- Aug 18
- 3 min read
In this month’s blog, we’re shining the spotlight on our two evening events at A Write Highland Hoolie 2025.
Tickets for these events cost £14, which is slightly higher than for our other events over the course of the weekend. But that’s because you get so much more for your money!
Each evening event is longer than our daytime sessions, offering even more opportunities to fully explore the books and authors featured – and for the audience to ask all their burning questions! Evening event tickets also include entrance to our popular after-dinner music in the bar sessions, which often stretch into the wee small hours and are lively, convivial affairs. Relax and enjoy the fabulous traditional ceilidh atmosphere with a refreshment or two from the West Highland Hotel’s well-stocked bar!
Our first evening event of the festival begins at 5.30 pm on Friday November 7th, when award-winning author and singer-songwriter Malachy Tallack joins us to talk about his wonderful new novel, That Beautiful Atlantic Waltz. Uniquely, the book is accompanied by an album of songs, and we’re looking forward to hearing Malachy perform some of them at his event.
As a special bonus treat from the Hoolie, all ticket-holders will receive a complimentary welcome dram when they arrive for Malachy’s event.
Afterwards, don’t miss the evening’s entertainment from Donald Livingstone and Iain Cameron of the Cast Ewe Ceilidh Band, who play their own style of Scottish and West Coast tunes and songs throughout the Highlands and Islands.
Donald, who is from Skye, plays guitar and fiddle and provides vocals. He has a particular love of the blues and rock, but turned his hand to Scottish traditional music after moving to Skye over 20 years ago. Iain, the band’s accomplished accordion player, is from Glenelg.
The Cast Ewe Ceilidh Band specialise in parties, ceilidhs, dances and just about anything else you can think of, so their Friday night session in the West Highland Hotel bar is sure to get A Write Highland Hoolie 2025 off to a fabulous start! Expect toe-tapping tunes and a lively atmosphere as the ceilidh comes to Mallaig.
Saturday’s evening event promises to be one of the highlights of A Write Highland Hoolie 2025. At 5.45 pm on November 8th, we’ll be in conversation with Alexander McCall Smith, one of the world’s most prolific and best-loved authors. Join us for an event filled with stories, warmth and humour, featuring a cast of characters that includes Botswana’s lady detectives, the residents of Edinburgh’s Scotland Street and many more.
The entertainment continues afterwards with talented local duo Ingrid Henderson and Iain MacFarlane. Together, they create a sound that’s reflective of the culture and beauty of their native West Highlands.
Ingrid has been in demand worldwide for many years and has toured with Gaelic supergroup Cliar. She was the youngest ever recipient of the Radio 2 Young Traditional Musician of the Year Award, winning it at the age of just 13.
Born and bred in Glenfinnan, Iain has been immersed in Highland music and song all his life and has become one of the most sought-after fiddlers in Scotland, best known for his role in the dynamic ‘Blazin’ Fiddles’.
Both now perform regularly with the Glenfinnan Ceilidh Band based in their home village, where they run Old Laundry Productions, a fantastic recording studio and rehearsal space – the ideal venue in which to produce their wonderful music.
Tickets for both evening events are now on sale at www.a-write-highland-hoolie.com/book-now, priced just £14 – a bargain!
- Jul 20
- 2 min read
A Write Highland Hoolie 2025 will take place from November 7-9 at the West Highland Hotel, Mallaig.
It’s always a fabulous occasion, and this year will be no different!
With just a few months to go until we all meet up once more for a weekend of books, music, friendship and conversation, what are the hard-working volunteers of Team Hoolie, who put together the festival each year, looking forward to most?
Treasurer Ann Martin is hoping to take time to enjoy all the events after months of planning.
“After the hard work put in by the team, I'm looking forward to a relaxing weekend with old and new friends, enjoying the wonderful programme Polly has yet again put together,” she says.
Angela Gilchrist, who helps out with the website and social media, is the newest member of the team.
“This will be my third Hoolie, and it’s become a highlight of my year. I love the creative energy of the weekend, the thrill of discovering new authors and discussing fresh ideas.”
Hoolie Director Polly Pullar is involved at every step of the process.
“So much planning goes into the Hoolie each year,” she explains. “As only a wee team, we each work away mostly by ourselves, compiling the various pieces that make up the culmination of the creative jigsaw we bring to you in November.
“The actual weekend goes so fast because it is full on. I love seeing everyone arriving in the hotel on the Friday night, having a quick catch-up with friends both old and new before it all starts, and we are off.
“I love the atmosphere and the fact that people from all walks of life gather. I love the fact that the authors don’t have a specific hideaway as at other book festivals and instead mingle with everyone (and if they do feel they want to get some peace, they can always go back to their rooms for a while!)
“I love seeing the friendly hotel team each year - many who are working hard behind the scenes to keep everyone happy. I love the fact that we can never guarantee the weather, but that does not matter for there is no need to move far, and we can guarantee a great time.
“It’s all here under one roof - fabulous book chat, fabulous music, lovely food and atmosphere and above all, a chance to forget all the gloom of the outside world and briefly relish another world altogether.
“On a very personal level, the Hoolie has given me the chance to meet some truly amazing creative souls, too many to mention, and to learn more about their lives and their talents. What started as a proposed one-off has now become an annual fixture, a cheery creative date in the diary that I am proud to be a part of.”
Tickets for this year’s events are now on sale at www.a-write-highland-hoolie.com/book-now. Accommodation in the West Highland Hotel can be booked by calling 01687 462210.
We’ll see you in Mallaig!
- Jun 17
- 2 min read
Here at Team Hoolie, we read a LOT of books!
That’s partly because we’re all great book-lovers. But it’s also because of our dedication to creating the very best experience for our audiences each November.
When putting together the programme for the festival every year, we consider dozens and dozens of books and authors. Only the very best make it on to our shortlist.
We’re looking for variety, of course, as well as books that will excite, interest and pique the curiosity of the hundreds of people who make the journey to Mallaig each year.
Even then, we need to be sure each book selected truly lives up to its blurb. And that’s when the reading starts! We work our way through piles of books so we can honestly say that every title chosen to feature on the Hoolie programme comes with our seal of approval.
This year, we were spoiled for choice. There are so many brilliant books being published at the moment, and whittling our list down wasn’t easy. We did it, though, and you can see full details of this year’s programme at www.a-write-highland-hoolie.com/programme-2025. Tickets are also now on sale at www.a-write-highland-hoolie.com/book-now.
Of course, we don’t limit ourselves to reading only potential candidates for inclusion in the Hoolie programme. Here are just a few of the books from our general reading list that we’ve enjoyed recently, for anyone who’s looking for recommendations or inspiration.
The Secrets of Blythswood Square by Sara Sheridan: a perfect summer read set in Glasgow and Edinburgh during the early days of photography.
The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese: a sweeping, epic, unforgettable novel which follows the lives of generations of an Indian family.
North Woods by Daniel Mason: an original, beautiful and magical story with a really powerful and resonant message for our times.
Gabriel’s Moon by William Boyd: a twisty-turny 1960s spy thriller that will keep you guessing till the end.
What You Are Looking For Is In The Library by Michiko Ayama: a gentle, kindly reminder of the power of books and libraries from a hugely successful Japanese author.
Happy reading!
