A new chapter for the ‘world’s worst writer’

Despite her dubious claim to fame, by all accounts the late Amanda McKittrick Ros would have revelled in being the centre of attention, as she was also Larne’s own Hyacinth Bucket.

The team at the Carnegie Building are very excited about the exhibition, having trawled through letters, books and artefacts related to one of the town’s most eccentric inhabitants.

The exhibition will focus on the personal and literary life of McKittrick Ros, whose works include Irene Iddesleigh, Delina Delaney and Poems of Puncture to name but a few.

Born in Drumaness, Co Down, on December 8, 1860, she moved to Larne as a teacher at Millbrook National School and married stationmaster Andrew Ross in 1887. Amanda died in Larne in 1939.

McKittrick Ros was rated as the world’s worst writer in Nick Page’s work, “In Search of the World’s Worst Writers”. It’s reported that the Oxford literary groups The Inklings, which boasted CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien amongst members, held competitions to see who could read her work for the longest length of time while keeping a straight face.

The exhibition will feature letters and documents, personal items and various copies of some of Amanda’s published works.

Larne Museum & Arts Centre also hopes to host a hilarious new play by Doreen McBride entitled, ‘The Funeral’s off... A life of Amanda McKittrick Ros’ later this year.

So in the style of McKittrick Ros herself, get your “bony supports” (legs) down to the museum to view this exciting new exhibition with your own “piercing orbs” (eyes).

The exhibition, which will run until the end of February, forms part of an extensive programme of events this year. It is open Monday to Saturday, 10.00am-4.30pm. For more information, please contact 028 28 279482 or email [email protected].