Prairie Schooner's Irish issue launch party is Feb. 9-10 at Sheldon

            Galway novelist Nuala Ni Chonchuir will join a select group of award-winning Irish poets and writers at the Prairie Schooner Irish Issue Launch Party on Feb. 9-10 at the Sheldon Museum of Art, 12th and R streets. This free-and-open-to-the-public event features Irish writers included in Prairie Schooner's Winter 2011 special Irish issue along with other Irish-themed festivities.

            According Kwame Dawes, the Glenna Luschei editor-in-chief of Prairie Schooner, this collection, edited by Stephen Behrendt, "constitutes one of the best gatherings of contemporary Irish fiction and poetry in print today. Professor Behrendt has managed to bring together an amazing list of authors and it is our good fortune that we have been able to bring some of these brilliant writers to our campus to be part of this celebration."

            Following is the schedule for the launch party:

• Thursday, Feb. 9, Sheldon's Ethel S. Abbott Auditorium, 1-3 p.m. -- Irish authors Deanie Rowan Blank and Nuala Ni Chonchuir read and give on-stage interviews; 3:30-5 p.m. -- Karen Babine, Behrendt, Aidan Rooney and Bret Shepard present on a panel focusing on contemporary Irish literature.
• Friday, Feb. 10, 1-3 p.m., Abbott Auditorium -- Irish writers Rooney and Sandra Bunting read and give on-stage interviews; 3:30-5 p.m., Abbott Auditorium -- Prairie Schooner Irish issue launch, featuring live guest readings from the new issue; 7-8 p.m., Sheldon's Great Hall -- Prairie Schooner reception featuring live Irish music along with Irish-themed food and beverages. The reception is immediately followed at 8 p.m. with feature readings by Blank, Bunting, Ni Chonchuir and Rooney.

Writer: Trey Moody, Prairie Schooner, 402-472-1812