Heart in Mouth Poetry Competition

Heart in Mouth Poetry Competition

Dave Lordan, Laura Cleary and Colm Keegan

The County Hall in Swords was the venue last night for the finals of the "Heart in Mouth/Audio Poetry Competition". This was sponsored by the good people of Fingal Libraries and attracted over 200 entries with  first prize going to Laura Cleary for her poem "Note to a Mislaid Friend". Joint seconds went to Pauline Mooney for "I am FUS" and to Dimitra Xidous for "The Body, The Heart,The Thumb". The standard of these performance poets is really something and was complimented by brilliant performances from both Dave Lordan and Colm Keegan and of course not forgetting Máighréad Medbh who was outstanding to say the least. She is also a fine singer. Someone else who needs a mention here is Karl Parkinson and of course Lilian Whelan and others who facilitated the event. Brian Kirk who was on the shortlist will be familiar to many in this neck of the woods as will Sean Ruane who can be found on youtube "Poetry Live". yet to check that out! For the names who made the shortlist go to: Dave Lordan  and also worth checking out is Máighréad Medbh . Yet to check out but will! Scary good these people. Finally delighted to get on the shortlist myself. Both Dave Lordan and Colm Keegan are regular contributors to RTE. More photos to follow!

The Golden Pen Awards

From Google Images

The Golden Pen Awards

The deadline for the above is fast approaching and I meant to give it a mention sooner but here goes. This competition has proved successful for more than a few local writers so why not send a poem or two or even a short story. The closing date is the 30th of April and that leaves only a few days to get your entry in! The first prize is €100 for adults and €50 for students. Prizes for 2nd and 3rd places as well with publication in the Festival Magazine. No entry form required and open theme. Stories limited to 2000 words and poems to 70 lines with your name and details on a separate. Send: to: The Golden Pen Awards

                                                                                                     Gurteen, Ballinasloe,

                                                                                                                County Galway.

For further information contact: John Corbett at corword@yahoo.com and good luck! Also check out Poetry Ireland site competitions page.

Poetry and other Stuff!

Poetry and other Stuff! 

Grave of F.R. Higgins
Laracor Co. Meath.

Got my hands on a copy of the discovery module circa 2010 for the Leaving Certificate Higher and Ordinary Level. A loan of, sort of, and just for the "day" and went for a wander down "The Famine Road" and a few others to boot. Actually it wasn't circa at all it was! I liked the idea of  the guidelines and the questions that follow which suggest some framework for interpretation  but an "any other thoughts" to allow for a personal take wouldn't go amiss. You can argue with poets all you like about what they put in or leave out but it is only for entertainment to suggest what they are thinking and not always obvious and even the experts get it wrong. I was in Newgrange a few years back and the girl said the only poets they really want to read are Yeats and maybe a little Kavanagh and leafing through the pages of this I would be inclined to agree. But maybe that's because I'm really not too familiar with most of what's included. Reading something of the quality of  "In Memory of Eva-Gore Booth and Con Markiewicz" though puts everything else in perspective and that's just one example. Looking through the guidelines for Kavanagh's " On Raglan Road" I'd say close but not close enough. And as for the definitive version? I'd argue for two.Close to the end of the book there is a poem by William Carlos Williams called "The Red Wheelbarrow" and I can remember Tommy Murray bringing it into a  meeting in Dunshaughlin as an exercise that I had a little fun with. Maybe I'll post next time!   

Sir William Johnson.

Sir William Johnson.



Sir William Johnson

Watching "The Last of the Mohicans" (again) last night brings me to the above and what a debt we owe to Hollywood for the entertainment it provides, whatever your tastes! But old Hawkeye lived a quiet enough life compared to the gentleman above who has been described as the man who saved North America for the British Empire, and there may be more than a little truth in that! William Johnson was born in Smithstown House close to Killeen Castle in County Meath in 1715 and left in more austere times to manage his uncle's estates in North America. When war broke out with the French in 1756 he raised his own army of Indian tribes to fight on the British side and played no small part in ensuring that the North America you see today is as is! Looking up some info on him I see that Fintan Ó Toole published a book in 2006 titled "White Savage" which I'm sure would make for an interesting read. and I can remember wandering through a bookshop in a far and distant place once upon a time and coming across the story of some of his exploits. The last time I watched the above film I borrowed a clip from youtube of Jenny Ó Connor doing a take on Dougie MaClean's "The Gael" which is used on the soundtrack of the film and well worth having  another look at. but don't trust anything I tell you, look it up and enjoy. A book on the history of Meath.... any historians out there?

