Monday 31 October 2011

Launch of Abridged

Abridged is an eclectic art and poetry magazine run out of Derry.
The launch for the Desire and Dust issue is
6 - 9pm Thursday 3rd November 
at
the Golden Thread Gallery, Patrick Street, Belfast

It's free and we're friendly. This issue features:
Shlomit Migay, Geraldine Mitchell, Clare Samuel, Maeve O’Sullivan, Therese Mac an Airchinnigh, Frank Sewell, Fiona Ní Mhaoilir, Simon Jones, Simone Haack, Jessamine O Connor, Miriam de Búrca, Kate Braverman, Moyra Donaldson, Howie Good, Ackroyd & Harvey, Fernando Smith, Sarah Stevens, David Mohan, Eleanor Bennett, Kate Dempsey, Seamus Harahan, Janet Smith, Giles Newington, Vong Phaophanit & Claire Oboussier, Christopher Barnes, Jason Lee Lovell, Kelli Allen, Kathleen McCracken, Heather Gray, Gerald Dawe, Theo Sims J. S. Robinson, Helena Nolan, Jenny Keane, Simon Evans.

Come along, pick up a copy and say hello...

Yes me!
and other people you should know

Check out their arty website here

Sunday 30 October 2011

Labello Press & Leonard A. Koval Memorial Prize

The aim of Labello Press is to publish beautiful books, the first of which will be our annual anthology "Gem Street", containing unique, well-written and thought-provoking previously unpublished short stories. 

We are looking for writing with guts and honesty. Humour is appreciated. Simplicity is foremost. Bravery is key.

In conjunction with this publication, we will award the Leonard A. Koval Memorial Prize to the three stories which most reflect the ethos of Labello Press, as stated above. In addtion, we will award prizes to the other eight short-listed stories included in the anthology. 


  • Three short stories will be awarded €275, €150 and €100 respectively.
  • The other eight short-listed stories will be awarded 50 each.
  • And each will receive one complimentary copy of "Gem Street."
Deadline: 31st December 2011
Results are announced - 29th February 2012

For this first annual publication of "Gem Street", Labello Press will accept short stories with a maximum of 12,000 words.  

Submissions are 10.00 per story. 

Other info here

Saturday 29 October 2011

Windows Publications 20th National Poetry Competition

The Windows Publications 20th National Poetry Competition (including adults) deadline is Friday, December 16. The winners will be notified by April 2012 and must appear at the awards ceremony on Sunday, May 13 in Cavan Crystal Hotel.

Anyone who wishes to submit poetry, short stories, prose or artwork to Windows Publications for their next Authors & Artists Introduction Series 10 in 2012, can send up to 12 poems or two short stories or pieces or prose (maximum 3,000 words each) and up to 10 images of artwork to heatherbrett22@hotmail.com



This is a competition both for students and for adults. This anthology, under the direction of Noel Monaghan, a poet and playwright, Canadian born poet Heather Brett and Romanian novelist Simion Dumitrache, has been going stronger and stronger now for two decades.

Windows held its first student poetry competition in Cavan in 1992 attracting about 100 entries. Today that same competition is one of the biggest, sponsored by Cavan Crystal and attracts up to 2,000 entries from all over Ireland.

Thursday 27 October 2011

How to get a Poetry Collection Published


First published on my blog at writing.ie


Here are some links for a subject that is taxing me currently. So if any publishers want to have a chat with me, my email's on the sidebar!


How to approach a poetry publisher by Neil Astley (Bloodaxe poetry publisher) at the Guardian
e.g.
  • Don't submit to publishers unless you've read their books, or to magazines unless you're familiar with the kind of work they publish.
So true
  • And Publish a poetry Pamphlet.
Done http://bit.ly/katespoems
  • While you should only submit your book to one publisher at a time, it is acceptable to send a small sample (half a dozen of your best poems) to several publishers with a letter asking if they'd like to see the full manuscript. 
  • don't expect to make much money from it.
And a slightly different slant from Roddy Lumsden (poet) from The Artists And Writers Yearbook.
  • Many writers, with hindsight, feel their first books lack cohesion. 
  • A few hundred poetry collections by individual writers are published most years. Most – admirable though they may be – are small-scale, from local presses, in pamphlet form, in small print runs. The better-known independent poetry presses (Anvil, Bloodaxe, Carcanet, Salt, Seren and others) publish over 150 books between them, while the few commercial presses (Cape, Chatto, Picador, Faber) venture around 50 between them.  
  • The work I read was generally impressive, carefully assembled by capable writers and much of it as good as work I’d recently seen in book form. ... after a while, I found myself growing impatient with poems which were well written but overfamiliar in style and subject matter.
Summary:
  • Write some really good poems
  • Workshop them with poets who's opinions you respect
  • Read contemporary poetry and buy magazines and collections
  • Go to Poetry Readings and events
  • Submit to smaller magazines, paper and online
  • Read your poems at open mics and events
  • Submit to larger, more well known magazines
  • Publish a poetry pamphlet
  • Win some competitions and awards
  • Submit 6 poems to the publishers with whose work you are familiar
  • Don't give up the day job

Wednesday 26 October 2011

Kilkenny County Council Arts Office 2011 Bursary

Grants season is upon us for some county councils. Check with your local arts office to see if yours is one. Remember many will also give grants to people who are FROM there, not just LIVING there. The only county council I know who give grants to people who only WORK there is Dublin South, who graciously gave me one when I was working there.


Kilkenny County Council Arts Office is now inviting artists working across all art forms (e.g literature) to apply for its Arts Office 2011 Bursary. 

Applications will be accepted from individual creative practitioners working in any art form to enable them to pursue their practice, to develop within their chosen discipline, including research and development, professional development, collaborative projects and activities, multidisciplinary projects and equipment. 

Individuals seeking assistance must be involved in arts activities which, in the opinion of the Arts Office, develop knowledge of the arts and arts practice, their own practice and that of others. They must seek to promote the arts and artists practice to the public and develop an appreciation of the arts and their own practice and that of others. Undertakings should also assist in improving the standards of the arts and arts practice. The Arts Office is encouraging individuals seeking assistance to involve others in their project, to assist and develop collaborative practice and engage with others in the execution of their activity or project.

Dealine: 4pm, Monday 14 November 2011.For all application forms regarding the Bursary please contact:
Niamh Finn, Arts Administrator, Kilkenny County Council Arts Office, No. 76, John Street, Kilkenny.
T: 056 779 4138
E:
niamh.finn@kilkennycoco.ie / mary.butler@kilkennycoco.ie
Application forms can also be downloaded from
www.kilkennycoco.ie/eng/Services/Arts/Grants_Awards/ or from www.artlinks.ie.

