Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Strumpet City and the Soup Kitchen

Strumpet City and the Soup Kitchen

Molly Malone
From Google Images
One of the pleasures of a Sunday morning has to be reading the newspapers or in this instance "The Times" and two articles in particular, and in relation to the above! Justine McCarthy's excellent piece on Oliver Williams and his request to establish a soup kitchen in Liberty Hall given the need that exists and that the Capuchins at Bow Street are now feeding 450 people a day, which is some reflection on the state we find ourselves in. The other one is by Kevin Myers on page 13 and he takes Dublin City to task in no uncertain terms for declaring Strumpet City its One City, One Book for 2013. A wholly "sanitized" account would be his best summary of the book and I don't want to cross swords or pens with anyone.  His contention or belief that the novel's "triumph is not literary but a politico-cultural affirmation of the enduring potency of the myth of Jim Larkin" makes for interesting reading and goes so far as to say one could even argue that "it was the moral inspiration for the disaster that was the Croke Park deal"(His Words) And there is more and well worth the read. And he even finishes with a verse of his own but go read if you can. Back to the soup kitchen in Liberty Hall and Siptu's response to the request to establish one there and borrowing from Justine McCarthy's piece, "We don't want to deny the heritage and the history but we have to ask if having a soup kitchen is what trade unions should be doing in this day and age".  Sure  lads just let them go down to the Capuchins and as you watch them pass you'll have plenty of time to read that article on page 13.

Sunday, May 26, 2013

Moon Rising

Moon Rising.
Moon rising over Dunsany


I was given this piece a while back and lost it and had to look it up again on Native American sayings! So here goes or a version of! Some of them are really very good and worth looking up. It's not called "Moon Rising" by the way, that's just a photograph I took. 

When all the trees
Have been cut down
When all the animals
Have been hunted
When all the waters
Are polluted
When all the air 
Is unsafe to breathe.
Only then will you
Discover
That you cannot
Eat money.

Cree Prophesy.

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Beaufort House Nursing Home/Garden Party

Beaufort House Nursing Home/Garden Party.


Watergate Street Navan
Picture from Google Images
The annual garden party for the residents of the above takes place this Sunday on the 26th of May at 2 pm. Adjacent to Navan Hospital the event includes contributions from traditional bands, the Navan Brass Band, guests, and other items. Also a poetry reading for those who wish to participate with the emphasis on poetry from your schooldays or funny pieces, or anything that might entertain. The stage is yours for five minutes! For details contact James Linnane on 089 4216351. Poetry readings have been ongoing at Beaufort House for some time now and those who wish to contribute after the event on a regular basis should again talk to James. Hopefully it will be a great day and you would be most welcome. James has his own blogsite with link over to your right and worth a visit.    

Friday, May 17, 2013

Sean Ruane/Poetry Live



Another man from the~Heart in Mouth Audio Poetry Competition~ is Sean Ruane who was short-listed for "Harlequinade". If you go to his site on youtube you can get the lyrics for some of the poems performed here. I think he is from Dunboyne County Meath, so another poet from the county to watch out for.

Sunday, May 12, 2013

Dave Lordan & The Clash



Here's Dave at last with a tribute to Joe Strummer of the Clash. Maybe Brucie would do his own cover of this. Good one Dave!

Poetry and other Stuff! (2)

Poetry and other Stuff! (2)


Slane Co. Meath

Got back to this finally but only because I couldn't get youtube to load something. Make it simple again guys! Anyway I have to type now and what I was saying about "any other thoughts" on the Leaving Certificate Anthology (2010). Maybe they've changed it by now for all I know, but rather than the specific questions at the end, or as well as! Why not give them license for their own interpretation and mark accordingly. Might be more fun and allow for creative thinking or at least some degree of original thought without the prompt. Tommy brought William Carlos Williams's poem "The Red Wheelbarrow" into Dunshaughlin many years ago and asked for an interpretation or take on it and some of them were a lot longer than the wheelbarrow. I had a little fun with it and decided to dismantle, even though a wonderful invention! When you break something down and dismantle it you are not left with anything much unless it becomes something else and that includes analysis. A poem is a poem! Enough rambling for a Sunday. 

Barrows

I cannot see the sense
Why these machines of verse dispense,
In barrowed rows the obvious
The skeleton of prose.

A corpse of rhyme so still
They have such need for barrows
To cart the words
Uphill.

Frank Murphy.


Wednesday, May 8, 2013

The Meath Writers' Circle (Meeting) May 2003

The Meath Writers' Circle (Meeting) May 2013

Some of those in attendance
As many as nineteen people turned up for last Thursday night's meeting of the group or was it eighteen, I'm not so sure? I was too busy reading  through a few poems. All intended for the upcoming publication. If it happens folks it happens! A lot of material is now gathered, and of all shapes and shades which could make for an interesting read. We will see! Time to brush up on the old Battle of the Books skills as that date  is  approaching fast and never was satire needed so much. What ever happened to the "Irish Pictorial Weekly" over on our national station? Very good it was, the few episodes that had on. Maybe it was too close to the bone. A few more and enough of that and the license fee might have gone out the window not to mention the powers that be. Most of the comedy that's now on is dire or safe enough to be absolutely harmless unless you're a safe target and then it's game on for anything. Interesting discussion on the Strokestown results over on the Stammering Poet blogsite and worth a look That's it folks, bye for mow!

Sunday, May 5, 2013

Fermoy International Poetry Festival

Blue Max Review Poetry Competition


The Road to Fermoy/Google Images
The Fermoy International Poetry Festival's Blue Max Review competition for poets has a closing deadline of Friday the 10th of May which means that you have only a few days left to get your entry in. This year's festival runs from Thursday August 1st to Monday August 5th. the first prize is a nice €300 for the winner who will get to read at the festival. 
For international poets living outside of Ireland there will be three winners who will be flown to Ireland for the event and will also get to read at the festival.
Entrants can submit only once and there can be only three poems per submission. Anything submitted must be unpublished. The judge I believe is Noel King and the entry fee is a modest €10 for your three poems. but check out the details for yourself at: www.fermoypoetryfestival.com and good luck! Send your entries to;

Fermoy International Poetry Festival
Festival Office
7 Store Lane
Fermoy
County Cork
Ireland.

Info/Poetry Ireland. 

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Heart in Mouth Poetry Competition (Photos)

Dave Lordan, Lilian Whelan and Colm Keegan
Winner/Laura Cleary
Sean Ruane
Part of group shot Fingal Council  Chambers
Lilian Whelan, Colm Keegan, Pauline Mooney and Dimitra  Xidous

Colm Keegan

Photos from Heart in Mouth Poetry Competition, Fingal Council Chambers