The 2026 line-up for one of this island’s longest running literary festivals was revealed at a packed programme launch at Armagh’s Market Place Theatre last Thursday ,
The lively launch event included music from celebrated Armagh singer/songwriter Conchúr White and an address from guest-of-honour, the newly elected Lord Mayor of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council, Councillor Mary O’Dowd.
The 39 th John Hewitt International Summer School will take place from Monday 27 – Friday 31 July and boasts a week-long programme of celebrated thinkers, speakers, writers, performers and artists, with literature, poetry, art, drama, music, and politics very much on the menu. From avid readers to aspiring writers, published writers seeking inspiration, or simply lovers of literature and the arts, there’s something for everyone.
The theme of this year’s John Hewitt Summer School is “Living as Other Women Lived: The Politics of Challenge and Success”. Inspired by Hewitt’s poetic tribute to his wife – Sonnets for Roberta, the programme will be a celebration and recognition of the struggle of women on this island and beyond…
Speaking at the launch in Armagh, Chair of John Hewitt Society, Dr Frank Ferguson, commented: “As Chair of The John Hewitt Society I am particularly excited by our 39 th Summer School. Our fantastic team has put together a superb line-up that will offer outstanding opportunities to festival attenders: they will be able to engage in the debates which matter so much to us as human beings; to explore and extend how and why we write as creative people; and to share in the literary, cultural, political, social and artistic talent of an excellent range of speakers, writer, creators and
experts.”
This year’s Opening Address is by legendary peace activist, human rights defender, academic and former politician Monica McWilliams on the subject: “Women Struggling for Peace and Justice in Northern Ireland and Beyond”.
Armagh’s favourite crime writer, Stuart Neville hosts the annual John Hewitt Crime Fiction Special with acclaimed authors Harriet Tyce and Catherine Ryan Howard. Booker-nominated author Andrew Miller will be in conversation with Armagh’s Michael Hughes and Sinéad Morrissey discusses her much acclaimed memoir Among Communists with Maureen Boyle. Jan Carson talks to Wendy Erskine about “Few and Far Between”, her most ambitious novel yet. Multi-award winning author Mary Costello is in conversation with Martin Doyle and the Debut Fiction slot features Andrew Cunning & Ruth McKee in conversation with Jan Carson.
The John Hewitt Society is also thrilled to welcome the Laureate for Irish Fiction – Éilís Ní Dhuibhne who will be in conversation with writer Sarah Gilmartin, who in turn will be talking to Aingeala Flannery about her own brilliant third novel “.Little Vanities”, while JHISS, in association with Libraries NI , will host the Armagh launches of Louise Nealon’s new novel, “Everything that is Beautiful”, Bernie McQuillan’s “The Lobster Pot” and Eric Greaves’s “Covenants” in Armagh City Library.
An impressive poetry line-up includes Isabelle Baafi, Matthew Rice, Moyra Donaldson, Connie Voisine, Jessica Traynor and Abeer Aneer. Gallery Press present their annual poetry readings, Gallery Goes, featuring luminous verse from Micheál McCann, Annemarie Ní Churreáin and Grace Wilentz.
Other Talks and Panel Debates include author Martin Tyrrell on influential early 20 th century Anglo-Irish travel writer Mairin Mitchell, Historian and author Tiffany Watt Smith discusses “The Hidden History of Friendship”.
Palestine: The Flotilla and Beyond – finds writer/ activists Sarah Clancy and Gráinnemir Abualrob in conversation with Susannah Dickey, while Professor Natalie Thompson presents Women and The Miners’ Strike and Liz McManus invites us to redisover the seminal – yet today largely forgotten – Belfast poet May Morton.
The positively Wildean “Work is the Curse of the Drinking Classes” has played to audiences all over the world and makes its Armagh debut at last. Back by popular demand is the heart-rending, autobiographical “Becoming Marvellous” by another JHISS alumnus, Cathy Carson. And The Market Place will be filled with wonder, story and song as Liz Weir, Vicky McFarland and Anne Harper present Cloak of Wisdom – a magical evening of storytelling and music, recentring the feminine voice within Irish folklore.
The walls of the Market Place will also play host to exhibitions from two uniquely different Irish artists – “Home” by Brigid O’Brien explores what it means to have a place of comfort, privacy and security – a basic right still out of reach for many.
“Storytellers” from James Hughes is a series spanning 40 years – of 25 photographic portraits of great Irish literary figures.
The John Hewitt Summer School also boasts an array of excellent Creative Writing Workshops led by some of this island’s finest writers across a variety of genres, including Poetry with Csilla Toldy, Writing the Short Story with Wendy Erskine and Novel Writing with Bernie McGill, all helping to develop new generations of aspiring writers.
The John Hewitt Summer School is made possible through the partnership and assistance of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, Department for Communities, Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council, Ulster University, Irish Dept of Foreign Affairs and Trade amongst other bodies, organisations, advertisers, local traders and volunteers.
The John Hewitt Summer School is curated and produced annually by the John Hewitt Society, dedicated to promoting Literature, Culture and the Arts inspired by the ideas and ideals of the Belfast poet, curator, critic and political thinker John Hewitt (1907 – 1957).
Full details of the programme are available online at johnhewittsociety.org or at visitarmagh.com/marketplacetheatre.
Tickets can be purchased from the Market Place Theatre box office on 0330 056 1025, by email, in person or online at the above websites.
