Brian Keenan at Scariff Public Library

Scariff Harbour Festival Committee and Scariff Public Library were privileged to welcome author, poet, teacher and former hostage, Brian Keenan to speak at the new library in the village on August the 2nd 2008. Now in its sixth year, the festival continues to maintain well-established links with Northern Ireland. In something of a world exclusive, Brian read from his soon-to-be published memoir documenting his boyhood years in a working class area of East Belfast. The softly spoken author read some gently humourous accounts which portrayed a sensitive, intelligent boy inhabiting a fertile world of the imagination and one who already displayed a raging wanderlust. Brian greatly pleased his audience by engaging in a frank and fascinating question and answer session before leaving for a well deserved pint.