A Donegal poet has been announced as Read Mór Ambassador for Culture Night book gifting initiative by the Arts Council
The Arts Council is to partner with the Irish Prison Service this year to deliver its third annual Culture Night book gifting initiative, Read Mór.
Prison service users across 13 prisons will be gifted a lit of 30 book titles, including The Poison Glen – a poetry collection by Donegal native Annemarie Ní Churreáin.
The full list of books was developed in consultation with teaching staff from the Prison Service, and will offer a diverse selection of novels, short stories and poetry, reflecting the vibrant literary landscape of Ireland.
Annemarie Ní Churreáin is originally from Cloich Cheann Fhaola in northwest Donegal. The Poison Glen is published by The Gallery Press. Her books also include Bloodroot (Doire Press, 2017) and Ghostgirl (Donegal County Archives, 2023).
Her work has been shortlisted for the Shine Strong Award for Best Debut Collection (IRE) and for the Ledbury Hellens Best Second Collection (UK). She is the recipient of an Irish Arts Council’s Next Generation Artist Award and a co-recipient of The Markievicz Award. Ní Churreáin is the current poetry editor at The Stinging Fly Magazine – Ireland’s leading literary journal.
Annemarie said “Over the years, working in prisons has brought me into community with extraordinary teachers, change-makers and inspiring visionaries who carry out vital, life-affirming, behind-the-scenes work every day. It has also put me, personally, into deep conversation with the parts of myself that are tender and resilient.
“It makes my heart sing to be with writers in prisons as they discover—sometimes for the first time—how poetry helps us to express, acknowledge and transform human experience. This initiative celebrates the powerful connects between books, writing and survival. I’m looking forward to meeting new readers at the Dóchas Centre (Mountjoy’s Female Prison) on Culture Night.”
Maureen Kennelly, Director of the Arts Council, said “I am thrilled that the Arts Council is collaborating with the Irish Prison Service for this year’s instalment of the Read Mór initiative, spanning 13 prisons in Ireland. We know that access to literature can be a powerful tool for personal growth. By fostering a love for reading, we aim to empower prisoners with the knowledge and inspiration that can open new paths in their lives. This programme underscores our commitment to making the arts accessible to everyone, regardless of their circumstances.”
Caron McCaffrey, Director General of the Irish Prison Service, said “Reading has always been a popular pastime in prisons. For those with poor literacy skills it can also be a challenge, but our education units do incredible work to enable those in our care to begin to enjoy reading. This brilliant partnership with the Arts Council is yet another chapter in their story, as they will have access to a catalogue of new books from which to choose from so they too can take part in Culture night.”
To mark the occasion of Read Mór, seven prisons will host events featuring readings and discussions with a list of participating authors which also includes Pat Sheedy in Portlaoise Prison, Emmett O’Brien in the Progression Unit Mountjoy, Colm Keegan in Shelton Abbey Prison, Mike McCormack in Castlerea Prison and Will Sliney in Cork Prison.
The Arts Council has a longstanding relationship with the Irish Prison Service through initiatives such as the Artists in Prison Scheme and the Writers in Prison Scheme. These programmes, delivered through the prison service education programme, have provided many service users with the opportunity to meaningfully engage with the arts and artists.
