Pure Belfast - Writers and Chambers of Distinction

Paul McVeigh, born in Belfast,  began his career as a playwright before moving to London where he wrote comedy shows, which were performed at the Edinburgh Festival and in London’s West End.  He briefly returned to theatre in 2022,  with ‘Big Man’ at the Lyric Theatre, Belfast, which won an Irish Times Theatre Award.   Paul's short stories have been published in literary journals and anthologies, read on BBC Radio 5 and commissioned by BBC Radio 4. The Good Son (2015) is his first novel and was shortlisted for The Guardian’s ‘Not The Booker’ Prize. He received The McCrea Literary Award in 2015. Paul’s blog for writers gets over 40,000 hits a month and has had over 1 million visitors. His short story series "The Circus" aired recently on BBC Radio 4 and is available on BBC Sounds.

Paul has taught creative writing and read his work, in Australia, Austria, Germany, Indonesia, Ireland, Malaysia, Mexico, Poland, Singapore, Switzerland and Turkey. In the UK he’s taught at the Barbican Centre, British Library, Hampsted Theatre, Tricycle Theatre, Waterstones Piccadilly and at universities in Brighton, London, Swansea and Wolverhampton. He judges international literary prizes including the Edge Hill Short Story Prize, the Seán Ó Faoláin International Short Story Prize, the International Dylan Thomas Prize and the Royal Society of Literature’s V. S. Pritchard Award. He reviews for the TLS and The Irish Times. He has interviewed authors in print and on stage including five Booker Prize-winners.  Paul co-founded the London Short Story Festival, of which, he was Director and Curator for 2014 & ’15. He is associate director at Word Factory, ‘the UK’s national organisation for excellence in the short story’ The Guardian. Paul’s blog for writers which posts on submission opportunities for journals and competitions has had over a 2 1/2 million visitors. He founded the Paul McVeigh Residency at The Harrison in 2023.

Melanie Harrison describes herself as delightfully bonkers which is probably an essential quality to possess when you run a beautiful, bohemian, burlesque property of distinction on Belfast's rather salubrious Malone Rd.    Visitors to the Chambers of Distinction get a very interesting and fun Irish experience — not only are the rooms dedicated to literary and historical figures of all hues who have a connection to Belfast,  but the interiors are also eclectic,  rich, vivid, wild colours abound, as do wild-animal prints and theatrical collages such as Fifi, hanging proudly in the drawing room bar.  A standard hotel it is not.    Melanie and her unique offering now proudly boast numerous awards and accolades and the repeat business is huge.   People from Dublin and the south really discovered Belfast during Covid and the great value for money that it offers as a city - " People weren’t proud of this city for a long time. Now we are much more confident, We’ve a thriving music, theatre, food and art scene. Exciting things are happening and we’re part of it.”  

The Harrison Chambers of Distinction

Instagram: @theharrisonbelfast

Thanks to the Lyric Theatre Belfast for all their support in recording this podcast

The Travel Lounge in association with www.discovernorthernireland.com