Burning Books Ireland

Brendan Mac Evilly talks about Jean Paul Sartre, Dermot Healy, the art world and the artist as he tells Ruth McKee which books he’d save if his house was on fire. Brendan Mac Evilly is director and co-editor of Holy Show, an annual arts journal and production company. He is the 2024/25 Emerging Curator in Development at Kilkenny Arts Office. His debut novel, Deep Burn, is published by Marrowbone Books.

Gráinne O’Brien talks about moving to California, the influence of music in her life and work, and how she became a bookseller and writer as she tells Ruth McKee which books she’d save if her house was on fire.Gráinne O'Brien is a bookseller and the founder of Rontu Literary Service, which is dedicated to supporting writers of fiction for children. She is the author of the children’s book A Limerick Fairytale (O’Brien Press). Solo is her debut verse novel for young adults (Little Island Books).

Claire Hennessy talks about Malory Towers, Wonder Boys, Rachel’s Holiday and all kinds of everything from depression to editing as she tells Ruth McKee which books she would save if her house was on fire.Claire Hennessy is a writer, editor and creative writing facilitator. Best known as an author and reviewer of YA fiction, In the Movie of Her Life (Doire Press) is her debut collection of short stories for adults.

Ashwin Chacko talks about Curdie and the Goblin, Lord of the Rings, The Shack by Paul Young, the Bible and more as he tells Ruth McKee which books he’d save if his house was on fire. Ashwin Chacko is an author, illustrator, and motivational speaker who specialises in positively playful, visual storytelling. His books include Keep At It, Little Optimist, Everybody Feels Fear, and his most recent, Wild City which is published by The O’Brien Press.

Poet Jessica Traynor talks about The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, Linda Gregg’s All of it Singing, and Mary Ruefle as she explores growing as an artist, a time of loss, and the joy of mystery in poetry as she tells Ruth McKee which books she’d save if her house was on fire. Jessica Traynor is the author of Liffey Swim (Dedalus Press), The Quick (Dedalus Press), and Pit Lullabies (Bloodaxe Books), and is the poetry editor of Banshee. Her forthcoming collection is New Arcana, which will be published by Bloodaxe Books.

Cauvery Madhavan talks about Mulk Raj Anand, Amitav Ghosh, Khalil Gibran and more as she talks to Ruth McKee about starting school early, a tragedy in her life, and moving to Ireland when she was 23. Discover the books she’d save if her house was on fire in the latest episode of Burning Books. Cauvery Madhavan was born in India and moved to Ireland thirty-three years ago. She is the author of Paddy Indian, The Uncoupling, and The Tainted. Her latest novel, The Inheritance (HopeRoad Publishing), is out now.

Sarah Webb talks about her early days in Waterstones, how she doesn’t write for the market, and learning to give time to what’s important, as she tells Ruth McKee which books she’d save if her house was on fire. Sarah Webb is an award-winning Irish children’s writer and creative writing teacher. She is also the events manager at Halfway up the Stairs children’s bookshop in Greystones, Co Wicklow. Her books include Blazing a Trail: Irish Women who Changed the World (illustrated by Lauren O’Neill) and I am the Wind: Irish Poems for Children Everywhere (co-edited by Lucinda Jacob, illustrated by Ashwin Chacko). Her latest book is The Weather Girls (The O’Brien Press) which was inspired by real WW2 events in Ireland.

Rónán Hession talks about the natural buoyancy of observations which make it to the page, using a fragment from the day in his writing, and the juice at the heart of a creative work as he tells Ruth McKee which books he'd save if his house was on fire. Rónán Hession is the multi award winning novelist of Leonard and Hungry Paul (Bluemoose Books, 2019), and Panenka (Bluemoose Books, 2021). His latest novel, Ghost Mountain, is out now, with Bluemoose Books.