Limavady gears up for a celebration of film, literature and art at Steinbeck Festival

Amongst the fascinating line up of cultural events this year, Limavady’s Steinbeck Festival is set to welcome acclaimed author Sam McBride for a special in-conversation event with Mark Carruthers, where they will discuss McBride’s latest book.

Taking place at the Roe Valley Arts and Cultural Centre (RVACC) on February 6 at 8pm, the evening will see bestselling author Sam McBride converse with respected broadcaster Mark Carruthers in a thought-provoking scrutiny on the arguments for and against a United Ireland.

The festival gets underway with the first meeting of the Steinbeck Festival Book Club at Café Steinbeck on January 29 at 7.30pm, setting the tone for what promises to be a rich and varied programme of cultural highlights for Limavady this year.

Dougie Bartlett, founder and organiser of the John Steinbeck Festival of Literature, Music and Film in Limavady, has teased some of the fascinating events still to come as part of this year’s festival programme:

“There are a couple of very significant local events in the programme.

“For the first time ever, we are showing the superb film of Steinbeck's 'Of Mice and Men' starring the incomparable John Malkcovich for the general public.

“We normally show it as part of our school programme but what makes it doubly special is the fact that it is being shown in Ballykelly, where Steinbeck's grandfather, Samuel Hamilton, was born in 1830.

“Shown before the film will be some brief AI generated clips of Steinbeck out and about in Ballykelly in 1952 when he visited the village.

“It is more than appropriate that local man and UTV cameraman, Tommy Hassan, created the footage.

“Of interest to Limavady folk in particular, will be quirky, individualist, dramatist, singer and comic, Little John Nee from Galway.

“His 'Limavady, I took the trip, the trip took me' is a combination of 3 of his most popular shows.

“The reason for the Limavady connection will give you shivers!”

Dougie warned that some of the events are selling fast and interested audience members should secure their tickets soon:

“The Sam Mc Bride event is proving very popular, as we hoped and tickets are almost sold as we speak.

“We have our usual local and international selection of 'Voices', poets, and storytellers on the stage and at the end of the month, Marie Louise Muir takes us through the 'Twelve Paintings', launch of the book by Colin Davidson and our very own Mark Carruthers.

“A unique and special treat on the night will be the chance to see up close, a selection of Colin's paintings in the auditorium of the Roe Valley Arts and Cultural Centre.”

Dr Linda McKee of Queen’s University Belfast will host a free lunchtime talk exploring John Steinbeck’s powerful novel ‘The Winter of Our Discontent’ at the Roe Valley Arts and Cultural Centre (RVACC) at 12 noon on Saturday February 7.

On Sunday February 8, audiences can enjoy a public screening of the classic film ‘Of Mice and Men’ at the Drummond Hotel in Ballykelly at 5.30pm, with tickets priced at £7.50.

The film will also be shown free of charge to school groups on Wednesday February 18 at 9.30am in the RVACC.

Visual arts take centre stage with the launch of the photographic exhibition ‘This Land Was Made for You and Me’ at 11.30am on Saturday February 14 in the RVACC, followed by the opening of the Limavady Primary Schools Book Cover Exhibition on Saturday February 21 at 10.30am.

Local literary talent will be celebrated at a free showcase featuring poets and storytellers in the RVACC on Wednesday February 18 at 8pm.

Famous Irish performer, Little John Nee will bring his distinctive theatrical storytelling to the stage on Friday February 20 at 8pm in his show ‘Limavady I took a Trip, the Trip Took Me’.

On Thursday February 26 at 8pm, ‘Voices from a Far Field’ will bring together music, poetry and storytelling in English, Irish and Ulster Scots, with festival partners travelling from Letterkenny and Stranorlar, for a special evening of shared cultural traditions at the RVACC.

The festival draws to a close on Friday February 27 with a special event in the RVACC, where Marie Louise Muir will be in conversation with renowned artist Colin Davidson and Mark Carruthers about their new book ‘Twelve Paintings’.

The evening will also feature a unique, temporary exhibition of selected works by Davidson.

Running from February 6 to 27, the John Steinbeck Festival offers something for everyone and continues to celebrate the enduring legacy of the iconic writer and his special connection to Limavady.

For full details, visit steinbeckfestival.com or follow Steinbeck Festival Limavady on Facebook.