Robert Fisk, Charley Boorman & Jonathan Shackleton set for voyage to Lismore for Immrama Festival of Travel Writing 2015

Multi award winning journalist and author Robert Fisk, travel writer and presenter Charley Boorman and intrepid explorer and author Jonathan Shackleton are just some of the global travel writers about to set their compass for Lismore in County Waterford this June 11th to 14th for the thirteenth annual Immrama Festival of Travel Writing.

Launching the 2015 programme was the Mayor of Waterford Councillor James Tobin, launching the programme the Mayor said, “I am delighted to launch this fantastic programme for the thirteenth Immrama Festival of Travel Writing. This festival has a track record of attracting not only writers from all corners of the globe but visitors from all corners of the globe proving to be a hugely valuable economic asset for Waterford.”

Robert Fisk has been the Middle East correspondent for The Independent for more than 20 years and is primarily based in Beirut. Fisk holds more British and international journalism awards than any other foreign correspondent and has been voted British International Journalist of the year seven times. He is he is one of a few Western journalists to have interviewed Osama bin Laden. Fisk has penned seven books possibly his best known is ‘The Great War for Civilisation: The Conquest of the Middle East. He has also produced a documentary series From Beirut To Bosnia.  Fisk is set to take to the podium at the festival as a keynote speak on Saturday, June 13th at 8 pm.

TV presenter, travel writer and actor Charley Boorman best known for his enthusiasm for motorbikes, as demonstrated in several documentaries of his travels. Charley is the epitome of the modern adventurer in pursuit of fresh challenges, he and Ewan McGregor took to the road and ‘off road’ aboard motorcycles for their series ‘Long Way Round’ journeying through three continents and fifteen countries in three months and after the epic Long Way Round journey, Ewan and Charley decided to ride 15,000 - miles the Long Way Down from John O'Groats, Scotland to the Southern most tip of Africa, Cape Agulhas and then on to Cape Town.

Charley has also taken on the desert in one of the World's harshest challenges: the Lisbon-Dakar Rally; a race out of Europe via the Iberian Peninsula and down through West Africa. Charley will take to the stage at the festival on Saturday, June 13th at 3pm.

Jonathan Shackleton is a cousin of the Kildare born Antarctic explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton. He is a graduate of Trinity College, Dublin in Natural Sciences and was awarded his Masters Degree from Ohio State University for work in Arctic Alaska. As a lecturer and guide, Jonathan has accompanied 21 groups to the Antarctic in the past 10 years as historian, guide, photographer and occasional Zodiac driver. Highlights of his visits have been landing on the godforsaken Elephant Island at Point Wild, visiting Ernest Shackleton’s grave on South Georgia, travelling to the Ross Sea, landing at Cape Adare and visiting two of the largest Emperor penguin colonies in the world. He continues to visit Antarctica. Jonathan will take to the stage on Friday evening June 12th to speak of his own expeditions through the same teretory of his cousin Sir Ernest Shackleton.

Opening the festival on Thursday, June 11 for a book launch are Egyptian author Salwa Elhamamsy who is launching her travel book on Ireland and John Dwyer is launching his travel book on South Africa.

On the morning of June 13 author Paul Clements will commence a two-day writing workshop on the ‘Great Houses of Ireland’ including visits to the Jameson House and Cappoquin House. Historian Donald Brady will host a talk on Saturday morning.

Getting the show on the road on Sunday morning June 14, travel-writer Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent will host a literary breakfast at Ballyrafter House Hotel discussing her book, ‘A Short Ride in the Jungle: The Ho Chi Minh Trail by Motorcycle’.

Family Fun Sunday will take place at the Millennium Park with music by Baker Street and entertainment will be on offer with the Lismore Farmers Market on the castle avenue plus a cricket match between Lismore Cricket Club and Dublin Writers XIXI will also take place on Sunday afternoon and Lismore Heritage Centre will host Blackwater adventure packages. Taking the festival to a close on Sunday evening Gerard Taylor will speak about his book ‘But for Ireland, I’d not tell her name’.

Full details of the schedule and Saturday Special tickets for the Immrama Lismore Festival of Travel Writing 2015 see www.lismoreimmrama.com or call (058) 53803.

The Immrama Festival of Travel Writing is supported by Waterford City and County Council, Failte Ireland, Waterford Airport, Bonnies Bouquets, FDC, Wild Oats Soap, Inka Print and Design, Derek Dowd’s Wholesale & Retail Fruit and Vegetables, Floral Distributors Ireland (FDI), Foley’s, Lismore Heritage Company Ltd., Mochuda Development Company Ltd., Lismore and Cappoquin Credit Union, Jonathan Ackroyd Jewellers, Barron’s Bakery, Roche’s Centra Supermarket, Maurice Dunne Motors
Bally Rafter Country House Hotel, Leddy  Consultancies Ltd., CareMed Direct, Books Ireland, Cavendish Computing Ltd., Lismore Estates, Blackwater Community school Rustic Café, Twomey Sollicitors, Knockanore Cheese, Glavin and Ronan Accountants while the Lismore Business Community will support Family Fun Sunday.

2015 Festival Programme Launches April 22nd

The launch of the 2015 programme will be on April 22nd. Venue and time to be announced.

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