Bealtaine Explained!

Bealtaine Explained!

Something for the day that's in in and a little explanation for those of us who may not be too familiar with the wheel of life from Celtic mythology. From Candlelit Tales and with thanks. 

 

Would You Jump Into My Grave As Quick by Paula Meehan!

A warning to all of ye by Paula Meehan. Loaded by RamboEire and with thanks. Paula Meehan is one of Ireland's leading poets and playwrights and was installed as Ireland Professor of Poetry by President Michael D. Higgins in 2013. Many other honours and credits to her name and a visit to Wikipedia and Youtube is a must.

'Walkabout' Film Finale.

'Walkabout' Film Finale.

Australian masterpiece and one of the most visually stunning films ever made it tells the story of a teenage girl and her brother who are stranded in the Australian Outback after their father tries to kill them. Rescued by an Aboriginal boy on a rite of passage (Walkabout) it begins and ends in tragedy. Directed by Nicolas Roeg and with a screenplay by Edward Bond, starring Jenny Agutter, Luc Roeg and David Gulpilil, it was made on a shoestring budget under extreme conditions and released to less than rave reviews. Originally age restricted it was later issued with a parental guidance. The British Film Institute listed it as one of the fifty films everyone should see before they are fourteen, The film finale  sees the girl, now an adult, embraced by her husband as he talks of promotion and office politics and her eyes drift away..... The voice over is of A.E. Housman's poem XL from 'A Shropshire Lad' and the music is from John Murray. It has its critics of animal cruelty, swimming scenes and racial issues etc but as one of the comments on Youtube remarks, "It stays with you" and that's art. Couldn't be made today,

Jenny Agutter was awarded an OBE in 2012 for her charitable services.

Loaded by Peter JP Critchley and with thanks.

Poem XL

Into my heart an air that kills

From yon far country blows

What are those blue remembered hills

What spires, what farms are those?

That is the land of lost content

I see it shining plain

The happy highways where I went

And cannot come again.

A.E Housman

London ~ William Blake.

 London by William Blake.

Can't say I'm familiar with his work, as it doesn't tend to show up unless you go looking for it but he was considered a mystic by some and a  non-conformist by others and a genius by others and he is said to have influenced many of the Beat poets and others of the modern era. Loaded by 'SpokenVerse' and with thanks.

J.F.K. Speech at Rice University 1962!

 JFK Speech at Rice University 1962!

With the Artemis II safely back to Earth, let's go back to another time and place. Rice University, Houston, Texas September 12th 1962.

Loaded by JFKHomecoming and with thanks.

In Tara's Halls ~ W.B. Yeats.

In Tara's Halls ~ W. B. Yeats.

Here's one I'm not familiar with, the poem was first published in 1929 by Fountain Press and is one of a collection published in 'The Winding Stair and Other Poems' in 1933. A visit to Wikipedia is essential here for information on the background to the poems or the collection itself. Loaded by Aimee Reads Poetry and with thanks.

The Oliver Goldsmith Poetry Competition 2026!

 The Oliver Goldsmith Poetry Competition 2026!

Photo from 2017 at Pallas.

This one has a closing date of midnight of Sunday May the third and prizewinners will be informed a week in advance of the ceremony and afforded the opportunity to read their winning poem. The entry fee is €10 for three poems and full details are available on their site given below. The adjudicator is Gerry Boland and the first prize is €600 with €250 for the second and €150 for the third. Pallas is a beautiful part of the country and well worth a visit at any time. The prize winning ceremony is on Sunday May 31st. 

 

Details of Festival: https://olivergoldsmithfestival.com