The Leaves Festival of Writing and Music takes over Laois this week

The Leaves Festival of Writing and Music comes to Laois this November.

The festival will feature local Laois creatives, along with big national names.

Supported by the arts and Laois County Council, a wide array of workshops, talks, and Q&A’s will be held across the Dunamaise Arts Centre, Midlands Prison, Laois Libraries, Kavanaghs, Preston House Abbeyleix and St. Peter’s Church of Ireland.

Your favourite local writers and international authors will be available to learn from and interact with from Wednesday November 6 to Saturday November 9.

Events will feature writers such as Rick O’Shea, Caoilinn Hughes, Kevin Curran, Linda McEvoy, Cathy Sweeney, Dagogo Hart, Mary O’Donnell, Eleanor Mills, Barbara Scully, Claire O’Brien, Eve McDonnell, Paul Muldoon, Brendan Begley, and Caoimhín Ó’Raghallaigh.

On Wednesday November 6 at 11am, Mountmellick native Linda McEvoy, joins us to read from her recently released debut novel, The Christmas Market. Ms McEvoy will also offer a Q&A with attendees. Meet the author at Abbeyleix library.

'One County One Book' is an initiative run by Laois Libraries as part of Leaves, designed to connect communities through the shared experience of reading and discussing the same book. This initiative successfully fosters a sense of community, promotes literacy and encourages a love of reading.

This year’s One County One Book is Kevin Curran’s Youth. Youth is a novel that explores the lives of four teenagers in Balbriggan. The story delves into the challenges and aspirations of these young individuals as they navigate the complexities of modern life.

The Laois Writers Group is a community of writers based in Laois. Now in its 30^th year the group provides a supportive and fertile environment for writers of prose and poetry. The Writers Groups is celebrating their 30^th anniversary with the creation of an anthology of their work, titled Words UnLaoised.

The current group members are Frank Parker, Mary Carmody, Sheelagh Coyle, Noreen Moore, Ann Marie Foley, Declan Molloy, Hazel Luskin, Mary O’Dea and Brianna O’Sullivan. “Words Unlaoised” will be launched by acclaimed Kildare writer John McKenna in Portlaoise library at 6:30pm on November 6.