This is one of the nicest & friendliest cultural center's I've ever been in. The word "cultural…read morecentre", often fills me with dread, because all too often visiting such places, I've been faced with an ironically uninspiring institution with no reflection of culture present, something akin to a dull local authority building or library, and despite loving books, I'm no lover of libraries!
The Seanchaí as the centre is collectively known, from the Irish word for a Storyteller, (pronounced "shan-a-key"), is blissfully different. It houses a writers museum, justifiably trumpeting the work of Kerry writers, among them: John B. Keane, Bryan MacMahon, George Fitzmaurice, Brendan Kennelly and Maurice Walsh. All of whom are more than worth getting to know, and deserve to be better known, particularly George Fitzmaurice who like Maurice Walsh, (whose short story the John Wayne movie 'The Quiet Man' was based on), I'd never heard of before, but whose brilliant play 'The Pie Dish', I've since enjoyed.
For a not too bad admission charge, (because in retrospect I must have been feeling a bit poor that day), you stroll through bright and breezy rooms that are each dedicated to one of these writers, and very imaginatively laid out they are, though it is all a bit too dazzlingly bright & minimalist for me, (I like a bit of a shade & clutter myself)!
Other rooms cover collectively over 70 other Kerry writers of renown, and through visual displays you explore how a particular landscape can genuinely inspire a writers mind. Walking around here you can begin to believe Kerry's claim to be the cultural capital of Ireland, though dear old Dublin would have something to say about that I think!
There is so much more here too, anyone living in Kerry with literary aspirations would have no excuse not to partake of an exhaustive programme of events & workshops on offer.
There is an inexpensive restaurant with an impressive choice of food. Also as you might expect there is a really excellent bookshop, full of writers biographies, and copies of all their works including all of Listowel born John B. Keane's plays and novels. The bookshop is well stocked with other Irish & local interest books, cd's, dvd's & cards as well
A genuinely inspiring & suitably creative environment to visit.
NOTE: Head off for a drink at John B. Keane's pub, it's not far away on William St, and see my separate review for that.
