EUNIC European Book Club 2024

Author  Michelle Gallen
Moderated by Zbyszek Zalinski

About the Event

EUNIC (European Union National Institutes for Culture) Ireland's European Book Club is a series of monthly discussions on a bestselling novel including a live discussion with the author of the selected novel. 
This event in the series will be hosted by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, moderated by Zbyszek Zalinski, and focuses on the author Michelle Gallen and her novel Factory Girls (2022)

About the Book

Factory Girls is a startling account of ‘normal life’ in a Northern Irish factory during the summer of the Ceasefire. This witty, disturbing novel stars Maeve Murray, who’s waiting to see if her exam results will win her a ticket out of the shitty wee Northern Irish town she lives in. But getting the right results are only part of Maeve’s problem – she’s got to survive a tit-for-tat paramilitary campaign as brutal as her relationship with her mam, iron 100 shirts an hour all day every day in the local factory, and escape the attentions of Handy Andy Strawbridge – her dubious English boss. It’s going to be a long hot summer in this small town – luckily Maeve’s got her bestie – cuddly kind Caroline Jackson – to help keep her sane and her oblivious frenemy – privileged, clever Aoife O’Neill – to sharpen her claws on.

About the Author

Michelle Gallen grew up in Northern Ireland during the Troubles a few miles from the border. She studied English Literature at Trinity College Dublin and Publishing at Stirling University. Her debut novel, Big Girl, Small Town was shortlisted for the Costa First Novel Award. Her critically acclaimed second novel, Factory Girls, won the Comedy Women in Print award and was shortlisted for the RSL Encore Award. Both books are being adapted for TV. 

EUNIC Ireland

EUNIC Ireland’s European Book Club is supported by the EUNIC organizations in Ireland. The purpose of EUNIC is to create a lasting partnership and network between the participating institutions in order to enhance and promote cultural diversity and understanding between European societies, as well as to strengthen international dialogue and cooperation with countries outside Europe. For further details on EUNIC Ireland please visit our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/EUNICireland/

Sponsored by Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sports and Media