Waterford libraries welcome bestselling author
Photograph: Patrick Browne
Waterford Libraries last week welcomed bestselling author Sheila O’Flanagan to Tramore Library as part of their popular Writers at Waterford Libraries series.
The free event attracted a large cohort of local readers, including members of Social book club for adults with Down syndrome
Irish author O’Flanagan has written 20 novels as well as three collections of short stories and two novels for children, all of which have been bestsellers both in Ireland and overseas.
These include The Hideaway, What Happened That Night, Isobel’s Wedding and Suddenly Single, with sales topping 8million around the world.
She is renowned for telling a good story and making her readers feel like they know the characters.
O’Flanagan explains, “Ireland is famed for its writers, but for me growing up most of the novels were rural in both their settings and their points of view. I wanted to read books about people like me, who lived in the city.
"I also wanted to read novels in which the women were the heroes of their own stories and not simply there because they were someone’s wife, mother or daughter.”
Sheila is also a passionate advocate for increasing literacy and helping people who have come to reading late in life so that they can find the same pleasure in reading as she has.
Waterford City & County Librarian Mary Conway, who founded the Writers at Waterford Libraries programme in 2023 said, “Our series of writer events aims to unite readers and writers through free, accessible events in their local library branches.
“Waterford Libraries are presenting a line-up of unique and engaging voices in Irish writing and we are delighted to welcome Shelia O’Flanagan to Waterford as part of this.”
As part of the second strand of the Writers at Waterford Libraries programme for 2025, these workshops will gives participants an opportunity to attend courses in both Irish and English with experienced, well-established writers in their fields
The workshops are either four week or one day and take place online or in Waterford Library branches during the evenings or on Saturdays.
The programme runs from August to mid-November.
Writers involved include William Ryan, Peter Murphy, Niamh Mulvey, Aingeala Flannery, Conor O’Callaghan, Manchán Magan and Ciara Ní É.
Application forms can be found the Waterford Libraries website.
