The Word in September 2024, with Cecily Gilligan in conversation with Niamh Mac Cabe

The new term for The Word begins with Cecily Gilligan, author of Cures of Ireland, in conversation with Niamh Mac Cabe. Music with Aoife Hammond Audience Q&A | Open Mic Sligo Central Library will be hosting The Word on Wednesday 25th of September in Sligo Central Library, Stephen Street from 6:30pm. Author of Cures of Ireland, Cecily Gilligan In Conversation with – Niamh Mac Cabe Music with – Aoife Hammond Cecily Gilligan grew up and lives in rural County Sligo. She is a Primary school teacher, and has a degree in Social Science and a Masters in Women’s Studies from UCC. She has been interested in folklore since childhood, when much of her knowledge was acquired from within her community, and in particular from her grandmother. Cecily is a hill-walker, a sailor, a world traveller, and a strong supporter of Irish culture and language. She is also a campaigner for the protection of human rights and the environment, locally and globally. Audience Q&A Niamh Mac Cabe is an award-winning writer of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, plays, and hybrid prose. She’s also a visual artist, an editor, a writing mentor, and a lecturer on the Masters in Creative Practice, the Honours Degree in Writing & Literature, and the Honours Degree in Performing Arts, at ATU Sligo. Dublin-born, she worked overseas for several years in the Animated Film industry, before ‘settling’ in northwestern Ireland.​ Niamh is published in many literary journals and anthologies in Ireland, the UK, and the US. She’s represented by Marianne Gunn O’Connor at MGO’C Literary Agency. Open Mic is a first come, first served bases, and is limited to five names. Names are taken on the evening; participants are asked to keep within a three minute time-frame. Aoife Hammond is a singer, composer and multi-instrumentalist based in Leitrim. Current projects include ‘Goltraí, Geantraí, Suantraí, an exploration of women’s voices in traditional music’ with Tara Baoth Mooney, Eimear Ready + Fionnuala maxwell. ‘Songs of Grief + Death’ a project on the lament tradition of keening in Ireland with Ruth Clinton + Tara Baoth Mooney. Aoife has recently appeared on Nyahh records ‘An album of songs in the traditional and sean-nós style’ singing an unaccompanied sean-nós song. In 2023 Aoife was awarded ‘Leitrim Artist of the year’ for their work as a musician and curator and their contribution to arts and culture in County Leitrim. Open Mic moderated by Catherine Whitehead This is a Creative Ireland event.