The Meath Writers' Circle (4) November 2011

Sean Reilly

Sean Reilly here sings "The Harp that Once Through Tara's Hall" which is more than a little pertinent given the times we're in and for more than a few reasons. One of Tom Moore's "Melodies" I believe, I'm not too sure of the dates and the history of when it was written but Sean does a fine job on it and singing unaccompanied at that. Worth a visit over to wikipedia just to read up on the subject, and on someone who was said to be to Ireland what Robbie Burns was to Scotland. Sean has a number of other videos posted here and if you just "google" they should come up. Good listening! 

"Money" by Philip Larkin (poetry reading)

For those who were thinking of skimping on their Christmas presents this year a word or two of advice. Now would I take it myself? Anyway with thanks to youtube and "spokenverse" who has a great collection of poems out there for anyone who is interested, and not forgetting Philip Larkin whose poem it is. Give a listen!

The Meath Writers' Circle (3) November 2011

Frank Murphy

This is a poem that I wrote a good while back and was included in a collection published by Trafford (2005) called "The Marginal Line". Things have got much worse since then and soon you will need a license just to go outdoors. Sacrifices to be made.... the markets, the markets! A curious mix of money and regulation! 

The Market Dictate

They tell you it's great

Down in sub-section four

On the set aside farms

Where they lock up

The poor.

Who'd forgotten to file in

Before it's too late

Now they're serving the needs

Of the market dictate.

As the credit runs out

On your permit to walk

Outside on the pavement

Nobody talks.

The neon reminders

Read out from the wall

That the Bicycle License

Collector will call.

And if you've done nothing

There's nothing to hide

So trade in your name

For the numbers inside.

Yeah! Trade in your name

For the numbers inside,

Put an x on the spot

Where democracy 

Died.

Frank Murphy.

The Meath Writers' Circle (2) November 2011

Carmel Murray

Carmel has been writing poetry for some time now and is a member of a number of social groups in the county. This is her second video to be uploaded here, the other one is a little further back and was dedicated to her parents. Give a listen!!

The Last Post

Sean Lynch here plays The Last Post at the Armistice Day poetry reading in Navan Library. Video courtesy of Michael Sheils and the "sheriff144" site on youtube. I was looking for a poem to accompany the above or suitable to the occasion and settled on an excerpt from Alan Seeger's "Rendezvous". Alan Seeger was an American poet who enlisted in the French Foriegn Legion in August 1914 and was killed at Belloy-En-Santerre on July the 4th 1916. His poem was said to be a favourite of JFK and Jackie would recite it from memory at his request. Info and with thanks to Wikipedia for the above. He was an uncle I believe of the famous American folk singer Pete Seeger. I came across this poem myself many years ago when reading a book on the French Foriegn legion and it tends to stay in the memory.

(Last Verse)

God knows 'twere better to be deep
Pillowed in silk and scented down
Where love throbs out in blissful sleep
Pulse nigh to pulse, and breath to breath
Where hushed awakenings are dear...
But I've a rendezvous with death
At midnight in some flaming town
When Spring trips north again this year
And I to my pledged word am true
I shall not fail that rendezvous.

Alan Seeger.

Armistice Day Poetry Reading 2011

Armistice Day/Navan Library

Tom French

Crowd Scene

Molly Kane

Willie G. Hodgins

Tom French of Meath County Library was MC at an event held in remembrance of those who perished  or served in the great war though a few poems or stories from other conflicts managed to get an airing as well. Set against a backdrop of  slides or photographs from the period a good number of those in attendance had more than a few  recollections of family members or friends who died or were in some way involved.  Interesting and of note was a poster advertising a concert to be held in the Temperance Hall in Kilmessan in 1916 to provide comforts for those serving who were from the locality, and I meant to take a photograph just to get my facts straight but forgot at the end. If I can remember right the admission charge was 2/6, which was a good sum in those days and I would imagine discouraged more than a few from attending. Given that the year had a certain other resonance I should have looked more carefully at the date. There were some great poems read or stories told and Michael Sheils over on sherifffromnavan has a video of Sean Lynch playing out on "The Last Post".

Homeless Hopeless by Edel Gillick.

Edel Gillick reads her poem "Homeless~Hopeless" at the launch of The Small Impact Writers' Group calendar for 2012 at the Solstice Navan. A very powerful piece it leads off for January and is complimented by an image that is all too common these days. So with thanks to Michael Sheils who has a number of these videos posted on youtube, at sheriff144, give it a listen and buy the calendar!!!

Small Impact Writers' Group

2012 Calendar!

The Small Impact Writers' Group from Navan have launched a calendar for 2012 the proceeds going to the Drogheda Homeless Aid Association and a very worthy cause indeed! It can be purchased in Supervalue of Johnstown Navan and much more information and indeed photos and videos can be found over on the ~SherifffromNavan~ site, link to your right! Michael Sheils has a number of videos posted of the event and well worth a look. Councillor Joe Reilly of Navan Town Council did the honours and Paul Murphy the chairperson of the Drogheda Homeless Aid Association was on hand to thank everyone who contributed in any way. (Info from the sheriff site)  The photographs that accompany each poem are credited to John Doyle Photography and the layout and design I'm too sure of but I suspect the members themselves. Anyway very professional. August and October well paired, though I might borrow a poem from another month. Get a copy if you can!


Photo: Calendar.

Writers' Circle Meeting November 2011.

November Meeting.

A crowd of about fourteen turned out last night at the Castle Hotel in Trim for the last meeting but one before the Christmas break and I took the opportunity to record a few more videos. Though looking through them the light is not good and I'm not sure I can use them at all. Maybe rescue one or two! Tommy had a copy of The Stony Thursday Book with him which includes one of his poems (Shanloth) and Orla Fay has a poem in there as well, as does Peter Goulding. Everyone at the meeting seemed to have something new to read and Sean entertained us with a fine ballad which I hope to load at a future date. Michael Sheils brought along copies of The Small Impact Group's poetry calendar. Proceeds to the Drogheda Homeless Aid Association and I'll have a read through tonight. This was launched at the Solstice in Navan and Michael recorded many of the artists attending the event, the videos posted over on the "sherifffromnavan" site. Just click on the link. That's it folks!  

Photo: An image from Google. Angels Landing. For Christmas!

The Meath Writers' Circle (1) November 2011

Paul Martin

Paul Martin does his existential take on the nature of things and the place of the individual in the greater scheme, and not much to be desired. Other poems posted further back include "The Buddha and Me, Solace, No Redemption Here and The Literary Assassin" and well worth the read. A member of The Meath Writers' Circle for a number of years hopefully he'll publish some of those poems in the near future.