Connect through the love of reading! 

DCU will continue its ever popular book club next semester. This is the seventh book club season and what a fantastic programme there is in store. 

The format of the book club will continue in-person across various locations on campus. And, we have added lunch time events too! Staff, students and the local community get an opportunity to engage in a Q&A with guest authors as part of these moderated events. 

As always there is no cost to join or attend, all you need are the books. Whether you borrow a copy from the library, buy your own print copy, download to your tablet, or download it on Audible, the format is up to you! The programme is developed by DCU Cultural Arts Office in partnership with DCU Library. 

The Programme

Book in September: The Amusements by Aingeala Flannery
When: Thursday 26th September 2024 @ 13:00
Venue: Belvedere Library, St. Patrick's campus
To book: Eventbrite link here

Book in November: Glorious Exploits by Ferdia Lennon  
When: Thursday 21st November 2024 @ 18:30
Venue: 1838 Albert College, Glasnevin campus 
To book: Eventbrite link here

Book in December: The Grateful Water by Juliana Adelman 
When: Thursday 12th December 2024 @ 13:00
Venue: Belvedere Library, St. Patrick's campus
To book: Eventbrite link here

Book in January: Heart, Be at Peace by Donal Ryan 
When: Thursday 23rd January 2025 @ 18:30
Venue: Belvedere Library, St. Patrick's campus
To book: Eventbrite link here

Book in February: Old Romantics by Maggie Armstrong 
When: Thursday 20th February 2025 @ 18:30
Venue: TBC
To book: Eventbrite link here

Information on the books and writers featured

Book in September - The Amusements by Aingeala Flannery

Winner of the Irish Novel of the Year Award at Listowel Writers' Week, The Amusements is a stunning portrayal of small-town life in Tramore, County Waterford. Local teenager Helen Grant dreams of escaping to art college with her glamorous classmate Stella Swaine, but leaving Tramore proves challenging. Spanning three decades, the novel follows the intertwined lives of the Grant and Swaine families, capturing the essence of roads taken and not taken. Marian Keyes praises it as "painfully, beautifully real" and "impeccably written."

About the Author

Aingeala Flannery, born in Waterford, is an award-winning journalist, broadcaster, and writer. Her debut novel, The Amusements, published by Penguin Sandycove in June 2022, was shortlisted for The Irish Book Awards. She won the 2018 Irish Writers Centre Novel Fair and the Harper’s Bazaar Short Story Prize in 2019. Aingeala holds an MFA in Creative Writing from UCD and lives in Dublin, currently working on her second novel.

Book in November - Glorious Exploits by Ferdia Lennon 

We're surrounded by novels that reimagine ancient Greek stories - but this remarkable book turns the genre on its head.

In Glorious Exploits, set during the Peloponnesian War, two Syracusan potters, Lampo and Gelon, feed Athenian prisoners in exchange for recitations of Euripides. They soon decide to stage a production of Medea, which leads to unforeseen and extraordinary events. Lennon's novel, celebrated for its contemporary Irish voice and blend of humour and depth, is a unique tribute to the enduring power of art and brotherhood in times of conflict.

“In At Swims-Two-Birds, Flann O'Brien gave us cowboys riding through Dublin. Now, Ferdia Lennon gives us modern-day Dubliners living among the ancient Greeks. This is a very special, very clever, very entertaining novel.” — Roddy Doyle

About the Author

Ferdia Lennon was born in Dublin to an Irish mother and Libyan father. He holds a BA in History and Classics from University College Dublin and an MA in Prose Fiction from the University of East Anglia. His short stories have appeared in publications such as the Irish Times and the Stinging Fly. In 2019 and 2021, he received a Literature Bursary Award from the Arts Council of Ireland. Glorious Exploits is his debut novel. After spending many years in Paris, he now lives in Norwich with his wife and son.

Book in December - The Grateful Water by Juliana Adelman 

The Grateful Water blends history, mystery, and human drama, set in 1860s Dublin. When butcher Denis Doyle discovers a strange shape by the River Liffey, Detective Martin Peakin investigates a grim case of infanticide. As Peakin delves deeper, he uncovers hidden secrets involving Denis’ skittish wife, accusations of baby farming, and a missing sex worker. The river unites these Dubliners, but will it also divide them? Can Peakin solve this desperate crime?

" A compelling, vivid and provocative novel." - Irish Times

About the Author

Juliana Adelman, originally from Concord, Massachusetts, is an Assistant Professor of History at DCU. Her debut novel, The Grateful Water, was published in June by New Island Books. She has authored two nonfiction books and has written a history column for the Irish Times. With degrees from Stanford, Dublin City University, and the University of Galway, Juliana is currently working on her second novel and studying for an MA in Creative Writing.

Book in January - Heart, Be at Peace by Donal Ryan

Acclaimed Irish author Donal Ryan will discuss his highly anticipated new novel Heart, Be at Peace is a highly anticipated novel from acclaimed Irish author Donal Ryan. Set in a small rural town a decade after the events of his Irish Book of the Decade-winning The Spinning Heart, this novel explores the lives of 21 unique characters, each dealing with the echoes of the past and the creeping challenges of the present. The peace of the community is fragile, as a new threat begins to pull at the heartstrings of a town still marked by its history.

‘Endlessly surprising and incredibly moving’ DAVID NICHOLLS

About the Author

Donal Ryan, originally from Nenagh, Co. Tipperary, is one of Ireland’s most acclaimed contemporary authors. Renowned for his compassionate storytelling and lyrical prose, Ryan has received numerous prestigious awards, including the European Union Prize for Literature and the Guardian First Book Award. His novels have been translated into over 20 languages and adapted for both stage and screen, solidifying his reputation as a literary force.

Book in February - Old Romantics by Maggie Armstrong 

‘In Old Romantics, Maggie Armstrong presents a gripping collection of interconnected short stories that explore the complexities of love and human nature. From a woman's obsessive pursuit of a man who cut in line to the unsettling aftermath of a child left alone on a beach, these tales weave a tapestry of romance both fresh and faded. Armstrong’s narrators, flawed and enigmatic, navigate a landscape where affection intertwines with deception. With sharp observations and dark humor, this astonishing debut delves into the shifting sands of desire and disappointment.

‘As for the prose, you could bathe in it. The details, the clever turns of phrase. A ticking clock is “strict, censorious, like a clacking tongue”. A heart bangs “like a broken toy”.’ – Niamh Donnelly, Irish Times

About the Author

Maggie Armstrong is an emerging literary voice whose work has captivated readers in esteemed publications such as the Dublin Review, The Stinging Fly, and Banshee. Her writing garnered notable recognition when she was long-listed for the 2023 Irish Book Award. Based in Dublin, Armstrong continues to explore and expand the boundaries of contemporary literature with her keen observations and compelling narratives.