Tuesday 25 October 2011

Trocaire Poetry Ireland Competition

An interesting competition, free to enter too. Link here

The Competition has three Categories, with two sub-categories in each
one:
 ADULT:
- published poets
- non-published poets
 POST PRIMARY Schools:
- Junior 1st – 3rd year
- Senior TY – Leaving Certificate
 PRIMARY Schools:
- Junior/3rd & 4th Class
- Senior 5th & 6th Class

In the adult category the entry must be accompanied by a narrative/essay of not more
than 500 words on the reason you would like to visit Trócaire’s work overseas.

In the Primary and Post-primary categories the accompanying essay of not more than
500 should be on the theme of why you would like a writer or overseas visitor to come
to your school.

The competition is open to residents on the Island of Ireland only (32 Counties).
Judges:
  • John F. Deane, Poet, and former editor of Dedalus Press and founder and Director of Poetry Ireland
  • Éamonn Meehan, Deputy Director of TRÓCAIRE
  • Mary Shine Thompson, former chair of Poetry Ireland and former Dean at St. Patrick’s College, Drumcondra (Dublin City University)
Deadline: 11th November 2011
Only one entry per person


There is no entry fee

All poems must have a title and must not be longer than 30 lines excluding the title.

Theme: Entries on the theme: Imagining a just and free world?

Monday 24 October 2011

Interview with Peadar O'Donoghue


Peadar O'Donoghue is a poet, well-connected blogger and now editor of the Poetry Bus.

Hi Peadar, thanks for agreeing to this interview. How did you first get into poetry?

I had never been into poetry and never read much of it at all. But I had written some words a bit like poetry, purely awful stuff as a teenager and beyond. I've always felt drawn to writing (if not reading) but was never encouraged, particularly at school where I was either ignored or savagely criticized for bad handwriting etc etc..In fact the only two things that school taught me was
  1. I was stupid and
  2. That I didn't belong.
It's taken a lifetime (so far) to try and address maybe even unlearn those lessons. Paradoxically they make great ingredients for a poet - even a rubbish one like me, so thanks school!

Anyways I moved back to Ireland and was staying with my cousin in Bray. I learned that there was a poetry group that met in a bar so I went along 2 or 3 times and drank and sang a lot and some eager beaver enquired where they could send their poetry for publication and Poetry Ireland Review was mentioned, I'd never heard of it (or any poetry mags) but later got the address and sent some poems off and they were swiftly (and rightly) rejected. I sent some more a good bit later to the newly installed editor Maurice Harmon, who must indeed be a kindly man, he took the shortest one and squeezed it in and that made me think maybe I could be a poet.

Tell us about the Poetry Bus.

It's just brilliant! Wonderful, marvelous, I love it! It's a magazine of contemporary poetry and illustration and now the latest issue comes with a FREE audio CD of 42 poems and two songs one from living legend Martin Egan and one from on the up band The Souterrain.
Image copyright Adam Neate and courtesy of Elms Lesters Gallery.
You don't even have to like poetry to love it! See here to buy a copy.

Where did the idea to start it as a magazine come from?

On my quest to be the worlds greatest poet/photographer/spaceman, I started a blog called totalfeckineejit and I dedicated a LOT of time and effort to it, in some ways it's some of my best writing (in parts!) and I got a few followers many of whom were interested in poetry. I happened on an experimental idea that we (all the bloggers) should sit down at the same time across the world on a given date and time and write a poem to see if their were any similarities in the writing, anything in the zeitgeist as it were.

There wasn't really, but I liked the exercise and thought it might be nice to repeat the task regularly, every Monday in fact to try to brighten up the worst day of the week. Some of the poems over the months that followed were really good and a lot of the poets had never been published. I believed they deserved to be published and so the idea of the magazine was born. With the bloggers all being so diverse and 'getting aboard' every week put me in mind of a bus and so The Poetry Bus was born.

How did you go about it and how did it go?

I trawled through all the material and chose the poems I liked best, I didn't want this to be a catch-all anthology, there had to be some merit or style otherwise it would be pointless. I invited other established poets to contribute and a few artists and the mag took shape. I had no money but amazingly people from around the world sent me some via a paypal donate button on the blog. I got enough to pay for the first tiny print run and sales of the first print run paid for the second print run and a magazine was born!

What lessons did you learn and what did you differently for Poetry Bus 2?

The only lesson I really learned, Kate, was that artists and poets and bloggers are amazingly supportive and kind. Despite what we are bombarded with in the media, most people in general, and creative people in particular, are good and kind and want to help. There are exceptions of course, but they don't interest me, I try to focus on the positive, a rising tide lifts all boats  (and buses) and I am genuinely delighted by the good will and kindness that has been shown to The Bus.

The magazine itself is evolving, finding it's feet, it's got a slightly more cutting edge and contemporary design this time. I really wanted the artwork to be spectacular, and it is! Among others we feature the work of one of the best street/conceptual artists in the world - Adam Neate, who let us use his illustrations for free. In fact everyone did everything for free. Which brings up another thorny issue, I believe artist/writers should be paid for their work at all times but paradoxically worry that this could ruin things?

I've changed the dimensions of the mag  from A5 size to A4. As for the poetry I've opened it up to the world and anyone can submit. The hardest part has been doing rejections, I don't know if I'll ever get use to doing them. The hardest part has been doing rejections, I don't know if I'll ever get use to doing them.

And as I couldn't get any official funding I tried fundit.ie and was accepted onto the scheme. Basically it is crowd funding where you pick a financial target for your project and get people to pledge money in return for various rewards (in our case a free magazine.) If you hit the target you get the money (minus some fundit administration costs.) If you miss the target you get nothing! Which makes it very exciting and a great incentive for people pledging. I found it a stress and hassle free way of getting the printing costs of the magazine. The fundit team are friendly, helpful and very very good at what they do. I can't recommend them highly enough. (A special thanks here to Martin McNicholl who guided and helped all the way through) In fact I will be submitting again for the next issue, PB3.

Congratulations on your upcoming first collection. Tell us about it and how that came about?

Thanks Kate! My first collection is called Jewel and will be published by Salmon and launched at The Cuirt International Literary Festival April 2012. And it's a pure miracle.The best and most amazing thing that has ever happened to me apart from the day I got married and the day my son was born ! I still can't quite believe it.

After you've had a few poems published inevitably you start dreaming about having a collection, your own book.I had started buying a few poetry books (about time!) and had become drawn towards Salt in England and Salmon Poetry here in Ireland, both seemed very accessible and friendly and different. I liked their poets and their book covers and their alternative attitude.I thought if I was ever going to try to get published it would be with one of these. That was my dream. I abstractly started to feel Salt, though great and interesting , were too big ,too many books, too many poets and were diversifying into other genres. So Salmon had become my number one choice but I thought my poetry was nowhere near good enough and that I wasn't ready, so I didn't even submit.Then completely out of the blue Jessie Lendennie sent me an email asking if I had ever considered publishing a collection. I nearly fell off the chair!

