The Irish Writers Centre, in partnership with Dublin UNESCO City of Literature and Dublin City Council, is soon to release the fourth episode in its six-part video series, Dublin: One City, Many Stories.
The series includes Cauvery Madhavan who is Living between Cork and Straffan, Co
Kildare, and originally from Madras, India.
Cauvery is the author of Paddy Indian (2001), The Uncoupling (2003), The Tainted (2020) and The Inheritance (2024). Her work has been praised by Graham Norton, Sebastian Barry and Donal Ryan, and is now studied on university syllabi in the United States.
Titled An Island of Many Nations, this new instalment explores identity, belonging and creativity through the voices of writers who have made Ireland their home.
Available from today Wednesday, 29 October on YouTube, the episode features: Cauvery Madhavan, Melatu-Uche Okorie, Amy Abdullah Barry, Nandi Jola, Suad Aldarra, Rafael Mendes, Ciara Ní É, and Gustav Parker Hibbett — all reading from their work and reflecting on what it means to write, live and belong in contemporary Ireland.
A celebration of many homes and many voices this episode is structured around themes such as Home Is Not a Place, Trying to Find a Voice, and Found This Language to Explain Me, the episode moves between personal reflection and literary insight.
Cauvery Madhavan, author of The Inheritance, adds: “Curiosity is essential for any writer — and in Ireland, curiosity is part of who we are. Sometimes you need your own family to remind you you’re on the right path. I’m thrilled to see my books now studied in universities abroad — proof that writing from the heart resonates far beyond home.”
Rafael Mendes, author of The Migrant Dictionary, speaks about finding belonging through language and art: “I gained a language and a community — a sense of belonging. I’m from Dublin now; I’ve built my life and career here. Yet I often find I’m still the ‘other’ in the room. There are more than 100 languages spoken on the streets of Dublin, but not in our literary spaces. That imbalance drives my work.”
Suad Aldarra, author of I Don’t Want to Talk About Home and winner of the 2024 Rooney Prize for Irish Literature, reflects on writing beyond statistics and headlines: “I wanted to change the narrative — to talk about my grandmother’s cooking, my love story, how trauma shapes relationships. Those little details help people relate. Writing became more rewarding than anything else I’d done in my life.”
Melatu-Uche Okorie, author of This Hostel Life, shares her perspective on identity and ownership of the title “Irish writer”: “If you don’t call me an Irish writer, I’ll challenge you. I’m an Irish writer in every sense of the word. That used to feel like something someone else had to give me — now it’s mine to claim.”
Meanwhile, Ciara Ní É said of her involvement: "It was a pleasure to be involved in this project, which celebrates the diversity of Ireland’s literary voices. The interview offered a moment to reflect on the status of the Irish language in Ireland and to honour the speakers, writers and readers who continue to sustain our native culture within the fabric of today’s Ireland."
Across their stories, these writers illustrate how Ireland’s literary landscape is expanding to include many nations, cultures and voices — each shaping and enriching the shared story of Dublin.
Mags McLoughlin, CEO, Irish Writers Centre said: “This episode is one of the most moving in the series. It reminds us that Dublin and Ireland’s literary identity is not static — it’s a living, breathing reflection of everyone who calls this city home. These writers show us that creativity thrives at the crossroads of cultures.”
Anne-Marie Kelly, Director of Dublin UNESCO City of Literature, added: “’An Island of Many Nations’ captures the essence of Dublin as a UNESCO City of Literature — a place that welcomes, nurtures and celebrates diverse voices. Through this series, we see how writers from around the world have found a home in Dublin’s creative community, contributing richly to our shared cultural life.”
An Island of Many Nations is available from Wednesday, 29 October 2025 on the Irish Writers Centre’s YouTube channel and at
www.irishwriterscentre.ie.
