Ennis Book Club Festival

The 2015 Ennis Book Club Festival Programme offers a good mix of poetry, politics and fiction. Readers from all over are invited to get together in Ennis to share their joy of reading, to meet authors, to discuss books and to have a weekend break with friends.

This year we've got: Catalpa performed by Donal O Kelly on Friday night 6th March following the Festival launch by author and RTE presenter Evelyn O Rourke.

Denis Sampson will pay us a visit to read from his memoir The Migrant Heart, recounting his journey from East Clare where he grew up to Canada where he now lives. 

On Saturday morning, our very special guests, Joseph O'Connor and Evelyn O'Rourke tell us about the '10 books that you should read'. Joe joins us by arrangement with the Creative Writing programme at the University of Limerick.

We have a lyrical lunch with some of Ireland's favourite poets - Eiléan Ní Chuilleanáin, Peter Fallon and Michael Coady.

Clare resident and award winning Niall Williams reads from and discusses his work in the company of Mary Costello whose recent Academy Street has wowed critics and readers alike.

In a very special ‘Ones to Watch’ session we feature Colin Barrett, Sarah Baumeand Nuala Ní Chonchúir who are on track to be national and international literary sensations.

Michael Smith makes a return trip to Ennis with his much admired, recently published Shackleton - By Endurance We Conquer. 

Seán Rocks once again joins us for our centre stage at glór event and this year we are delighted to host acclaimed crime writer and novelist, Val McDermid together with Paul Carson.

The theme of this year's Sunday Symposium in glór is Politics and Pathology, which will explore ‘life in the trenches’ for your average Irish politician. Have you ever asked yourself why, in the face of inevitable failure, people choose politics as a career? Our panellists including Des O'Malley, former PD leader;Professor Gary Murphy of DCU; Mick Clifford, of The Irish Examiner; and Katie Hannon from RTE’s Prime Time offer some insights.

Tickets are on sale at glór, Ennis, Co. Clare www.glor.ie

Call for contributions – Magma 63 on the theme of ‘Conversation’

Magma want you to share your poems on the theme of ‘Conversation’ with us to be published in Magma 63. They say

We’d like you to explore all kinds of conversations in your poems.  Conversations can be trivial and gossipy or difficult and unsettling.  Is there a dreaded ‘conversation’ you need to have or one form your past you wish you couldn’t remember?  

deadline is 30 May 2015.

More here 

Poems on a Sunday Afternoon

Poems on a Sunday Afternoon returns once again to Down Arts Centre this Sunday 22nd February at 2:30pm, hosted by Olive Broderick with guest reader, Downpatrick's own Damian Smyth.

You are warmly welcomed to ‘Poems on a Sunday Afternoon’ at Down Arts Centre, Downpatrick, on Sunday (22nd February 2015, 2.30-4.30pm). 

The heart of this event has always been a friendly space to share your work and as always writers, readers, singers are invited to join us in celebrating the written word in all its forms. We hope that as before, those gathered will share a piece of their own work, or perhaps a favourite poem.

In our featured spot this time, we are privileged to present (and not before time), renowned poet Damian Smyth, whose five collections focus on his home town of Downpatrick. His first collection, Downpatrick Races (Lagan Press), appeared in 2000. A stage play, Soldiers of the Queen, following the fortunes of family members from the Boer War to the Troubles in Northern Ireland, played the Belfast Festival at Queen’s in 2002 and was published the following year.

His second collection, The Down Recorder – an epic poem drawing on news stories in the local newspaper over 150 years – appeared in 2004. Both Lamentations, a sequence of 70 brief elegies, and Market Street, appeared in 2010.

He has edited and introduced Joseph Tomelty: Collected Plays (2011), Martin Lynch: Three Plays (1996) and John Hewitt: Two Plays (2000), all reflecting a commitment to the regional ethos in Ulster. A poetry pamphlet, Apparitions: A Hurricane appeared from Templar in 2013 and his fifth full collection, Mesopotamia, was published by the same publisher in May 2014. His work is also widely anthologised.

Hope to see you there!
The following PoSA is on Sunday 26th of April 2015.

cross-stream: ways of writing

cross-stream: ways of writing is a series of talks from a diverse group of outstanding contemporary poets discussing the compositional process behind one of their poems. 

Produced in partnership with Fingal Libraries, these talks / presentations offer a unique opportunity for poetry audiences, writers, students and general readers to gain an insight into the range of approaches towards writing. 

Taking place in various library branches over four weeks in February and March, these events are all free admission and start at 6.30pm. They will also include Q&A sessions.

Full details: http://yesbutisitpoetry.blogspot.com/2015/02/cross-stream-ways-of-writing.html

Tuesday 17 February 2015

Baldoyle Library

Maurice Scully & Enda Coyle-Greene

Wednesday 25 February 2015

Donabate Library

Harry Clifton & Susan Connolly

Tuesday 3 March 2015

Blanchardstown Library

Pat Boran & Karl Parkinson

Tuesday 10 March 2015

Malahide Library

Máighréad Medbh & Alan Jude Moore

Submissions sought for a poetry anthology in aid of The RNLI

The Sea is an upcoming poetry anthology in aid of The RNLI. The Sea will feature poems from established and emerging writers from Ireland and further afield with the theme of the sea. The anthology also includes photographs capturing the outstanding work undertaken by the brave men and women of The RNLI.

All proceeds from the anthology will go directly to The RNLI. 

A dedicated team of published writers have been entrusted with the arduous task of selecting which poems will feature in this poetry collection.

Deadline: March 15th 2015.

Submit to thesea.rnli@gmail.com.

The Sea will be available for purchase this coming May.

“Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than those you did. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from safe harbour. Catch the wind in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover”. - Mark Twain

2015 Writers’ Residency in Birr, Co. Offaly

Following a successful pilot in 2014 in which writers Mary Russell, Iggy McGovern and Orfhlaith Foyle were the inaugural recipients, applications are now sought for the 2015 Writers’ Residency in Birr, Co. Offaly.

The opportunity is for professional writers who are seeking a short break from daily routines; it is for those who feel the need to re-invigorate themselves into completing current work; and it is also for writers who may simply need inspiration, through a change of place and stimuli.

What is Included:
The bursary provides for 4 writers to receive one week’s accommodation in St. Brendan House/Tin Jug Studio with breakfast each morning and two evening suppers provided.
Length of Stay: 6 nights/7 days
Facilities: WiFi internet connections throughout, a small writing table in each of the bedrooms and an elegant drawing room with a writing desk. Herbal teas and biscuits are available in the guest area at all times. Writers may prefer to work in the studio or gallery or nearby library.

Dates: JULY Monday 6th – Sunday 12th July or OCTOBER Monday 5th to Sunday 11th October. 
Some flexibility of a day or two either side of these weeks could be accommodated.

Transport/travel costs are the writers’ own.

Who May Apply? The residency bursary is open to professional published writers of any genre such as literary fiction, poetry, playwrights, journalism or travel writing. There are four places available, for newly published or experienced writers. International writers may apply, and as above, their travel costs are their own.

Deadline: Friday 27 February 2015 at 3pm

For application requirements and more info check out http://www.offaly.ie/eng/Services/Arts_and_Culture/News_Events/News/Writers-Retreat-Birr-2015.html

Ambit Submissions

Deadline: 28th February