Apart from me, which poets, websites, events  and publications do you recommend?

All the poets in The Poetry Bus are fablo! The Glór Sessions is great every Monday night in The International Bar Wicklow Street in Dubland I went to a Nighthawks gig once and that was cool too. Seven Towers and Wurm Im Apfel are always working hard and putting on great (and often free) events. The SHOp is a truly wonderful magazine, greater than the sum of its parts and its parts are always exquisite, so that is some mighty magic, I love it! I think The Stinging Fly is a fine magazine (particularly for the short stories) and really great value, I really like the cut of Revival's jib too.

What other poetry plans have you got coming up?

Well as soon as PB2 is out It's full steam ahead with PB3! I'd love to get a real Double Decker Bus for events, festivals, tours etc, but that's still in the dream cupboard...for now!

Thanks a lot for agreeing to do this.

See here to buy a copy of Poetry Bus 2.

Sunday 23 October 2011

BAFFLE Festival, Loughrea, Co Galway

Out west for Halloween weekend. The 2011 Festival will take place from 28th October to 30th October 2011.

If you ever come across a poetry festival that offers a livelier mixture of poetry, poets, porter, preening, pedagogy, preposterousness, punning, pulchritude and pleasure than the one we host here in Loughrea every year, be sure to contact us and let us know.

Loughrea is a hospitable town in the west of Ireland with lots to commend it, including a beautiful lake, a fine cathedral and a curiously eccentric bunch of natives, who are happy to welcome the stranger into their midst. It is seen at its very best during the bank holiday weekend at the end of October, when the place resonates to the sound of poetry, music, wrangling, philosophising, glasses clinking and the twanging sound of wit being unleashed.

Over the years, we have built a reputation for combining high seriousness in our poetic endeavours with an appetite for fun and lightheartedness, and the resulting mix offers festival goers – both participants and audience – a weekend to remember and relish. 

You are cordially invited to take part in a number of activities, including our creative writing workshop (places permitting), in our ramble and, of course, in our BAFFLE poetry competition, the heats of which are held around the town on Saturday night and the finals of which form the centrepiece of our Sunday night festivities. 
Competition Rules
  • Poems must be based on the theme, Rumour Has It 
  • Previously published poems may not be entered - this includes electronic publishing. 
  • Participants must read their own entry. Substitute readers are not acceptable. 
  • The entry fee is €5. This may be paid by PayPal or when registering on the Festival Saturday between 7.00pm and 8.00pm. 
  • You should have one additional typed copy of your poem available for the adjudicator. 
  • Please note that your poem may be published. 
Friday 28th October 8.00pm
The BAFFLE Interview 'Up Close and Personal' - RTE's Michael Murphy is interviewed by Liam Nolan in Loughrea Liibrary.
Music from The Loughrea Barbershop ‘Quartet’ Fee €10 (Early booking recommend at 086 0813717)

Saturday 29th October
11.00am - 1.30pm Creative Writing Workshop with Joan McBreen.
Venue: Loughrea Hotel and Spa. Please book early for this.
Fee: €20 (Phone 086 3079953)

12.00 Noon ‘Talk the Walk’ through The Abbey Cemetery with nationally acclaimed letter carver and sculptor Thomas Glendon.
Meet at The Abbey gate at 11.50am.
Free

3.00pm Lillis O’Laoire, scealaí agus ceoltóir sean nós. Tábhairne Harney. Saor in aisce. (Free)

7.00 to 8.00pm Registration of poets for competition in O’Dea’s Hotel. Registration fee: €5 (also available on-line)

8.30pm Poetry heats in Harney’s Bar and Maggy May’s Pub. Free

Sunday 30th October
12.00 noon BAFFLE Brunch with guest writers Gerard Hanberry and Vinnie Caprani.
Also the BAFFLE Literary /FunQuiz Venue: The Hungry Bookworm, Abbey Street.
Fee: €10
Limited numbers so book early at 086 0813717

8.00pm Grand Finale with music by A Cappella singers ‘The Keynotes’
Finals of BAFFLE Bard poetry competition with M.C. Declan O'Brien and also featuring the following: Kevin Barry will read from his new novel 'City of Bohane'.
Presentation of the 'BAFFLE Turnip' to the 2011 BAFFLE Bard.
People's Choice award to the most popular reader.
Adjudicators for the final of the poetry competition are Kevin Barry and Dr.Lisa Padden.
Venue: Loughrea Hotel and Spa.
Fee: €10 (Concessions €8)

Saturday 22 October 2011

Poets/ Creative Writers required - North West Northern Ireland

Strabane District Council as part of its Peace Building through Cultural Legacy and Sports Programme funded by Peace III is seeking 4 creative writers/poets to assist with the delivery of workshops as part of the poetry mapping element of this project.

The project’s aims are:

• Promote use of shared spaces throughout the North West through the Celebration of Culture, Arts, Sports, Heritage and Identity’.
• To engage young people, older people and ethnic minorities from Strabane Town, Castlederg, Newtownstewart and Donemana in the creation of poetry map about contested spaces.
• The project will deliver a series of workshops  with the participation of the above target groups who will create poems that explore and interpret contested spaces, local histories and memories as well as their hopes for the future
• To create a poetry publication featuring the work of the participants for distribution to local schools, libraries and community groups
• To assist in the delivery of a Poem showcase in the one of the identified areas.

Please contact Pauline O’Neill for further information on how to submit a quote for the positions email poneill@strabanedc.com or telephone 028 7188 4760.

Friday 21 October 2011

Plough Prize 2011

Just in case you didn't know, I won this last year for a short poem.

So of course, I think it is a wonderful competition, well worth entering. Details here

Open Poem

  • Judge: Andrew Motion
  • Length: Up to 40 lines
  • Style: Unrestricted
  • Theme: None
  • Prizes: 1st £1000, 2nd £500, 3rd £200
Short Poem
  • Judge: Andrew Motion
  • Length: up to 10 lines
  • Style: Unrestricted
  • Theme: None
  • Prizes: 1st £1000, 2nd £500, 3rd £200

Poem for Children

  • Judges: Final judging by the children of local schools and home education groups
  • Length: Up to 40 lines
  • Style:  Poem suitable for reading by or to children of primary school age (5-11yrs)
  • Theme: None
  • Prizes: 1st £100, 2nd £50, 3rd £25
  • Short listed poems published in chapbook anthology (more info)
  •  

Postal entry: £4.50 per poem, four poems £16, £4.00 thereafter.

