Record crowds descended upon the heritage town of Lismore in County Waterford to take on a worldly programme of events at the 11th Immrama Festival of Travel Writing, which took place over the weekend.

Commenting on the festival Jan Rotte the festival director said, "We are thrilled with the turnout at Immrama this year, from the first evening at the festival opening we had huge numbers enjoy all of the literary sessions. We sold out eight of our ten events, we are delighted that there is such an appetite for this festival, we would like to thank everyone who came along and joined the literal journey around the globe with our guest speakers this year".

The festival opened on Thursday evening at the Courthouse Theatre where a wealth of writing talent was celebrated with author readings and new books launched by Irish writers Theresa McDonnell, Monica Corish and Kieran Heffernan.

On Friday evening Liz Davies and Hilary Linstead who co-wrote ‘Growing old outrageously’ entertained and full house of festival-goers. Hilary and Liz were old school friends living on opposite sides of the world when suddenly after 35 years they reconnected and have since journeyed together to create this comical travel book.

Saturday saw crowds descend upon the town to hear the tales of one of the world’s most highly regarded travel writers Paul Theroux. Later on Saturday afternoon British writer, journalist and broadcaster, Simon Winchester took his audience on a journey through Canada and the US and onto Uganda.

Saturday morning saw John Dwyer host a workshop on digital publishing and historian and former librarian Donald Brady talked about the establishment of the ‘Water Colour Society of Ireland’ in Lismore town by six well-connected women, Baroness Pauline Prochazka, the Misses Keane, Miss Phipps, Miss Curry and Miss Musgrave in 1870. At noon Rachel Finnegan hosted a reading at St Carthage’s Cathedral discussing her publications of the travel correspondence of two 18th century travellers Dr Richard Pococke and his cousin Jeremiah Milles.

On Sunday morning award-winning broadcaster Charlie Connelly entertained his early morning audience at the Literary breakfast at Ballyrafter House Hotel. Charlie entertained with his humorous stories of his travels around the shipping forecast map, his journey around the globe chasing the spiritual legacy of Elvis Presley and his walks recreating some of the great journeys from British and Irish history.

Taking the festival to a close on Sunday evening two writers originally from Lismore, John O’Keeffe who left Lismore in his teens to take his own journey around the world discussed his book ‘Down the Deerpark Road, Outside Lismore’. John was joined by Rosamund Burton also from Lismore who discussed her book ‘Castle, Follies and Four-Leaf Clovers’.

The Immrama Festival committee would like to thank everyone who came and supported the festival and to all of the supporters and sponsors Failte Ireland, Waterford Leader Partnerships, Eason Dungarvan and the local business community.

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