A conversation about British writer Graham Greene and French writer Michel Déon

Join us for this insightful evening about these two celebrated authors, one British and one French whose paths crossed and who both knew Ireland intimately. This conversation is between Dr Eamon Maher, Director of the National Centre for Franco-Irish Studies, Technological University Dublin, and Pierre Joannon, former Consul General of Ireland in south-east France (1973-2024) and Member of the Royal Irish Academy. Both gentlemen are academics and published writers and possess a vast knowledge of the two authors. Pierre, who was close to both writers will reveal the background and his relationship with them. You will learn about them as writers, their works and their connection via Ireland and France. The red thread is Pierre Joannon who introduced Déon to Greene. Over his diplomatic and literary career, Pierre Joannon has had the opportunity to meet and know many writers. He hosted informal literary salons in Antibes, his home for many years, where he met his neighbour Graham Greene, who had moved there to write and found great company in Joannon. 

The discussion will centre around Pierre’s two books: ‘Graham Greene, Ireland and the Honorary Consul – A view from the South of France’ (2024)’ and ‘Michel Déon de l’Académie française, Pierre Joannon, Correspondance 1973-2016’ (January 2025).