Online entry: £4.85 per poem, four poems £18, £4.50 thereafter

Deadline: November 30th 2011

Thursday 20 October 2011

Dublin City Artists' Grants


Dublin City Council invites applications for funding towards arts projects and programmes in the city which are complementary to the following objectives:
* Achieving quality provision of the arts and cultural services
* Supporting the established and emerging artist
* Ensuring equality of public access to and participation in the arts, particularly through the city neighbourhoods
* Encouraging awareness, education and research in the arts
* Supporting the sustainable and strategic development of arts initiatives

Application forms, guidelines and criteria may be obtained from:
City Arts Office, Dublin City Council, The LAB, Foley St., Dublin 1.
T: 01 222 7843
E:
victoria.kearney@dublincity.ie

Download the guidelines for Art Funding 2012: English or Irish.
Download the application for Art Funding 2012:
English or

Deadline 5pm, Friday 4 November 2011.

Wednesday 19 October 2011

Five Stop Story

Can you write a story that can be read in 5 stops on the London Underground?

From Valerie Sirr's brand spanking new blog here.

A “Five Stop Story” can be read in five stops on the London Underground. This app features modern short stories by new writers and provides a short fiction fix in your busy life. Providing you sync the app, short stories will be available when you’re offline so the app is the perfect resource for using on the tube. This easy-to-use, intuitive app enables you to relax and escape with a bite-sized short story. The app is updated every week with new stories by exciting new writers. Why not discover a new writer on your way to work?

They are targeted at a mainstream audience of commuters and students.

Throughout 2011 we are running monthly, free themed competitions to discover new writers to feature on the app. All writers who are successful in our competitions see their stories on the app. From January 2012, our competitions are changing. There will be a small entry fee and cash prize.

We are looking for publishable, proof-read stories of 1,000 to 3,000 words. Stories can be fictional or based on true events, but they must have a clear plot. We are not currently looking for "blog-style" stories.
This month's competition is free to enter and we welcome international entries as well as those from the UK. It is open to anyone aged 16 or over, with a maximum of three entries per person.

More here.

For the October competition you can choose to submit a story either on the theme of "Escape" or the theme of "Halloween." If you like you can even combine the two themes!

All winners, runners up and honourary mentions in this competition will be published on the website and on our mobile application for the iphone and ipad.

Tuesday 18 October 2011

Interview with Roger Gregg of the Bee-Loud Glade

Roger Gregg is an award winning playwright, composer, audio-producer and actor. Over the past 25 years he has written for Crazy Dog Theatre, Dublin Youth Theatre, TEAM, The American National Audio Theatre Festival, Graffiti Theatre, The Razor Edge, Oberon Theatre and The Gaiety School of Acting. His plays have also been produced by New York University, the University of Missouri, the Theaterpedagogisches Zentrum in Nuremberg, Germany.  His Crazy Dog productions have won many international awards including; 3 American Mark Time Science Fiction Awards, 2 Ogle Fantasy Awards and 2 AUDIOFILE Golden Earphone Awards. In 2006 in a special feature reviewing his work, BBC Radio 4 hailed him as ‘one of a handful of truly great radio dramatists’.

As a composer and multi-instrumentalist, Roger has created music and soundscapes for numerous exhibitions, films and theatre productions. In particular he has created many soundscapes for BARRABAS Theatre Co. In 2010 he was nominated for Best Sound Design in The Irish Times Theatre Awards for BARRABAS’s acclaimed ‘Johnny Patterson The Singing Irish Clown’. In 2010 he was also awarded an Artist’s Bursary by the Arts Council of Ireland to research the integration of acoustic sound craft into live stage performance.  Since 2008 he has been working a great deal in concert shows and recordings of poetry-set-to-music and sound, namely 'The People's Republic of Gerry Murphy', 'Selections From Thomas Merton's Cables To The Ace' and an on-going series of living anthology of contemporary Irish poetry 'Bee-Loud Glade' cabaret shows.[Bee-Loud Glade, book & CD, Dedalus Press.]
As a voice actor Roger plays Eddie the computer in BBC Radio 4’s Sony Award winning Tertiary and Quintessential Phases of The Hitch-hiker’s Guide To The Galaxy.
Hi Roger, thanks for agreeing to the interview. Tell us about the Bee-Loud Glade and the Crazy Dog Theatre.

The whole project was developed from an initial show I did of my friend's work. This is Gerry Murphy - the poet from Cork. In fact I first did a stage show of Murphy's poems in 1987. 20+ years later I wrote a new thing using selections from Gerry's by now much more extensive collection of poems.

This project had the blessing of Dedalus Press [Pat Boran]. The resulted in a live show, a CD, a set of well produced videos and a 5 part radio documentary series.

This most favourable outcome in turn led to Bee-Loud Glade, which is taking the same approach as the Gerry Murphy show but instead drawing upon and selecting from the poets/poems published by Dedalus - the only exception to this thus far is Patrick Chapman, another poet whose work I admire very much, Chapman has given me permission to use his work.

How do you choose the poems to use?
With the Dedalus poets, Pat Boran made up a long listand I read over that and from this we culled it down to a short list. From Pat Boran I am given the rights to use the poems, set the to music and sound and also direct the actors in how to perform them.

How do you know if it would work well with the accompaniment?
I wouldn't select the poem if it didn't inspire me. You have to not only like the poem, but also it has to suggest something to me in music and sound. Not all poems are inspiring in any sense ...

How does the collaborative process work?
There is and there isn't a collaborative process. Pat Boran makes the long list then we cull it down. Once I have the poems selected then I work alone to put together the music. I usually make demos of the music to pass along to the musicians so they can learn and/or devise their parts. Then in the rehearsal process together as a band we sculpt and craft the piece. Then we perform it.

It sounds heartless but the Poets do not have any involvement - intentionally so. If they did, I would not do this. Poets do what they do best [write the words] then professional musicians and actors do what they do best - perform the piece. We always make it a point to stress that the result is an interpetation of the poem - a music/voice/sound piece that is initially inspired by the poem. We never claim that it's in any way THE definitive way the poem should be heard or presented or read.

Even if an audience member or listener thinks we got it 'wrong'; with a piece, we still hope and believe that at the very least it got somebody talking about the poem! Even if the poet themself thinks its 'wrong' - that's okay. They are free to distance themselves from the interpetation - and hopefully get some more people interested in checking out their work to see for themselves! We always plug the poets and their books. We want everyone to win.

We're trying to move beyond the usual pigeon-holes and traditional ways-of-presentation. It's not a Poetry Reading, and it's not Performance Poetry, it's not anything you see at Spoken Word Tent [- at least not yet anyway ] It's like a band-gig only instead of singing all the words, the words are largely spoken by actors in character or in a mood. My belief is that there should be plenty of different fruit in the fruit bowl. Not just apples and the odd orange, let in some grapes or bananas... whatever. Entertainment is about ENGAGING it's not about fitting properly into some Critic's category.

