Trim Swift Festival 2011/Readathon!!

Marathon Reading Session!          


Jonathan Swift

                                                                            
Paddy Smith of the Boyne Writers' Group and Trim Swift Festival is holding a marathon 15-hour public reading of Jonathon Swift's Gulliver's Travels on Market Street in Trim County Meath starting on Friday the 1st and ending on Sunday the 3rd of July, details of which can be found at http://www.trimswiftfestival.com/ with the proceeds going to local charities (Aware). There is a €5 Euro charge per reader and I believe €2 Euro for those who want to listen. Still places for those who are interested and reader's certificates will be presented to all who take part.

Following on from the above I was listening to Newstalk this evening and the very interesting George Hook and none other than Michael Grahame of Boston are heading down Trim direction for the festival. Not known for taking prisoners (either of them) Euroweenies had better look out! The Round Table Discussion could be some Tea Party! Now if they stay around for the Sunday!

Photo: From Google Images.

The Final Rehearsals!

The Final Rehearsals!

Chronometers of note and the most odd excellent timepiece had to be called out at last night's meeting of The Meath Writers' Circle in order to ensure there was no deviation from the constraints imposed by the imposition of "guidelines" and the observations and interpretations that might result therein should it rain on the day!  Presided over by none other than the most senior member of the group who went to great lengths to stress the importance of the lengthening of vowels and what to do in the event of fire, matters were not improved by the introduction of strawberries. The staggered progress on the face of the Rolex caused someone to remark, "Sure what's a minute between friends!" Reduced to mere poetry we went our separate ways!

Photo: Willie G. Hodgins calling Time!

Scurlogstown Olympiad 2011

Trim Hay Making Festival.

Men of differing political dispositions and a great number of others turned out on a Sunday that threatened rain for what has become one of the biggest festivals of its kind for many a mile. For anyone with a family or an afternoon to spare then the Porchfields in Trim for the Scurlogstown Olympiad is the place to be. The number of events and competitions and distractions are just too many to mention. Whether it's a roll in the hay with the Rose of Tralee or the Vintage Tractor Show or the International Donkey Derby or a thousand other things that seem to be going on at the same time then this the place for you. There was even some jousting on bicycles! Something of note is the World Champion Sheaf Tossing Competition and you wonder just how it is humanly possible to toss an 8lb sheaf over a 60ft bar! Their website address is http://www.trimhaynakingfestival.com/ and something to keep in mind for this time next year!

Photos: Ray Butler TD Meath West and Tommy Murray of The Meath Writers' Circle and Steam Engine (1908?)

Three Italian poets in Trim

Boyne Readings

                                                                                                                          

Three Italian poets touring Ireland are the guest readers at the Knightsbridge Village Complex this coming Thursday (23rd June). Reading from their anthology "Poethree-New Italian Voices" will be Luca Artioli, Fabio Barrcellandi, Andrea Garbin and Irish poet and translator Dave Lordan. In what promises to be an interesting and entertaining evening readers will have the opportunity to cross words with some of the best writers both local and national, or in this case international should they wish to brave the open-mic! The evening commences at 8pm and tea and biscuits will be served. All welcome!! €5 Euro will get you in! And much more detail  can be had by clicking over on Michael Farry's site!  

Photo: Famine Graveyard: Now part of Dunshaughlin Heritage Trail.

The Meath Writers' Circle/ Video No (11) May 2011

Frank Murphy

Finally got around to one of my own, this is a video take on a poem that's back there somewhere in the archives (Chivalry) and the only one that would come to mind when Michael Shiels pointed the camera in my direction. I wrote this a number of years back and it's a little reflection on those who are never held to any account other than what counts in their favour.  The age of chivalry is gone.....

The Meath Writers' Circle/Video No (10) May 2011

Mark Doyle

Mark Doyle here reads a fine poem about the town of Navan County Meath and one that is sure to stand the test  of time. Give it a listen and see what you think. I haven't come across many about Navan, which doesn't mean they aren't out there but this one tells a good story. Those low horizons cast a few shadows! This is his second poem to be uploaded here and if you scroll back a bit you can watch him recite "Forensic House Work".

The Meath Writers' Circle/ Video No (9) May 2011

John Wiseman

A limerick is a light humorous or nonsensical verse of five lines popularized by Edward Lear (1812-88) in his Book of Nonsense (1840) with a rhyming scheme of aabba, and I have the Concise English Dictionary and The American Heritage Dictionary to thank for the above information. Here John Wiseman who has only recently joined The Meath Writers' Circle has a go at two of them. 

The Meath Writers' Circle/June Meeting

The Meath Writers' Circle

On a warm summer's evening and with the sun sinking in the west or wherever it goes, (you can't believe anything these days!), the "Meath Writers' Circle" held their monthly meeting at the Castle Hotel in Trim last night and with a good number in attendance. Laying the ground work was the theme, but since such information is on a need to know basis it cannot be revealed here. Other matters were also discussed but that was just poetry and a bit of prose and what the weather might be like in the second largest parish in Ireland. Who writes this stuff? Anyway it was a very pleasant evening and we parted on good terms, promising to meet again before the full moon, and that said, made a swift exit! 

Photos: Some of those in attendance.