Not just one but two for the road

A rare evening of prose, poetry, and story fuelled by two individuals coming from very different aspects of the literary world is coming to West Cork next week.

Part of this year’s Bealtaine festival programme, ‘Two for the Road’ will see author and playwright Cónal Creedon team up once again with renowned book blogger Mairéad Hearne for an unmissable night on 21 May in Creedon’s Hotel, Inchigeela.

Described as “entertaining, engaging, and erudite”, the pair are fresh off the back of their massively successful tour in 2025 which included appearances at Cork World Book Festival, The Ennis Book Club Festival, and The Island Drift Festival on Garnish Island and Glengarriff.

This time around they will be focusing on creativity in older age as they explore the personal journeys they both undertook to get where they are today.

They will also discuss the impact of social media on the literary world and the ever-changing landscape that now exists for book bloggers who are traditionally a vital cog in the wheel of the books industry.

Other topics will include insights into the world of publishing and the conversation around traditional versus indie, as well as exploring that looming question: Will AI have a detrimental effect on creativity in the future?

Cónal and Mairéad’s 2026 collaboration celebrates Cónal’s recent international and national literary awards, and Mairéad’s hugely popular book blog Swirl and Thread being ranked as one of the Top 25 Irish Book Blogs.

Last year, Creedon was honoured as Laoch Racaire at Féile na Laoch 2025 in Cúl Aodha, as well as the 2025 Princess Grace of Monaco Award and The Irish American Heritage Centre in Chicago’s Irish Books Arts and Music Award for Literature.

He describes Féile na Laoch as a most soulful experience: “It is a gathering that takes place once every seven years. It was such a special emotional homecoming for me, a grandson of Uibh Laoghaire - I know my father would have been so proud.”

In recognition of Creedon’s contribution to the arts, he was recently honoured with a Doctorate of Literature at UCC and also received a Pride of Cork Award 2025. He is also a recipient of the Leonardo da Vinci World Award for Arts given by the World Cultural Council (WCC) in Switzerland.

Mairéad Hearne is a hugely respected and prolific book reviewer. Having established her book blog, Swirl and Thread, in 2016, she has developed relationships with many authors, publishers and fellow book bloggers across the globe and is now a familiar moderator at literary festivals and events.

Her reviews are available at swirlandthread.com and also feature in the Irish Examiner. Mairéad currently works with literary coach and author Vanessa Fox O’Loughlin across her portfolio, including as festival administrator for the Murder One International Crime Writing Festival and the Irish online literary website, writing.ie.

Mairéad Hearne and Cónal Creedon will present ‘Two for the Road’ at Creedon’s Hotel, Inchigeela, on 21 May starting at 8pm.