An Tobar/Poetry for Pleasure!

Poetry for Pleasure June 2017!

An Tobar/Ardbraccan Navan

The theme of last Tuesday's get together was on women poets and a good way of getting familiar with or at least making an acquaintance with some whose writing wouldn't normally cross your threshold. The back stories made for an interesting evening and six degrees of separation and all that....

Poets read included; Pheme Glass, Eiléann Ní Chuilleanáin, Dorothy Parker, Elizabeth Shane, Jane Clarke, Iris Hesselden, Anna Akhmatova, Slyvia Plath, Erin Hanson, Margaret Galvin and Orla Fay.

Sean Reilly had an interesting piece on Anna Akhmatova and a mosaic in Mullingar Cathedral and worth looking up. Michael Farry also wrote something on this a number of years back on his blogsite and if I can remember correctly I read something about her and the connection in a newspaper somewhere once upon a time. I wrote a short poem about that revolution once and given that it's 2017 maybe I'll include it in our future magazine.

Scurlogstown Olympiad 2017!

Scurlogstown Olympiad and Haymaking Festival 2017!

Michael Durkan and Suzanne Pegley

Eugene Kane, Peter Fahy, Sean Kane, Suzanne Pegley, Margaret Geraghty, Michael Fahy, Bridie Halton,
Michael Durkan and Carmel Murray

Eugene Kane, Sean Kane Peter Fahy, Suzanne Pegley, Margaret Geraghty, Michael Fahy
Bridie Halton, Frank Murphy and Carmel Murray

Marion McDonald, Willie G. Hodgins and Daniel McDonald

Trim Castle and Church across the Boyne

The Hothous Flowers (&The Dubliners) - The Rose

Ah, the lucky and the strong! With thanks to youtube and Matz Katz who loaded.

Wreath Laying Ceremonies!

Wreath Laying Ceremonies/Laracor and Trim.

The wreath laying ceremony at the grave of poet F. R. Higgins
 in Laracor graveyard.
John Smith, Bernie Murray, Pat Farrelly, Carmel Murray
Willie G. Hodgins, Joan Conlon and Catherine Murray

The wreath laying ceremony at the grave of  poet Tommy Murray
in St Loman's graveyard Trim.
Bernie Murray, John Smith, Carmel Murray,Catherine Murray
And Willie G. Hodgins.

The first event of Olympiad week every year is the wreath laying ceremonies at the graves of two of Meath's best known poets, Tommy Murray and F. R Higgins.

The Age of Glass/Photos!

The Age of Glass/ Michael Farry

Michael signing copies of The Age of Glass

Dominic Taylor and Tom Muldowney

Paddy Halligan

Barbara Flood

Anne Crinion, Orla Fay and Noeleen Egan

Paddy Smith and Noel French

Nessa O' Mahony and Tom Dredge

Noeleen Egan and Willie G. Hodgins

The Age of Glass/Michael Farry.

The Age of Glass/Michael Farry.

Paddy Halligan, Michael Farry and Anne Crinion

Nessa O' Mahony did the honours last night in the Castle Arch Hotel at the launch of Michael Farry's The Age of Glass. His second book of poetry to date it includes a number of prize winning poems and is no small collection, numbering sixty three in all that reflect on his interest in various fields of study or discipline. Grouped under headings from Genealogy to Gerontology the poems explore in meticulous detail and craft what he describes himself as the Desolate Splinters and you need a little courage to go there. The book is published by Revival Press Limerick and is beautifully produced. Retails at €12.

Other highlights on the night included intros by Nessa herself and Dominic Taylor of Revival and of course the most excellent master of ceremonies Paddy Smith who once again demonstrated that when it comes to wit and entertainment few can compere! Excellent timing. Some photos to follow! 

St Patricks Cathedral Dublin - Jonathan Swift

No mention of Trim or Laracor here and there are a number of other videos on his life and times that are worth a look but it is the 350th anniversary of his birth this year. Loaded by st Patrick's Cathedral Dublin.