All a-Twitter about the Town of Books Festival

Tweeter and non- tweeters alike may know that presidential candidate Michael D. Higgins is on Twitter as @md_higgins, but you may not know that he is also a published poet! He's written a book, published by Liberty Press, called ‘New and Selected Poems. On Saturday, 17 September at 3pm, The Town Of Books Festival in Graiguenamanagh, Co. Kilkenny will provide festival goers with a chance to hear Mr. Higgins read his poems, and they can decide for themselves if the poems are as pithy as his tweets!

Avid social media fan and one of the festival’s organizers, Susan FitzGerald said ‘’I love poetry, and am looking forward to having Michael D Higgins read and sign some books here in Graig. His poems are very socially conscious, and I am not surprised he is embracing these new ways of interacting with people; especially with Twitter being like poetry in that you need to be concise. There will be a free Tweet Up (meet up for twitter users & non users alike) at 4.30 in Murray’s pub after Michael D’s talk- I’m not sure if he will make it, but we can always tweet him and tell him the fun he missed!’’

Edward Hayden also loves Twitter!

TV3 celebrity chef, author, and Graiguenamanagh resident Edward Hayden is also on Twitter (@EdwardHayden) and he will be doing a free cookery demonstration at 8.30 pm on Saturday the 17^th at the Abbey Centre. There will be samples and a raffle, and Edward will also have a stall at the Book Festival’s local food and craft fair on Sunday the 18^th. Another Twitter using participant at the food and craft fair will be Knockdrinna Cheese (@Knockdrinna,) amongst others- so book, food, and craft lovers not yet on Twitter may want to go to the Tweet Up to find out what the tweeting fuss is about! But no Twitter is required to enjoy the festival and the 20+ book, and some record, sellers! (like Charlie Byrnes Books & Irish Record Fair) Go to Graiguenamanagh on September 16th-18^th, pick up a book & treasure trail map, and stroll the medieval streets at leisure!

The Town of Books Festival tweets at @TownOfBooksFest, and is on Facebook at Irelands Town of Books Festival. For the full festival programme, see www.booktownireland.com Email them at info@booktownireland.com .The festival is kindly supported by KLP, Leader, and is part of the Kilkenny Community Festival Network.