Comedian Dom Joly and former RTE announcer Tommie Gorman will headline the 2024 Immrama Festival of Travel Writing 2024 in Waterford.
The festival, which runs from June 13 to 16, was inspired by the late Lismore author Dervla Murphy, whose 50-year career helped change travel writing.
Mrs. Murphy was an avid cyclist and traveled through various parts of the world by bicycle, writing in fascinating detail about her adventures, most of which were solo.
Her best-selling writings inspired a generation of travel writers, including Monty Python star Michael Palin, who insisted on traveling to Lismore to meet Mrs Murphy.
Dervla's book 'Life at Full Tilt', an edited collection of her writings by Ethel Crowley, proved a bestseller last year and describes the journeys she made on her bicycle from 1956 onwards in Spain, Palestine, Afghanistan, North Africa and South America . .
This year's Immrama festival program features travel writers, comedians, journalists, explorers and singers who share a passion for travel and adventure.
Author Michael Harding opens the festival on June 13.
Comedian Dom Joly was born in Lebanon, went to school with Osama bin Laden and will give a headline presentation in Lismore.
Both were classmates at a school in Beirut for children aged four to eighteen.
Joly will give one of the keynote presentations on his travel reports for various leading magazines and newspapers.
He rose to fame with his Trigger Happy TV show featuring hidden camera pranks.
Nowadays, however, he mainly focuses on travel and cultural programs.
Former RTE Northern editor Tommie Gorman will give a talk on his memoirs, while classical opera singer Amanda Neri will speak about her travel experiences as part of her career.
The program also features Waterford historian Donald Brady and explorer Bridget Ashton.
Immrama has been held in Lismore every year since 2003.
Since its inception, the festival has been dedicated to the art of travel writing, as well as good music, entertainment and artisan food.
The festival once again coincides with Lismore Farmers Market and a special exhibition of local artisan crafts.
Home to the famous Duke of Devonshire Castle, Lismore has been an important travel point for economic, military, religious and recreational purposes for centuries.