Readings upcoming at O'Bheal (that's in Cork)

Upcoming Readings for January 2011

When: Monday evenings from 9.00pm
Where: Upstairs at The Long Valley, Winthrop Street, Cork.


What: Poetry Challenge, Guest Poets and Open-Mic
    Original poetry, storytelling and unplugged ceol

Catherine Ann Cullen – 17th January
Órfhlaith Foyle – 24th January
In association with Foras na Gaeilge Pól Ó Muirí – 31st January

Entrance is free.

Readings will last between 30-45 minutes after which there will be the usual open-mic session. Be sure to come early to get good seats. Full bar available.

The night begins with a Poetry Challenge starting between 9.00pm and 9.30pm. Guest poets begin around 10.00pm

The online version is here.

Moth Magazine 3 - wine, poetry and canapes

UPDATE: Postponed due to treacherous conditions. (But you can still buy the magazine)

On Thursday 2nd December 2010 issue 3 of The Moth magazine will be launched in Delish, Abbey Street, Cavan.

Come and taste wines from the Castillo Perelada Winery in Spain, eat your fill of delicious canapés and listen to some wonderful poetry. An evening of wine-tasting (courtesy of Sam at Blakes Fine Wines) and poetry with Kate Dempsey, Seamus O'Rourke and Tommy Murray.

Space is limited, so if you would like to buy a ticket get in touch with editor Rebecca O'Connor, ed-lit@live.com, as soon as you can. Tickets are €10.

If you're London based, 16 December 2010 London launch of issue 3.
The Moth takes flight in the UK with a launch party in London featuring Annie Freud, Clare Pollard, Todd Swift, Hamish Robinson, Julia Bird and Tim Wells.
Venue: Jimmy's, 23 Frith Street, London W1D

A subscription of 5 issues of The Moth for €20 - the ideal Christmas gift! Check out the website  (where you can also read my poem from Issue 2.)

Greatly looking forward to reading (weather and roads permitting). Any requests?

Poetry Ireland Introductions 2011

Poetry Ireland is inviting submissions for the 2011 Introductions series. The series is designed for emerging writers with a track record of publication in reputable journals and magazines, who are working towards a first collection.

DEADLINE: FRIDAY 17 DECEMBER.

A short biography and covering letter accompanied by a selection of poems max 10 pages is requested.
Poems may be previously published or unpublished.

Applications should be marked Introductions and sent to Poetry Ireland, No. 2 Proud's Lane, off St Stephen's Green, Dublin 2.

It's well worth while doing, get your name around. You also get to do a workshop and they pay a small fee for your reading.

I think they should also publish a pamphlet with a sample of the poets chosen. They get great crowds at the readings.

Poets to Check Out - Brian Conaghan

At the brownbread mix tapes.

Writing Digital Fiction

This sounds quite good if you've 6 days.

Tutors: Melanie Martinez •Luke Hyams

Date: 11 December 2010
Duration: 6 days over 3 weekends Dec & Jan
Venue: Dublin
Cost: €200.00

Application Procedure:
Please apply online attaching a current CV. Please also forward a one page outline idea suitable for development as an online/digital media series to criona.sexton@fas.ie

Participant Profile:
This course is aimed at writers who are interested in developing their skills in series writing specifically for online, interactive and digital media fiction. The first module of this course will run in December and the other 2 modules in January.

Course Profile:
Writers will cover all stages and steps involved in project development from identification of a good idea through to full scripts. Writers will work together under the direction of experienced Head Writers Luke Hyams (Kate Modern, Dubplate Drama) and Melanie Martinez (Sophia’s Diary) to develop and write a drama series for online exploitation. The course will replicate the writer’s room experience. Luke Hyams and Melanie Martinez will co-ordinate writing phases of projects in a “Showrunner” capacity, developing writers’ understanding of working in a professional Writer’s Room environment as well as the craft and skill of creating digital fiction projects.

Writers will work together in teams to develop outlines, treatments, series bibles and project pitches, first draft scripts, along with outlines for online character pages, micro-sites, blogs, and transmedia elements as may be appropriate for their projects. The course will also explore the opportunities which exist for writers to develop projects which appeal to new and emerging markets for media.

The course will cover the following:

• Team Writing, and working in the Writer’s Room

• An understanding of the internet and transmedia storytelling

• Finding an audience, audience identification, audience engagement

• Concept and Idea generation

• Recognising a saleable idea

• The different online narrative formats

• Ideas and the market

• Story development, durations and demographics

• Playing with the format, continuous narrative, episodic tags and hooks

• Understanding genre and tone

• Trends in Transmedia/Cross-Platform Projects

• Writing for different platforms

• Building an online community

A writing course for Christmas?

These are tempting from Yvonne Cullen.

POETRY DAY SAT 4th DEC €70

Self-contained one -day poetry course, focusing on areas of skill chosen by participants in advance, and designed to fire up your poetry furnaces. This year, poetry students from Writing Train have been shortlisted for the important Bridport Prize, for the Strokestown Poetry Prize and for the Hennessy Award!
Venue: Glasthule (On dart line, Sandycove station)
Running time: 10.30 – 1.00 and 2.30 – 5 p.m with a break for a dash to Cavistons deli for lunch and chance of a quick run to the sea while we’re at it, plus option to eat together at Poppies café in Dunlaoghaire when afternoon sessions end, to chew over the day and go on talking poetry! Day will be completely tailored to students’ areas of interest and you’ll take materials away. NB: This will be more of a tutored course with exercises and discussion than a workshop.

If there is a quorum for a “workshop” day on SAT 11th DEC this is also an option as a follow-on – fee: €125 for both.

Sat 16 JAN €70 (One Day Course) START TO WRITE
City Centre venue, full day to get you going, to help you find the material that’s already within your reach and help you surprise yourself with your skill! This course will use my favourite techniques and approaches plus lots of focused discussion and materials to take away.

For further details check yvonnecullen.com, yvonnecullen’s writing train page at facebook.

She also does longer courses.

Greystones Open Mic

Dave Lordan is MCing this new open mic night.

Where: the Hotspot Cafe in Greystones

When: Friday 26th November 9pm

Who: featured reader Colm Keegan All Ireland Slam Champion.

Who else: Comedians, musicians, spoken word artists and audience members of all stripes welcome.

How much: €3 unwaged €5 waged.