display to the public from November 28th to 30th daily from 11:00am to 3:00pm in the beautiful space of St Carthage’s Hall Gallery in Lismore.

There will be an exhibition launch celebration for the students in Lismore Library, where their research work will be on display at 11:00am. This work will be displayed in Lismore Library until December 16th.

Author and sociologist Ethel Crowley will be in conversation in Lismore Library on Tuesday 28th November at 3:00pm.

Ethel Crowley, PhD is an Irish sociologist. She is the author of Land Matters, Daring to Dream & Your Place or Mine? as well as other journal articles, book chapters and newspaper articles. Over the years, she has combined university lecturing & academic writing with travels in Latin America, the Middle East and India. She is currently working on a book on Spain. She considers her connection and friendship with Dervla Murphy to have been one of the greatest gifts of her life.

Please contact Lismore Library on 058 21377 for bookings and further information.

This event is part of the Writers at Waterford Libraries inaugural programme of events for 2023. The series of writer events aims to unite readers and writers through free, accessible events in their local library branches.