Don’t miss this special opportunity to hear from one of the most celebrated writers of our time, Colm Tóibín, in conversation with Professor Frank Shovlin.
Tóibín will discuss his striking new short story collection, The News from Dublin — a profound and deeply moving sequence of stories that span continents and generations, from wartime Ireland to Barcelona, Argentina and beyond. Moving between lives marked by exile, secrecy and loss, these luminous narratives explore family ties, displacement, and the enduring pull of home and memory.
Born in Enniscorthy in 1955, Tóibín is the author of acclaimed novels and short story collections including The Empty Family, Brooklyn, The Master, The Magician and Long Island. A three-time Booker Prize finalist, he has also received the David Cohen Prize for Literature, served as Laureate for Irish Fiction (2022–2024), and was Chancellor of the University of Liverpool until 2017.
He will be joined by Frank Shovlin, Professor of Irish Literature at the University of Liverpool’s Institute of Irish Studies, and an acclaimed critic and editor, known for his work on Joyce and John McGahern, including The Letters of John McGahern (Faber & Faber) and the forthcoming biography John McGahern: A Writing Life.
Venue: The Black-E, 1 Great George Street, Liverpool, L1 5EW
Tickets: Book and ticket bundle: £28, ticket only: £12/£10 concessions