The digital age and the internet has done so much already by young people [who mercifully don't know any better] who creatively combine words with pictures and music/sound, dance with stand up comedy etc. etc.;

Poetry Officialdom has a lot to answer for. Academia and Theory which surround it and interpet it 'properly' for it's small audience of other would be Academics and Theorticians. There are far too many Poets writing with one eye on Officialdom. Especially in Ireland. Trying to be Profound or tick the boxes such as use the odd bit of ancient Greek or reference to a Veda or whatever they think will impress the Elite in the Know. The result is 'heavy' as in ponderous and 'clever' - but it doesn't engage and certainly does not delight.

And then of course there is the condescension meted out to Performance Poets who largely actually do connect with much wider more diverse audiences and even ruin everything by 'Entertaining' people. At the Bee-Loud Glade I don't hide the fact that as a Theatre guy I WANT to entertain and engage the audience. If we don't, we have failed.

I had a listen to the Bee Loud Clade CD. It's great fun and takes the words to a new level. I don't like them all but I wouldn't want to. I do agree with you about wrestling poetry from the grasp of the academics. There is too much po-faced poetry out there already. Let's take the po out of poetry. The poetry divas collective is an ever evolving group of women poets whose mission is to blur the wobbly boundaries between page and stage. We want to perform our poems without compromising the integrity of the word.
'Integrity of the word': This is a complicated one and throws up a red flag. Why? It's the favourite phrase of the PO in poetry division.In my experience far, far too many 'heads' offer this 'integrity' as a justification for poor, unexciting, unengaging delivery. As in: it doesn't matter that NO ONE finds my words interesting or engaging when presented. Pity.


Hermenuetics and Science tell us that human beings can not but filter any words through their own selves, their experience, temperment and culture etc. The same exact words can have exactly opposite meanings. This is irregardless if we're hearing them or reading them. It's impossible to experience a pure 'word' in all it's integrity - probably such a thing does not exist. 'Sono Mama' - isn't that the Zen expression? A 'thing in and of itself itself' , without the blurring filter of the 'word' or mind thoughts interpeting the 'thing'. And this unavoidable ambiguity of the 'word' or the painting or the sounds, is itself a key component of most art. It means different people take can different things or experience differing meanings when supposedly experiencing the same 'art'.

But I agree the words DEFINITELY need to be clearly heard in the 'mix'. My general rule is the words MUST be heard otherwise what the fuck are we doing? [Sometimes of course in live situations there can be p.a. and mix issues - but they're certainly not intended! .] If the text is mumbled or buried under screaming guitars or whatever something essential is awry.

Have you any links?
Yes, on YouTube you'll find several pieces from our original Bee Loud Glade showcase. They are at:
 

What have you got coming up?


A 'Halloween' special, featuring about 16 different contemporary Irish poems set to music and sound along with a selection of classic material with Halloween themes - such as the Witches from MacBeth. It's Halloween Night. Monday 31 October. Smock Alley Theatre. Doors open 8 pm.
Sounds thrilling. Thanks very much, Roger.
You can buy the Bee-Loud Glade book and CD at Dedalus here, featuring poems by Leland Bardwell, Pat Boran, Paddy Bushe Enda Coyle-Greene, Patrick Deeley, Theo Dorgan, Katherine Duffy, Gerard Fanning, Francis Harvey, Ann Joyce, Catherine Phil MacCarthy, Tom Mathews, James J. McAuley, Iggy McGovern, Mary Montague, Gerry Murphy, John O’Donnell, Mary O’Donoghue, Paul Perry, Leeanne Quinn, Billy Ramsell, Gabriel Rosenstock, Gerard Smyth, Dolores Stewart, Grace Wells, Joseph Woods, Macdara Woods and Enda Wyley.

Monday 17 October 2011

UK National Poetry Award

This is a highly sought after competition that has been known to toss up surprises and not the same old same old, clever clever establishment.

Deadline is October 31st


Now in its 34th year, the Poetry Society’s National Poetry Competition is one of the world’s biggest and most prestigious poetry competitions. The judges this year are Colette Bryce, John Glenday and Jackie Kay

Winners include both established and emerging poets and for many the prize has proved an important milestone in their professional careers. Add your name to a roll-call of winners that includes Carol Ann Duffy, Ian Duhig, Philip Gross, Jo Shapcott and Tony Harrison – and have your work published in the Poetry Society’s leading international journal, Poetry Review

The prizes are: £5,000 for the overall winner, £2,000 for the second, £1,000 for the third, with seven commendations of £100. 

Enter online or download and print a postal entry form.

Sunday 16 October 2011

Chillers & Thrillers Library Late

The National Library are always pushing the boundaries. Check out their Halloween events. Library Late indeed!

The hunger for chillers, thrillers and crime writing knows no bounds and many of the hottest properties in the genre come from Ireland.
In the forthcoming Library Late series, leading writers will discuss their influences and backgrounds, how contemporary society is reflected in their work and if the boundaries between crime fiction and serious literary fiction are breaking down.

Thursday, 20 October 2011 at 8pm
Admission €5
An Evening of Ghost Stories with Dr Darryl Jones

Head of the School of English, Trinity College, Dublin and best-selling crime writer John Connolly, whose series of Charlie Parker novels has a strong supernatural dimension. Dr Jones’ definitive scholarly edition of the Collected Ghost Stories of MR James, the foremost writer of ghost stories in English, will be published by Oxford University Press in November 2011.

Thursday, 10 November 2011 at 8pm
Admission €5
Crime Novel: the New Social Novel?

Gene Kerrigan will talk about his work and how the crime novel is one of the best mirrors on contemporary society. As a journalist, he has covered politics, crime and scandals for over thirty years and his skills as a social commentator have established him as one of Ireland’s most gripping crime writers with a range of best-selling novels including The Little Criminals and Midnight Choir. He was Winner of the Ireland AM Irish Crime Fiction Book of the Year 2010 for his book Dark Times in the City.

Thursday, 15 December 2011 at 8pm
Admission €5
Insights of the Female Crime Writer

Does the female writer of crime fiction have an edge over her male counterparts? This question and more will be discussed on Thursday, December 15th by a panel of writers including Alex Barclay author of Blood Runs Cold, Arlene Hunt author of recently published The Chosen and Declan Burke, a leading crime fiction writer who has also written on the very topic of how women address the crime narrative in a different way to men and author of the recently published Absolute Zero Cool.   

