Ciaran Carson reads poetry and prose at The Ulster Hall

Part of The Ulster Hall’s Literary Lunchtimes series and presented by the John Hewitt Society in association with The Ulster Hall, this special event celebrates the recent publication of two critically acclaimed books, a novel and a poetry collection by the acclaimed writer.

The reading will be introduced by well known writer and broadcaster, Malachi O’Doherty, who is BBC Writer in Residence at Queen’s University.

Book lovers have been flocking to The Ulster Hall’s Literary Lunchtimes which feature readings, specially themed events and works by popular writers. The John Hewitt Society is delighted to have contributed to this success with highly popular readings by Jennifer Johnston, David Park and the acclaimed Jamaican writer, Kei Miller.

And now the Society is pleased to help bring Ciaran Carson to The Ulster Hall in his native Belfast to read from his brand new poetry collection, In the Light Of (after Illuminations by Arthur Rimbaud), and from his stunning new novel, Exchange Place.

Ciaran Carson, Director of the Seamus Heaney Centre for Poetry at Queen’s University, is one of Ireland’s most admired and respected writers. His award-winning poetry collections include Belfast Confetti, which won the Irish Times Literature Prize for Poetry, Breaking News, winner of the Forward Prize, For All We Know, nominated for the Costa Award and On the Night Watch, which was shortlisted for the 2010 Poetry Now Award.

Ciaran Carson has long since established his reputation as a masterful poet and as an adept, inventive translator, and his recent translations of Rimbaud in In the Light Of, published by Gallery Press, confirm that reputation. Fiction works by Ciaran include Shamrock Tea - shortlisted for the 2001 Booker Prize, The Star Factory and The Pen Friend. Exchange Place, his new novel from Blackstaff Press, described by John Banville as “a wonderful intellectual romp,” is part thriller, part spy novel, but is no ordinary mystery, as the usual rules don’t apply!

Lovers of poetry and prose will welcome this pre-Christmas treat, an opportunity to hear such an outstanding writer read in his native city.

Tickets (priced £5) are available online, from the Ulster Hall and Waterfront Box Offices and by calling 028 9033 4455.

There is a Credit/Debit card handling charge of £1 per ticket for bookings made by telephone.

A fee of 50p per booking is payable for tickets forwarded by post.

Online bookings attract a charge of just £1.50 per transaction.