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)