IAC Commissions: Eimear McBride and Kevin Barry

IAC presents the inaugural projects of our Grásta: Grace in Uncertainty commissions series: original works by two of Ireland's foremost contemporary writers, shared in a podcast produced by Dean Cappello and Gobsmack Studios. From Kevin Barry, a meditation on his early writing life, and how a chance encounter with an old man in a West Cork pub—and a hare on a hill—helped throw the idea of grace into relief. From Eimear McBride, a richly interior piece that examines the role of vulnerability in the author’s life, and whose coda finds a kind of peace in our shared trials. These essays—a rare medium for the authors—were commissioned and penned independently, but come together in delightful ways, finding paths to illuminate and challenge the other. Post-completion of their writing, the authors did the same, coming together for a conversation also featured in this special audio production. (To listen on SoundCloud, visit soundcloud.com/irish-arts-center/grasta-project-kevin-barry-and-eimear-mcbride/s-flOunrIDOdd)