Padraig Colum Gathering Poetry Competition

The John O’Connor Writing School Short Story Competition 2018

“The world of John O’Connor is a world of the freshly snedded turnip, the new-sawn plank, the sod shining under the plough. His gift is to render the life of the Mill Row in Armagh as deftly and definitively as Steinbeck renders Cannery Row or Bob Dylan Desolate Row”

Paul Muldoon

The festival, sponsored and supported by internationally renowned Pulitzer Prize-winning poet, Paul Muldoon, has a two-fold purpose. It aims to to celebrate and commemorate the life and works of John O’Connor as well as offering practical guidance and assistance to aspiring writers through its workshops and master classes in the various literary genres and writing for commercial purposes.

Entries are currently invited from aspiring writers for the third John O’Connor Short Story Competition. It is being held to commemorate the Armagh born writer whose impressive literary legacy includes a collection of short stories which still retain a timeless appeal.

Prize

The prize winner will be awarded a full bursary to attend the John O’ Connor Writing School and Literary Arts Festival which will be held in Armagh from 1^st to 4^th November, 2018, plus a cash prize of £250. The bursary prize allows the recipient to enjoy all events in the John O’Connor Writing School and Literary Festival 2018, and to attend one class in the writing genre of his/her choice. The winner will be notified by 2 October.

The winning entrant will be formally announced at the opening of the Writing school on Friday 2nd November, and will have the opportunity to read at an event on Sunday 4^th November 2018. Single room accommodation will be available free of charge to the winning entrant.

Ts & Cs

The competition is open to those 16 years and over. Short stories must be the original work of the author and not previously published or have received awards in other competitions. Entries must be in English and between 1,800 and 2,000 words in length. 

There is an entry fee of £10. One entry per person. 

Submit your entry online by 12.00 noon on 28 August 2018.

Find full terms and conditions, and online entry form on http://thejohnoconnorwritingschool.com

Poetry Divas at Inaugural Meadery Sessions

As part of the Kinsale Arts Weekend, the Poetry Divas will be bringing their poetry to the inaugural Meadery Sessions in Kinsale Mead Co. And there will be some super music two from Clonakilty musician and singer Chris Hayes.

An evening of local music, poetry and mead, as part of the Kinsale Arts Weekend. Hosted by Kinsale Mead Co, this is the first in-house event and is sure to be a celebration of talent from around West Cork topped off with a selection of meads fermented in the very meadery in which the event is taking place.

Performing at the inaugural Meadery Sessions at Kinsale Meadery.
Poets: Kate Dempsey, Maeve O'Sullivan, Niamh Bagnell & Amanda Bell of the Poetry Divas.
Musician: Chris Hayes
With mead tastings! a

Where: Kinsale Mead Co, 5 Barrack Lane, Kinsale (behind Lidl)
When: Friday 20th July 6:30pm
Free in (bucket for donations)

Poetry Divas at the West Cork Literary Festival

Poetry Divas bring their poems to the West Cork Literary Festival on Monday in the wonderful Organico café. Blurring the wobbly boundary between page and stage.

An afternoon of poetry and mead with the Poetry Divas. The Poetry Divas are a glittery collective of women poets who read their own poetry tailored to the event and audience. They promise a deliciously infectious show that’s bound to touch a nerve and blur the wobbly boundary between page and stage. 

Maeve O'Sullivan is a ninja of vaious poetic forms including the haiku and has published four collections with Alba Publishing. Amanda Bell’s debut poetry collection First the Feathers (Doire Press 2018) was shortlisted for the Shine Strong Award. Kate Dempsey makes mead and writes poetry; her debut collection The Space Between (Doire Press 2016) had a poem commended for the Forward Poetry Prize.