Saturday 15 October 2011

New Writers Group in Dublin

Michael emailed me about a new writers' group in Dublin. I've said before that a writers' group is a great way of progressing your writing. It's a deadline. There are other people who will read your work and comment on it. You don't have to take everything said as gospel but be prepared to listen. No one's work is perfect. After a group has met for a while, you'll get to know the others' foibles. Don't try and please all the people all the time. No one can.

Here's Michael. Please forgive him the pun!

Write Now is a new, Dublin based, writers' group looking for writers of all kinds to join us. Our first meeting will be in Accent's Tea And Coffee Lounge, Leason Street on Friday the 21st of October at 7:30pm.  If you write poetry, prose, plays, pamphlets or post it notes we want you to come along! All ages and levels of experience are welcome! We will be reading and discussing group members' work with the aim of improving our writing through constructive criticism. We see this as a chance to develop work in a supportive yet critical environment.

So if you're working on that great novel, tinkering on a sonnet or just thinking about writing more then come along!

Our Facebook event page is here or you can email queries to mdineen [at] gmail.com

Friday 14 October 2011

Poets to Check Out - Mary O'Donoghue LIVE CONCERT In Hell by Mary O'Donoghue


Leading The Apes In Hell performed by Charlotte Charlie Murphy. Music by Roger Gregg & Crazy Dog Audio Theatre.

Thursday 13 October 2011

Imagine Festival Waterford

For all my Waterford readers, check out the Imagine festival. Link here


Éibhear Walshe
Éibhear Walshe is the author of recently published Cissie's Abattoir

Time: 12 noon
Date: Saturday 29/10/11
Location: De La Salle College Study Hall, Waterford.

Time: 12 noon
Date: Saturday 29/10/11
Location: De La Salle College Study Hall, Waterford.

Thomas McCarthy andGrace Wells,
Time: 12 Noon
Date: Sunday 23/10/11
Location: Greyfriars Gallery,Waterford.
Poetry workshop with Grace Wells
Time: 2pm to 5pm
Date: Saturday 22/10/11
Location: Athenaeum House Hotel, Christendom, Waterford.
Admission: 10 Euro

Eileen Battersby of Irish Times fame, discussing her favourite novels

Time: Doors Open 7.30: Show 8pm
Date: Wedneday 26/10/11
Location: The Book Centre, John Roberts Square, Waterford.

Wednesday 12 October 2011

Male v Female

The Guardian has done a wonderful job of highlighting all the poets who have won the prestigious Forward Prize for Poetry. But it does show up an onoing imbalance.

Neil Astley, the Poetry Editor of Bloodaxe books points out on Facebook
20 years of the FORWARD PRIZE: 17 out of 20 winners were men. This Guardian feature only has comments on 18 poets because Sean O'Brien won the Forward 3 times. Publishers: Faber 6 wins, Picador 5, OUP 3, Chatto & Cape 2 each, Anvil 1, Gallery 1.
Compare with 18 years of the TS ELIOT PRIZES: 14 out of 18 winners were men. Publishers: Faber 8 wins, Bloodaxe & Cape 3 each, Picador 2, Carcanet 1, Gallery 1. Derek Walcott won last year's TS Eliot Prize, the only non-white poet out of a combined 38 wins.
The Forward prize does have two siblings:
The stats on Best First Collection and Best Poem show a much more even split with nearly half of those going to women, but there has been a perception that the big prize goes to the men and the women get the other two prizes to give the impression of even handedness. Similarly Best First Collection has gone to three non-white poets and Best Poem to one.
 Comments also point out

Certainly in contrast to the Aldeburgh First Collection Prize winners of the last 22 years: 12 men, 10 women and a real diversity of publishers.
Here's the link to the well thought of Aldeburgh First Collection Prize.

Is it linked to having the same establishment names on the judging panels time after time? And they all know each other. Why are there no poetry readers or emerging writers on the panel.

Some comments from 2002 here Apparently the Forward prize winner is always on the panel for the following year. Wouldn't that mean that the same type of poem would keep winning?

What about the Costa Prize for Poetry? (Note some men have won it more than once)

Whitbread 19 men 2 women 1985-2005
Costa 3 men, 1 woman - 2011 Jo Shapcott
Crickey!

TS Eliot Prize since 1993
18 men  4 women (Note some men have won it more than once)

Christ on a Bike!

What about the Irish Times Poetry Now Award? Since 2005
 5 men, 2 women. (Note some men have won it more than once)
Hm.


I shall be posting more about the balance or lack of it in anthologies and magazines later. Any comments?

Tuesday 11 October 2011

Dublin on a Plate

Mmm Foood!
Tuesday 18 October 6pm Fallon & Byrne, 11-17 Exchequer Street, Dublin 2
www.fallonandbyrne.com

An evening for foodies, food writers Hugo Arnold, Georgina Campbell, Catherine Cleary and Catherine Fulvio discuss the art of food writing.
Enjoy food specially created by executive head chef Tom Meenaghan.
Admission:€20 which includes a hot buffet of bacon & mustard croquet with buttered cabbage, slow cooked shin of beef with puff pastry crumble, blackened Connemara salmon with pickled vegetables and creamed goat’s cheese with marinated beetroot, tea & coffee.

Booking essential, please book before 12 noon Monday 17 October, tel: 01 222 2222 Monday - Friday: 8:00am - 6:00pm

Sunday 9 October 2011

Literary Supper Club

This sounds like a load of fun.
A literary supper with Gerry Hanberry

Dublin’s proud literary tradition will continue to be celebrated in style with the next in our series of Literary Suppers to be held at The Westbury Hotel, The Doyle Collection’s flagship hotel, located in the city’s cultural heart. All lovers of fine wine and fantastic food are welcome to attend.

Wilde – the Restaurant at The Westbury is the venue for our next Literary Supper on Wednesday November 9, at 7.30pm in the company of Gerard Hanberry, author of the recently published More Lives Than One – The Remarkable Wilde Family Through The Generations (The Collins Press).

For €55 each, guests will enjoy a superb two-course dinner, accompanied by wine, in the elegant comfort of Wilde – The Restaurant. The evening begins at 7.30pm with a glass of prosecco before a seasonal dinner at 8pm, featuring delicious dishes from Wilde’s executive chef and his team, followed by a short reading and discussion with the author. Signed copies of the book will be available on the evening. 

As with all The Gloss events, we expect tickets to sell out quickly so book without delay. 

