The Irish in Southampton, England

Jan Carson FRSL is a Belfast based writer from Northern Ireland. She has published four novels, three short story collections and three micro-fiction collections. Her books include Malcolm Orange Disappears (2014), Children’s Children (2016), Postcard Stories (2017), The Fire Starters (2019), Postcard Stories 2 (2020), The Last Resort (2021), The Raptures (2022), Quickly, While They Still Have Horses (2024), Few and Far Between (2026) and No Vacancy (2026)

Katie Boyle is an Irish comedian living in New York City. Her favorite stand-up topics are her journey through American culture, dating, therapy and shame! She performed as a "New Face" in the 2023 Just For Laughs Festival in Montreal, and was featured in NY Funniest showcase and New York Comedy Festival in 2022. Katie's debut album and special, I'll Do It Myself, was released through Pinch Records in summer of 2023. The album hit #1 on iTunes Comedy Charts and is currently available to stream on all major platforms. Her last special, Don't Tell, premiered last November.

Leader Kicking specializes in transforming athletic skills from sports like GAA, soccer, and rugby into successful American football kicking and punting careers. They offer coaching, scholarship sourcing, USA tours, and academic guidance to help beginners secure college and professional opportunities worldwide-saving families millions in scholarship fees.

Lucy Caldwell is a Northern Irish playwright and novelist. She was the winner of the 2021 BBC National Short Story Award and of the 2023 Walter Scott Prize.

Paul Howard is an Irish journalist, author and comedy writer. He is the creator of the character Ross O'Carroll-Kelly, a fictional Dublin 4 "rugby jock".

Sally Rooney is an Irish author. She is the author of the novels Conversations with Friends (2017), Normal People (2018), Beautiful World, Where Are You (2021), and Intermezzo (2024). The first two works were adapted into the television miniseries Normal People (2020) and Conversations with Friends (2022). Her bestselling novels have sold more than 6 million copies worldwide, have been translated into over 47 languages, and have garnered critical acclaim and commercial success. Literary commentators regard Rooney as one of the foremost millennial writers, and in 2022, Time named her among the 100 most influential people in the world.

The Association of Irish and Celtic Festivals (AICF) is an organization comprised of Irish and Celtic festivals throughout North America. Throughout the year, we provide support and best practices with other festivals, most specifically at our annual conference. The Association of Irish and Celtic Festivals is a registered 501(c)3 organization and is now a membership organization. If you are interested in becoming an AICF member, please email us at the email address below for more membership information.

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