Boyne Berries 11

Boyne Berries 11

Book Cover

This is the eleventh issue of the literary magazine published by the Boyne Writers group and it continues to attract submissions that are both local and from much further afield. Launched at The Castle Arch Hotel in Trim  on Thursday the 29th of March by Michael Slavin of Tara fame it contains much of what is a fine mix of both poetry and prose and deserves more than just a once through. But, time being what it is and the tendency to look to the familiar, sure to miss something! I liked Orla Fay's "May Beneath the Castle" and James Linnane's "Lies and Convictions" for the intensity, and was leafing through to the notes on contributors for more information when it dawned I know this man! Rory O' Sullivan does another of those surreal and inky black pieces that are always so well crafted but this time Niamh O' Reilly from New South Wales proves to be no slouch either. "The Stone Gate". Is there a Trim connection? The first time I remember reading one of these was in a book published by Tommy Murray and I can still remember a verse or two. The author left for Canada. Must be something in the Trim air! On pages 42 and 43 across from each other are two very interesting poems, one of them written by Michael Farry and the other by Carolyne Van Der Meer.  Interesting in that the first line in each poem is identical and I thought at first that it was some kind of writing exercise devised by the group but since Michael is in Trim and Carolyne is Atlantic wise, put it down to meaningful coincidence. Anyway, they are two fine poems "Atonement" and "Road Trip". The first verse of Michael Farry's  road trip is just about as good as it gets as a descriptive piece and the furious wipers in Carolyne's piece, well I'd have crossed at Termonbarry or maybe Carrick! Details on how to purchase, click on link to Michael Farry or Boyne Writers over on the right!