Colm Tóibín was born in Enniscorthy, Ireland and he used it as the hometown for his popular heroine, Eilis Lacey. Brooklyn was the novel that introduced readers to Eilis, and it was adapted into an Academy Award-nominated major motion picture starring Saoirse Ronan. Long Island joins Eilis twenty-five years later as she returns to Ireland and confronts long-buried secrets and choices that shaped her life. The story is an exquisite examination of personal choice and destiny. 

Silas House was inducted as the Poet Laureate of Kentucky for 2023-2025. He is a multi-talented artist. His novel, Lark Ascending, was a Booklist Editors’ Choice and the winner of the Southern Book Prize, the Nautilus Book Award, and other honors. House was the recipient of the Duggins Prize, the largest award for an LGBTQ writer in the nation and was named Appalachian of the Year in a nationwide poll. House is also a Grammy finalist. He hosts the docuseries Distilled in Kentucky.

5 PM Wine and Cheese, Carmichael’s pre-signed book sale in the lobby
6 PM Interview in the Bomhard Theater
7 PM Q&A with audience in the Bomhard Theater
$35 tickets include all events before 7:30 pm
7:30 PM Ticketed Dinner with Colm Tóibín and Silas House at Muhammad Ali Center
Guinness beer, Irish whiskey, and Irish ‘flourishes’ at dinner. Vegetarian option available.
$170* includes all events, plus dinner
(*$40 tax deductible to benefit non-profit Kentucky Author Forum)