A Literary Weekend in Dublin

Last week was mid term break for Scottish schools – days to fill, in February, when the weather tends

not to be kind. What to do? We decided on a short trip to Dublin, Ireland, famous for both its warm hospitality (or craic) and excellent pint of Guinness, as well as for producing wonderful writers.

The Old Library

Trinity College,
Long Room

We began by exploring the popular tourist hotspots of Dublin Castle and Kilmainham Gaol, both steeped in Irish political and social history and well worth a visit. But I’d also made it my mission to learn more of Dublin’s great literary tradition, starting at its most famous seat of learning, TrinityCollege. With an outstanding set of writing alumni that includes Jonathan Swift (Gulliver’s Travels), Oscar Wilde (The Importance of Being Earnest) and Bram Stoker (Dracula), Trinity College is home to the Old Library

Trinity College, Old Library

with its majestic Long Room, containing two tiers of oak bookcases which hold over 200,000 books. It was magnificent on such a jaw-dropping scale that I had to remind myself it was real and not some Disney mock-up or made for a scene of Harry Potter!

 The Book of Kells

But my key reason for visiting Trinity College was to see its main treasure, something I’d wished to view for a long time - the artistically inscribed Book of Kells. Dating from around AD 800, the Book of Kells is believed to have been completed by monks from the island of Iona in Scotland. The precision of the scribes as they recorded the four Gospels of the Bible shows their immense skill and dedication to their work. Following line after line of immaculate Latin script, I couldn’t help but reflect that as I type more and write less, my handwriting has deteriorated to a lazy scrawl. It’s time to up my game and start practicing with the calligraphy set my sons gave me for Christmas. Seeing the Book of Kells was more than worth the wait.

 Dublin Writers Museum

 

Dublin Writers Museum
Portrait Gallery

From there, it was on to the Dublin Writers Museum, situated in an 18^th century townhouse refurbished by the Jameson family, of Irish whiskey fame, which houses a wealth of artefacts, such as letters and first editions, celebrating the lives and works of Irish writers, including four Nobel laureates, over the past three hundred years. Visiting room after room filled with memorabilia from the likes of Swift and Wilde, Yeats and Joyce, was both awe-inspiring and, as a writer, more than a little daunting. If you plan on visiting the Writers Museum make sure to take a trip upstairs to the stunning Writers Portrait Gallery, found in the ornate former drawing room with views across Parnell Square.

Walking with Famous Irish Writers

Oscar Wilde Sculpture

Dublin is a city that encourages walking and has even put together a writing trail which includes a visit to Oscar Wilde’s House, the Oscar Wilde Memorial Sculptures in the gardens opposite his childhood home off Merrion Square, as well as the James Joyce Centre and more. My good friend and writer, Rachelle Atalla, also recommended I visit Sweny’s Pharmacy, an oldie-world former pharmacy that sells second hand books and appears in Joyce’s Ulysses and where volunteers read from his work. When we visited, Ulysses was being read in French, and given my knowledge of French has gone much the same way as my handwriting, we didn’t linger long, but it was lovely to imagine we’d walked in Joyce’s footsteps, if only for a little while.

 

Sweny's Pharmacy
mentioned in Ulysses

Contemporary Female Irish Writers

 In preparation for my trip to Dublin and also since I've returned, I've been reading contemporary female Irish fiction writers. I have long been a fan of both Marian Keyes (my review of her latest release, The Break) and Cecelia Ahern (one of my Christmas reads was The Gift), but I was also lucky enough, last year, to hear the fabulous short fiction writer, Claire Keegan, give a reading at Aberdeen University (my review of Foster). Next on my to-be-read pile was The Hollow Heart by Adrienne Vaughan, editor of the Romantic Novelists’ Association magazine and author of the Heartfelt series. Vaughan’s latest The Summer at the Seahorse Hotel is out now.

Lastly, my current bedtime read is The Good Mother by Sinead Moriarty, recommended for those visiting Dublin, over on the Trip Fiction website. Ireland’s literary tradition is most definitely alive and well.

If you’re unable to sample the delights of Ireland for yourself then why not try the next best thing and read some of its brilliant fiction. I'd love if you'd join in the craic by sharing your favourites below …

Happy reading,

Rae

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WRITING BY CANDLELIGHT...

