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in the Girls' Model School in North Belfast is a sensational show. I'm not going to re hash any of the glowing reviews the show has got over the past 4 years, or the fact that it has played around the world , from the opening of the Scottish Parliament to President Barack Obama, or the fact that it has won 22 awards.

The actors give it their all, for 1 hr and 50 mins (no interval). We spoke to one of them afterwards and he said they also do an hour and half's warm up before. "We've lost a lot of weight!" he laughed. Then he talked about the reaction to the play, how nervous the company had been about bringing a show about the British Army to Belfast. ÌýThere have been standing ovations every night.

The DCAL minister has been blogging about the show. He didn't like the bad language. There's no denying the high use of swear words, but we're talking about people who are on the front line of war!ÌýI have been told that soldiers who have seen the show say there isn't enough swearing in it. As a piece of live theatre, the music, the choreography, the direction and the acting, there is a lot more to this play than bad language.Ìý

There are only two shows left. Tonight is sold out, but there's a matinee at 3 tomorrow. IÌýwould urge you to go see it, as it is, without doubt, one of the most important plays about war, and contemporary war, to be staged anywhere.

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Claire Keegan is a formidable woman. In terms of contemporary Irish literature,Ìýshe's regarded as one of the emerging greats, a master of the often overlooked art form the short story.Ìý She emerged in 1999 with her debutÌýcollection, "Antartica" -Ìýand "Walk the Blue Fields"ÌýfollowedÌýinÌý2007. During the summer FaberÌýpublished the originalÌýversion ofÌý"Foster"Ìýafter an edited version appeared in the New Yorker, for which she won the Davy Byrne award. Comparisons have been made with John McGahern and awards haveÌýcomeÌýthick and fast forÌý the 42-year-old Wicklow writer.

Physically, she is a commanding presence. Tall, at least 5ft 8ins, she has a scrutinising stareÌýand theÌýair of not suffering fools gladly. I'm acutely aware of babbling. I interviewed her in front of a packed house on Sunday night at the Crescent Arts Centre as part of Belfast Festival At Queen's.ÌýShe spoke about her writing in probably the most inspirational way I have ever heard a writer speak. She loves language, and in particular the short story, "stories" she said "told with reluctance". She's only in her early 40's but she has the air of a wise old woman. Write, she told one aspiring writer in the audience, because you want to. Don't wait for enough for a collection. When you've completed a story, get it published. Get it out there. "There are two types of writers," she said, "Those who want this," she pointed to the lectern, the microphone, me as the interviewer, the audience. The others just want to write. To make sense of the world. To capture the inarticulate. She loves quiet prose, Chekhov is a big hero. She hates prose that "jumps up on its hindlegs saying look at me". By this stage I'm about to do that scene from "The Dead Poets Society" where they jump onto the desks and shout "Captain my captain". She is that inspiring. But she underplays the emotion of the moment by telling a story against herself.

During a reading in Dublin, a woman sat in the very front row, and fell asleep as soon as she started reading. "She was probably just looking for somewhere warm". The Belfast audience loved her, And the queue to talk to her afterwards was testimony to this. Roll on January 2011. She tells me that she has, not one but, two new short stories coming out. She is, as Declan Kiberd described her, "a writer already touched by greatness".Ìý Her other job, as a creative writing teacher, sees her passing that "greatness" on. But I do get the strong impression that what Claire Keegan has can't be taught.

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Claire Keegan's latest short story "Foster" is published by Faber and Faber.

It's the calm before the storm here.Ìý The next 15 days is theÌýUlster Bank Belfast Festival at Queens.ÌýAnd I'm working across tv and radio, "Festival Nights" and "Arts Extra", this blog, Twitter and Facebook.ÌýI feel like I should have got into better shape for this. So my diary lies open beside me. It reads like an exercise in how to be in as many places at the one time as possible. Tomorrow,Ìýthe opening reception before a tour ofÌýLeon and His Enchanted Garden in Botanic Gardens.Saturday, Ulster Hall, meet tv camera crew and Stuart Baillie to film his Belfast Music CoachÌýTour. Sunday, Crescent Arts Centre, 6pm, onstage interview with writer Claire Keegan. Monday, preview of Colin Bateman show. At last, I'll hear this new National Anthem. They've . been very secretive about it. Tuesday, Crescent Arts Centre 630 to interview John Lynch and Chris Binchy. Then leg it around to the Brian Friel Theatre for 8 to see "Don't Shoot the Clowns". Lie down in darkened room after. Wednesday. Live broadcast of "Festival Nights" from the Queens Students Union. 22.45Ìý ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ 1. Paddy Ashdown one of our guests. Ralph McLean, my co host on Festival Nights says he's nearly finished his book and has really enjoyed it. That means I have to try and read it too before next wednesday. Thursday. Postcards From Dumbworld. Very excited about this. Love Brian Irvine's work and this is his opera's world premiere. Plus I'm going to it with Gerry Anderson!!!! For the telly programme. Friday - Festival Nights live on ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ 1, earlier time of 10pm. Saturday - 630pm in the Elmwood Hall, I'm interviewing Colm Toibin onstage.ÌýAnd then heading to see the Martin Creed band on the Belfast Barge after. And if Colm is up for it, he can come too.ÌýI also want to see Owen O'Neill'sÌýVolcano Dancing that night too! Too much decision making. Not good for a Piscean. Sunday, Trilogy in the Waterfront Studio.ÌýYes the one everyone is talking about,Ìýbecause the cast get naked. And 50 local womenÌýdance, also naked.ÌýÌýPlease don't let there be any audience participation. Monday. Pause for breath. And start all over again.ÌýSee you there. And use this blog and the Arts Extra TwitterÌýor Arts Extra Facebook pageÌýto leave your reviews etc on anything you've seen over the festival.

Between Twitter and Facebook I've been a bit tardy on the blog. Apologies.
You know there's really something to be said about being able to write without watching the character countdown or the FB status update saying it can't publish due to word overflow!
Words. Something Michael Longley lives by. The Belfast poet was in great form today when we met at the Dickon Hall gallery in the Crescent Arts Centre to talk about his late friend the painter Colin Middleton. He said walking into the rooms of the gallery and seeing all the paintings was like "oxygen".
He also told me, off mike,Ìý that Mad Men was the best programme on the television right now. Intelligent and funny. I'm gathering a small but select list of well-known poets and their tv viewing habits. Ever since Seamus Heaney told me that he would never miss an episode of "Midsomer Murders", I've mulled over what poets do for down time. But Detective Chief Inspector Tom Barnaby v Don Draper? That's no contest!