“To get into the best society nowadays, one has either to feed people, amuse people, or shock people”  Oscar Wilde

Fingal’s Annual Writers’ Festival

 15th – 22nd October 2011
Get your tickets ahead of time here. Includes:
    Intro to Improv: A Comedy Workshop
  • Follow on to Improv Comedy Workshop 1.30pm – 3.30pm
  • Saturday 15th October/ 10.30am – 12.30pm
  • Blanchardstown Library
Facilitator: Maureen Levy
In these times of doom and gloom how often do you really, really laugh? Come to a big, ridiculously fun workshop – get out of your box, play like a kid again and have a really good time. If you loved Whose line is it Anyway? You’ll love this … if you don’t know what that is, you’ll still love this!
    Write Your First Novel
  • Saturday 15th October / 10.30am - 4.30pm
  • Rush Library
Facilitator: June Considine
Starting your first novel is a challenge, especially when it comes to transferring that initial idea into your opening chapter. This workshop, facilitated by June Considine will cover character development, the power of plot and dialogue, setting your scenes, how to discover your narrative voice, and offer advice on submitting your finished manuscript for publication.

Poetry performance with Máighréad Medbh
  • Tuesday 18th October / 7.00pm
  • Balbriggan Library
Poet, Máighréad Medbh will perform in her unique style, poems spoken and sung, dramatic and philosophical. Máighréad will present poems from her published work and some new, unpublished pieces. Máighréad gave a very successful performance poetry workshop in last year’s Writing 3.0. This is a chance to see her in action.
    Intro to Improv for Teens with Maureen Levy
  • Thursday 20th October / 6.15 – 8.00pm
  • Balbriggan Library 
    Open mic with guest poets:Catherine Walsh and Sarah Maria Griffin
  • Thursday 20th October / 7.30pm
  • Gibney's Pub, Malahide
Performances by two exciting poets at different stages on their writing trajectories, and a chance to read to an audience in the informal atmosphere of Gibney’s Pub in Malahide. This is the festival’s ‘fringe’ event, where we showcase poetry written wide of the mainstream and aim to celebrate the work of new writers by inviting a participant in the previous year’s open mic session to feature.
    Song Writing Course with Mick Hanley – 3 x workshops
  • Thursday 20th October / 7.00pm - 10.00pm
  • Friday 21st October / 7.00pm - 10.00pm
  • Saturday 22nd October / 2.00pm - 5.00pm
  • Malahide Library
    Screenwriting Workshops
  • Saturday 22nd October / 10.00pm - 4.00pm
  • Blanchardstown Library
Facilitator: Caroline Earley
If you are interested in writing for the screen but are not sure how it all works, this one-day workshop is designed to set you on the right track.

Saturday 8 October 2011

Voice in Poetry

Originally published on Poetry License on Writing.ie

If your poem is an "I" poem, the first person singular, is it about you, the poet? Is it true, every last word? Did it happen? Is that the way you felt then, the way you feel now?
Answer? Maybe, maybe not.
You have that flexibility. If you were writing fiction, no one would ask you if the main character was you. Actually that's not the case. Lots of readers think a writer can only write about versions of him- or her-self. Not true. But there is always an element of truth, a shard of your own persona.
Anyway, having argued myself in a full circle, I'm talking about a fictionalised voice. You can use "I" and not mean yourself. You can write in the voice of your mother, your Geography teacher, the postlady, a martian invader, a cowboy, Amy Winehouse or Elizabeth I. Why not? So long as you have something interesting to say and say it in an interesting way.
One poem to look at is Ted Hughes is Elvis Presley by the wonderful poet Ian McMillan. See it here and you can listen to a podcast. Written in the voice of Elvis, or is it Ted? I'm not sure.
Craig Raine started a minor movement called Martian Poetry where ordinary things are described in unusual ways, often with highly visual metaphors or similes. As if a person, a martian who had just landed was viewing something for the first time.
- What is a kettle?
- What is the rush hour?
- a book?
mechanical birds with many wings
perch on the hand
cause the eyes to melt
or the body to shriek without pain
I wrote a poem called Verbatim, which you can see on Poethead here swearing and the origins of swearing from the point of view of an elderly lady.

Friday 7 October 2011

Allingham Arts Festival

The Allingham Arts  weekend has been a feature of the cultural calendar in Ballyshannon since the 1970s. This year the festival is on the weekend of the 4th 5th and 6th November to celebrate the legacy of the poet William Allingham and his wife the artist Helen ( Patterson ) Allingham.  Short story and poetry readings ,song, music and Art  will all combine to  make for a hugely enjoyable weekend.  Art displays and exhibitions, photography exhibitions , Writing and Art workshops  will all be featured . This year a culinary arts section will be added to the list of attrractiuons on the Saturday and a Craft fair will be part of the scene on the Sunday.

Events include:

Saturday 5th

11.00
Childrens Poetry workshop hosted by Denise Blake
Tir Hugh Centre
Adult Poetry Workshop hosted by Celine Mc Glynn
Dorrians Hotel
Tirhugh Centre

2.00
Writers Workshop with Catherine Dunne
Dorrians  Hotel
Childrens Creative Writing Workshop with Celine Mc Glynn. Tír Hugh
8.30
Allingham  “50 year” Miscellany
Drama presentation by Drama Group
Celebrating the History of 50 years of Drama in the town. Presentation of Adult Writers Awards
11.00
“Come All ye” Dicel Reillys

Sunday 6th

12.30
Ballytour +Winners readings
A Mixture of Music and Song +Drama and Readings in a relaxed and informal setting

4.00.
Dermot Healy Documentary
Abbey Centre+ Talk

I tell you, Dermot Healy's really getting around these last few months.

Thursday 6 October 2011

13th Francis Ledwidge International Poetry Award 2011

I've never really been enticed by the prize for this one.


First prize is the Ledwidge plaque inscribed with the winner's name.  There are cash prizes for second and third prize and the top three winning entries are entered in the Forward Prize UK.  The winner will be asked to read at the annual Francis Ledwidge Commemoration at the National War Memorial Gardens in July 2012.   Commended entries receive certificates. 

Poems must be 40 lines or less, be the writers own work and have never been previously published or broadcast.  
Place your name, address and telephone number on a separate sheet.  
The entry fee is 4 euro per poem and 10 euro for three poems. 

Deadline: Saturday, 5th November 
snailmail only to:

The Francis Ledwidge International Poetry Award 2011,
C/o 43, Emmet Crescent,
Inchicore,
Dublin 8.

Wednesday 5 October 2011

Feel the Fear

Feel the Fear and read it anyway.
This sounds innovative.
I've never read Flann O'Brien.

