ABSENT FRIEND is a book about a thirty year friendship between singer/songwriter Leonard Cohenand Irish writer John MacKenna. The book examines the roots of that friendship, which began with a first hearing of Cohen's work when MacKenna was recovering from meningitis in his late teens. Fifteen years later the pair would meet for the first time and establish a friendship that lasted until Cohen's deathin 2016 and included their working together in Cohen's last months on the requiem Between Your love and Mine.This event, as part of Kildare Readers' Festival, has MacKenna reading from the book and talking about the friendship while singer Katie Jacqueswill perform some of Leonard Cohen's songs. The book was launched at Athy Library last spring byactor/writer Gabriel Byrne.John MacKenna is the author of twenty-three books and a winner of the Irish Times; Hennessy and C Day Lewis literary awards, and a Jacobs Radio award for his workwith Leonard Cohen.Katie Jacques is a singer/songwriter who graduated from Cork School of Music last year. She was one of the lead singers in Between Your Love and Mine.