Photo: From Google Images. 

Louis MacNeice "Dublin"

Louis MacNeice "Dublin"

I

If I remember right I think Ronnie Drew of the Dubliners used a verse or two of this poem as an introduction to a song back a long time ago and the name of which escapes me at the moment, but I came across this version while browsing on youtube and it's pretty special. The video was loaded by "DavidMcClellandPhoto" and is well worth a listen or checking out for comments back on the youtube page for a little history. Well recited from memory. Give a listen!

Boyne Berries Spring 2013

Boyne Berries Spring 2013.

Meaning to get back to this for a week now but other things piling up and you know yourself, but read through it once and then read through it again. Many interesting pieces inside and some of the best writers around but what really took my fancy or interest was a poem by Alan McMonagle from Galway called "Moonlit Robbery" and I notice from~Notes on Contributors~that his first collection of stories was titled "Liar Liar" which brings me to the short story "Liar Liar" by Teresa Sweeney and this comes with it's very own "Carrie" moment. Read it and see. Some kind of coincidence running here, meaningful or other. Teresa is also from Galway. Tom French of the Meath County Library leads off with a wonderful tribute poem to the late Tommy Murray and Orla Fay has a short story in this time on the big freeze which is more than just the cold these days. Of "Gothic" interest to those who are so inclined is the latest contribution from Rory Ó Sullivan "Before the Bell Tolled One" and is his latest poem in a series of those published in Boyne Berries. Well worth getting your hands on a copy of this and if you click on a link over to the right for Michael Farry or Boyne Writers details on how to purchase will be found! Failing that drop in to Antonia's Bookshop in Trim. 

The Meath Writers' Circle (Meeting) April 2013.

The Meath Writers' Circle (Meeting) April 2013.

About ten or eleven people turned out for the above meeting on Thursday night with one or two absentees or missing persons. A gathering of poetry and short stories with some discussion on how to raise funds for the proposed book later in the year. What to put in, what to leave out or do we have the luxury of even that?Too many poems and not enough short stories I would say, but we'll see! A plan that comes together maybe, and that reminds me of something, but one step at a time!

Pat Bennett brought in some poems he had put to music and recorded on CD but yet to hear. Not a bad idea though and one that's worth considering if your poetry is such as would be suitable for musical accompaniment if that's the right note. Most poetry would but it could be very expensive unless you know somebody that knows somebody and plays a tune or two. Poetry gets a bad press these days!

 

Boyle Arts Festival Poetry Competition 2013

Boyle Arts Festival Poetry Competition 2013


Boyle County Roscommon
From Google Images

Having skipped a beat for a few years (I think) the above poetry competition is back on the cards and has a closing date of June 15th. Well worth entering as the first prize is no less than €500 plus 4x €50 for the highly commended entries this competition is one of the best in Ireland and nice to see it back. Brendan Carey Kinnane of the Boyne Writers won it outright in 2007 I think, and I managed to get into a runner-up position in 2008 as did Michael Farry the year before. Poems will be judged by Geraldine Mills who has been awarded many prizes and bursaries, but for all details and entry form information go to: Here and hopefully link will work OK. Having trouble with website address so telephone number is 00353 (0) 7196 63085 and address to send entries to is:

                 Boyle Arts Festival Poetry Competition

                 Boyle Arts Festival

                 King House

                 Boyle

                 County Roscommon

Awards on Sunday 28th July in King House, Boyle 7pm.  Entry fee €5 per poem.  Good Luck!