Our Feel The Fear and Read It Anyway! sessions for Autumn 2011 will tackle Flann O’Brien’s wonderful At Swim-Two-Birds to mark the centenary of one of Ireland’s most original writers. Feel The Fear and Read It Anyway! sessions are designed to give readers a helping hand with those intimidating ‘great works’ that so many give up on or avoid altogether.
You know that there are a host of books out there that you plan to read, that you feel you should read, that people keep talking about – - but somehow you never get round to them. They’re kinda scary. . . Or maybe you’ve tried to read some of these so-called ‘great’ books? Honest - you have – but you can’t stick with them. Can’t make sense of them? You just don’t know what the fuss is about. Why is it so famous? What’s so good about it?
We feel your pain, but relax.. We’ll answer these questions as we take you through the book. We’ll help you to enjoy it, to get a great deal from your reading. To mark Flann O’Brien’s centenary we are focusing on his wonderful comic novel At Swim-Two-Birds, a great classic of Irish modernism. We guarantee you’ll feel the fear and read it anyway!
Dates: Thur October 6th – 6:00PM The Stag’s Head, (Upstairs), Dame Court
Thur October 13th – 7;00PM The Central Hotel, Wicklow Street Price: €12

Tuesday 4 October 2011

Troubadour International Poetry Prize

Announcing the £2,500 Fifth Annual Troubadour International Poetry Prize

Judged by Susan Wicks & David Harsent (with both judges reading all poems)

Sponsored by Cegin Productions

Prizes: 1st £2,500, 2nd £500, 3rd £250 & 20 prizes of £20 each
Plus a Spring 2012 Coffee-House-Poetry season-ticket
and  a prizewinners' Coffee-House Poetry reading
with Susan Wicks & David Harsent on Mon 28th Nov 2011
for all prize-winning poets

- Both judges will read all poems submitted.

Rules:

- Poems: Poems must be in English, must each be no longer than 45 lines, must be the original work of the entrant (no translations) and must not have been previously broadcast or published (in print or online); winning & commended poems may be published (in print or online) by Troubadour International Poetry Prize, and may not be published elsewhere for one year after Monday 17th October 2011 without permission; no limit on number of poems submitted; no alterations accepted after submission.

- Fees: All entries must be accompanied by fee of £5/€6/$8 per poem; payment by cheque or money order (Sterling/Euro/US-Dollars only) payable to 'Coffee-House Poetry' with Poet's Name (and e-mail Entry Acknowledgement Reference, if paying for earlier e-mail submission) written clearly on back.

- By Post: No entry form required; two copies required of each poem submitted; each poem must be typed on one side of A4 white paper showing title & poem only; include a separate page showing Poet's Name, Address, Phone No., E-Mail (if available), List of Poem Titles, Total Number of Poems and Total Fees
 
Troubadour International Poetry Prize, Coffee-House Poetry, PO Box 16210, LONDON, W4 1ZP

- By E-mail: No entry form required; poems must be submitted in body of e-mail (no attachments) to CoffPoetry@aol.com; entries should be preceded by Poet's Name, Address, Phone No., List of Poem Titles, Total Number of Poems and Total Fees at £5/€6/$8 per poem; acknowledgement will be sent to entrant's e-mail address showing Entry Acknowledgment Reference; send payment by post within 14 days quoting Poet's Name and Entry Acknowledgement Reference; e-mail entries will be included only when payment received by post; no Special Delivery, Recorded Delivery or Registered Post.

- Deadline: postmarked on or before Monday 17th October 2011.

- Prizewinners: All prizewinners will be contacted individually by Monday 21st November 2011. Prizegiving will be on Monday 28th November 2011 at Coffee-House Poetry at the Troubadour in Earls Court, London.

Monday 3 October 2011

Idea to Script

This is in Galway Film Centre.


This course is for those who have an idea for a short film and want to put it on paper. Working closely with an experienced tutor, you will be guided through traditional screenplay structure, writing exercises, pitching your idea and group readings of your work.

The tutor is available by email every week to look at participants’ rewrites. To get the most out of this course, you should have time between each class to write. There will be a fortnight long break between class 4 & 5 to allow participants more time to work on their scripts. Any good screenplay requires work and effort and this course can help you to establish a weekly writing routine. The results can be very rewarding. The tutor will give feedback each week in class on everybody’s work so it is much more beneficial if you have read that work beforehand.

We run a short script competition with RTÉ, where 2 scripts are chosen and the filmmakers receive €10,000 each to make the script. As a participant on this course, you are automatically a member and you can enter this competition.

About the Tutor: Ivan McMahon is a filmmaker with over twenty years experience working in the Film and Television industry. He has a Masters degree in Screenwriting from the Huston School of Film. Ivan set up TWO HUNGRY FISH Productions in 2009 and has directed and co-written a number of Irish Film Board funded short films. Ivan produced, directed and co-wrote THE OUTLAW CONCY RYAN for RTE’s Storyland 3.
 

Date: 6 Tuesday evenings. October 4th, 11th, 18th, 25th, November 8th, 15th 2011. (6.30pm - 9pm)
 

Cost: €225 unwaged/ €255 waged (These fees include membership to the Centre for the year).  

Just 6 spaces.

Sunday 2 October 2011

I'm a Saturday Women Poet

I have two poems featured on this growing blog, Poethead

The first, Verbatim was originally published in the lovely mag, The Shop. It's kind of a found poem, taken from a (rather oneway) conversation with an elderly women.

The second is about what small children bring home from school (no, not nits, art and craft)

Hope you like them.

They both feature in my new poetry book from The Moth Editions. Buy one here for a bargain 4 Euro including postage.

Listowel Writing Courses

For my Kerry readers


The Seanchaí - Kerry Literary & Cultural Centre, Listowel is offering special recession busting rates for their upcoming writing courses as follows :

October 8th & 9th - Writing Poetry, directed by Paul Perry - €100 per participant 
November 5th & 6th - Short Fiction, directed by John McKenna - €120 per participant

Full details of all courses and course directors are attached.

* WRITING FOR THEATRE WORKSHOP PART OF THE GEORGE FITZMAURICE LITERARY WEEKEND
  
Places are limited so early booking is advisable.  Places must be paid for in advance.
To book contact the Seanchaí - Kerry Literary & Cultural Centre, 24 The Square, Listowel, Co. Kerry, tel. (068) 22212,

Saturday 1 October 2011

Tallaght Library Readings

Get thee to Tallaght! (I love Tallaght Library)
 

Poetry Readings

The series has been developed by and will be facilitated by award winning
local poet and writer, Eileen Casey
All welcome, advance booking is not necessary and readings are free to attend.
Monday, from 7pm - 8pm:
3rd Oct: Louise Phillips, Brian Kirk, Colm Keegan
17th Oct: Enda Coyle Greene, Eamonn Lynskey, Mary Guckian
7th Nov: Tom Hanrahan, Mervyn Ennis, Susan Condon, Eithne Cavanagh
21st Nov: Mae Newman, Marie Gahan, Aine Lyons, Doreen Duffy
5th Dec: Michael Whelan, Maria Wallace, Eileen Casey, Gavan Duffy
 
Location The County Library, Tallaght, Dublin 24
Contact Tel +353 1 4620073