Confined by lockdown to her home in Bantry Bay and witnessing its changing face in a time of environmental degradation, Annette Skade began to comb the landscape and archives of her locality in search of connection to the life of Ellen Hutchins.

Holdfast is the distillation of her creative inquiry – a poetic sequence taking its shape from the algae studied by Ellen, moving from tip to anchor-point; an act of friendship across centuries, and a paean both to the work of a great scientist and to the resilience of seaweed.

Its publication as a chapbook marks the first single-authored book published by Channel, a press in operation since 2019 as Ireland's leading journal of eco-writing, and Skade's first book of poetry since the publication of her award-winning debut collection, Thimblerig, in 2013. All are welcome to join the author, the publisher and guest speaker Mary Noonan (author of Stone Girl and The Fado House) in Bantry Library for a celebration of its release.

See a selection of Ellen Hutchins archives in a special display for this event, including Ellen’s copy of Byron’s Childe Harold and other books she owned, as well as letters written to her brothers.

The Ellen Hutchins Archives Cabinet and table top display can be seen during Library opening hours from 17th to 24th August.

Friday 23rd August
6pm to 7:30pm
Bantry Library, Bridge Street, Bantry, P75 K402
Free and no booking needed.

The Ellen Hutchins Festival is taking place 17th-25th August - full event details here: https://ellenhutchins.com/event-listings-2/

Address
Bantry Library, Co. Cork County