Marlborough LitFest names Irish novelist Barry as Golding Speaker for 2023

Marlborough LitFest’s 2023 Golding Speaker has been announced as Irish novelist Sebastian Barry.

Marlborough LitFest, taking place this year between 28th September and 1st October,  hosts an annual Golding Speaker to highlight the town’s long connection with the Nobel Laureate and Booker Prize winner William Golding, at an event sponsored by William Golding Ltd.

Past Golding Speakers include Ali Smith, Elif Shafak, Ben Okri, Rose Tremain, Will Self, Lionel Shriver, Louis de Bernières, Fay Weldon and Howard Jacobson.

Dublin-born novelist, playwright and poet Barry was Laureate for Irish Fiction from 2018-2021 and his novels have twice won the Costa Book of the Year award.

He had two consecutive novels shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize, A Long Long Way (2005) and The Secret Scripture (2008). His latest book, Old God’s Time (Faber & Faber), published on 23rd February, is described by the festival as “a beautiful novel about memory, love, mystery and reckoning". Barry will be speaking at Marlborough LitFest on Friday 29th September at Marlborough Town Hall, in conversation with journalist and broadcaster Alex Clark.

The organisers say that this year’s festival programme is currently being put together and confirmed authors and events will be released over the coming months. Information will be available here. It has also announced fabric company Fermoie as its lead festival sponsor for 2023.

Genevieve Clarke, chair of the festival, said: “We’re very excited to be working with Fermoie and really appreciate their enthusiasm and support. It’s fabulous to see the quality of their fabrics designed and printed on our doorstep in Marlborough and there’s definitely a match between their creative approach and our ambitions for LitFest. Having Sebastian Barry as our Golding Speaker, with the support of William Golding Ltd, gets us all off to a good start.”