Doherty, Ailsa Piper and Tony

Ailsa Piper has made her life in the arts, having worked as a writer across many mediums, and as a director, actor, teacher, speaker and broadcaster - but for her, the most important labels are 'walker' and 'friend'. Ailsa was co-winner of the Patrick White Playwright's Award for her script Small Mercies, and her passions for walking and poetry were reflected in her memoir Sinning Across Spain. She is a collector of postcards, a student of three of the Romance languages, and a hopeless swimmer - but she is taking lessons. Monsignor Tony Doherty was the parish priest at Rose Bay in Sydney for twelve years. Before that he was Dean of St Mary's Cathedral, which saw him oversee the erection of its spires in 2000 and also the visit of a Pope. This followed decades of work in adult education. Throughout his fifty-plus years as a priest, he has written and published widely, in a quest to demystify religious language. He is a lover of good conversation, a passionate reader and swims daily in his beloved Sydney harbour. Both Ailsa and Tony are inspiring speakers and regular media contributors. They perform brilliantly as a double act, and can also see the text being performed on stage.;