San Patrizio Livorno Festival 2024 – A Resounding Success!

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March, 2024

The San Patrizio Livorno Festival 2024 (# SPLF24) exceeded even our most optimistic expectations.
The festival, held from March 15th to 17th at Viale Ippolito Nievo 28, Livorno, Italy, attracted a total audience of 600 people over the weekend and saw 100 new memberships for the cultural centre Ex-Cinema Aurora.

Highlights of SPLF 2024

Day 1: Literature and the Creative Process

On the evening of our arrival, 54 senior students from the Liceo Cecioni along with their teachers participated
in an event entitled ‘Literature and the Creative Process’ with Catherine Dunne and Ola Majekodunmi.
Ola, a broadcaster, documentary maker, and poet, discussed the changing nature of Irish society, our increasing diversity, and her own experiences of racism. The young students, studying some of Catherine Dunne’s novels, were lively, engaged, and eager to discuss the writing process and social issues explored in novels, poetry, and song. This interaction was a new departure for the #SPLF and one we hope to develop further in the coming years.

Day 2: Samuel Beckett and Language Diversity

On Saturday, March 16th, Federico Platania, writer and Beckett enthusiast, delivered a fascinating talk
about the resurgence of interest in Beckett and his work in Italy. He explored Beckett’s choice to write in a language other than his mother tongue and his work with the Resistance during the Second World War. Following this event, Ola Majekodunmi hosted a light-hearted tutorial in the Irish language for the Livorno audience.
Daniel Flynn, a young poet and playwright, concluded the event with two of his poems which the audience
responded to with enthusiasm.

Day 3: Round Table and Cultural Events

On March 17th, our first event was a Round Table discussion on ‘Irishnesses’ featuring Federico Platania, Ola Majekodunmi, and Max Roveri, facilitated by Catherine Dunne. This was followed by a talk and poetry reading by Ola reflecting her experiences of growing up in an increasingly diverse country. Our two concluding events were theatrical and musical: the first staging of Max O’Rover’s play “Not Beckett,” performed by actor Claudio Monteleone, and a session with a group of traditional musicians led by Carlo Rogo.

Media Coverage

The Embassy’s support was acknowledged in all publicity events, including the Comune press conference and all social media activity before, during, and after the festival. The Embassy logo was prominently displayed on Facebook and other social media platforms. Local TV channel TeleGranducato and various online newspapers covered the event extensively.

• Samuel Beckett Society
• Il Tirreno
• La Nazione
• Livornosera
• InToscana
• Livorno Today
• Comune di Livorno
• Virgilio
• Zazoom
• Agronline

The San Patrizio Livorno Festival 2024 was a resounding success, bringing together literature, music, and diverse
cultural expressions to create an enriching experience for all attendees.