Authors who light candles to spark story ideas …

 

By the time this post goes live we’ll be well through Advent, a time for lighting candles and banishing darkness, when here in northern Scotland we draw closer to the shortest day of the year. My energy levels head south with the sunshine and so I like to use candles to brighten both my workspace and mood. Yankee Candle’s Red Apple Wreath is my personal festive favourite. And this got me thinking about candles, and specifically scented ones, and how authors use them to inspire their writing.

Oops!

JK Rowling

Only recently J K Rowling shared on Twitter that whilst writing a particular macabre scene for her Cormorant Strike detective novel series that a candle exploded, making it difficult for her adrenaline levels to return to normal.  Here’s a photograph of that particular Jo Loves ‘Christmas Trees’ pine-scented candle – post explosion. Joanne assured her followers that this was nothing to do with the quality of the candle but rather that she’d allowed it to burn to the bottom of the glass.
Sounds as though it was working it’s magic, transporting her to her happy writing place.

Cecelia Ahern's - The Gift

Cecelia Ahern

Another author who is a huge fan of Jo Malone candles is Irish, best selling novelist, Cecelia Ahern, who, whilst promoting the re-release of her festive novel The Gift, during a Harper Collins Facebook Live chat, shared that she is very disciplined when writing and always lights a candle, which is always from Jo Malone. Her particular favourite is Lime, Basil and Mandarin (a fantastic Christmas gift idea for that writer in your life!) Cecelia met Jo Malone for the first time earlier this year and had a real fan-girl moment, telling Jo how amazing she thought she was. Jo Malone then explained how candles and scent act as a trigger, which sets her in the zone and mood to create.  To hear Cecelia’s full Facebook Live chat listen here…

Many novelists I admire light candles as part of their daily writing routine and three were kind enough to share why they find candles so inspiring.

Maggie Craig's - Gathering Storm

Maggie Craig

First up is acclaimed Scottish historical fiction writer, Maggie Craig, who said 'I enjoy lighting scented candles but use them more as a votive offering. I particularly like to have a candle lit by my computer on dreich (the Scottish word for dreary or bleak) days.' And we’ve plenty of those in Scotland. I hope Maggie has a large supply of candles at the ready! She continued, 'I like to include scent in my writing and at the beginning of my most recent novel, Gathering Storm, a tale of Jacobite intrigue and romance, refer to the smell of newly snuffed-out candles'. – Powerful writing, Maggie.

Phoebe Morgan

Phoebe Morgan's - The Doll House

Meanwhile, psychological thriller writer, Phoebe Morgan, who’s debut, The Doll House, was published earlier this year, said, 'I will almost always light a candle or two if I’m writing at home. There’s something about it that I find really calming – and when I get stuck on a plot problem I can stare at the flame a bit and allow myself to be mesmerised! It really helps my creativity – I’ve always loved the smell and look of nice candles so they’re definitely on my Christmas list this year!'

Amanda Prowse's - The Art of Hiding

Amanda Prowse

A beautiful candle lantern even takes pride of place on the cover of bestselling women’s fiction author, Amanda Prowse’s latest novel The Art of Hiding. Isn’t it gorgeous?

When I contacted Amanda asking what candles mean to her, this is what she said.

'I too write with a scented candle burning always – it makes me feel calm and centred and find the naked flame so thought provoking. Thank you for the lovely words about the cover. I wanted to convey the idea of new life and remembrance, but also the fact that the main protagonist, Nina, is living in poverty –and I figured that a candle in a jar was evocative of hardship in times gone by.'

Candles Inspired by Books and Writers

Lots of authors use candles to encourage their muse to come and play, but if you still need persuasion to treat yourself to some candle time, then why not check out this post over on the EBook Friendly website - 15 scented candles inspired by books and writers.

There you’ll find links to candles with such fabulous names as Second Star to the Right, inspired by JM Barrie’s Peter Pan; 221B Baker Street inspired by Sherlock Holmes; Gatsby’s Mansion, reminiscent of a night spent ocean-side; and The Shire, inspired by JRR Tolkien’s Hobbit and Lord of the Rings, which smells of fresh grass, clover, pipe tobacco and bergamot. There are plenty more, making this a fun site definitely worth exploring.

Phoebe's fantastic debut thriller - perfect to read
by candlelight

How do you use candles?

For decoration, to relax, whilst reading, or like the authors who kindly offered us a peek into their writing rituals - to help you drift calmly to your happy creative place?

So why not light a candle and see where the mood takes you? If you’re an author, it may even inspire your next bestseller.

Happy Advent!

Rae

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