The year that was...

The year that was....

From Google Images

Well the new year beckons and Christmas 2013 was a bit of a stormy one, the lights going out once or twice .Though they got them back up and running in a few hours in each case. A good argument for putting them underground I'd say, wherever possible! It was also the year of the property tax or the household tax to be more exact and a more inequitable one you couldn't dream up. It's a bit like going into a shop to buy an ice cream and going back a year later  to be told you still owe for the ice cream. It might sound a bit simple but the principle of ownership is gone and you are reduced to something approaching serfdom or its near cousin and answerable to what was designed for your better angels and your in this case being just that, but shop happy.! Another example of the above where principle is the operative (or should that be principal) is the great "Dirt" scam where you get taxed on a virtue in the hope that the whole thing will balance out in the end or maybe tip over into oblivion. But rant over. The book "A Gathering of Poetry and Prose" was a fair old success and hundreds have been sold to date and  I hope we come up with another project, or projects for the year ahead. I'd like to thank everyone who contributed in any way to the above and keep writing. A nice tribute to Willie in The Chronicle written by Louise Scott and both Peggy Murphy and Tess Ryan had poems in the Christmas edition. Also a mention to Paul Martin whose poems are up on the "Deep Underground Poetry" website. That's about it till the new year so enjoy the holidays. Talk to you!

A Poem For Christmas!

Shopping for...

Job Lots,
Dyed in the wool type

The Hill of Skryne

Fashionistas.
Tailoring to suit you
Every need, and
The rest.

Hanging,
Was too good for 'em
The suits
Fit for everything
But purpose
And worsted to get
The better
Of you.

Though the sweaters
Were the worst.
The drip, drip, drip
Of revelation
And the rack
Loosening the tongue
The boot in!

Alterations were
A speciality
Flog the lot
Of 'em!

Frank Murphy.

Simon & Garfunkel - Silent Night/7 O' Clock News

Always something special!

Hungry Hill Writing/Poetry Competition 2014!

Poets Meet Politics 2014!

From Google Images

I came across this one on the Emerging Writer blog site which has to be one of the most informative around and maybe I'll get around to working on a few poems for it over the Christmas. Modify or improve or try to! The details of the above can be found by clicking on the link www.hungryhillwriting.com and it's definitely worth a look see! For those who are post office friendly the address and other details are given on the site as well as the internet entry and payment option.You may submit up to three poems per entry and the fee is €8 which seems very reasonable. Though it says you can submit as many entries as you wish! But look up the details! Some interesting poems to read and a fair old standard to chew on when the food runs out. Any day now! 

Meath Folk Tales/Book Launch!

Meath Folk Tales/Richard Marsh

Peggy Murphy, Richard Marsh and Noel French

Gifted story teller and author Richard Marsh was in Scurlogstown on Friday night to launch his latest collection of folk tales and stories many of which, or versions of, would have been familiar to those growing up in a time when you had to provide your own entertainment. The electric light and the box in a corner put an end to those tales round the fireside! Half the myths (or truths!) of Ireland probably have their beginnings in the landscape around Tara and the Boyne and Richard's book is a retelling that deserves a place on the bookshelves. Noel French and Pat Farrelly were on hand to do the honours and Richard kept everyone entertained with tales as diverse as the Prophecies of Art, or Oliver Cromwell in Duleek or the Gates That Won't Stayed Closed. Websites to check out for info. www.richardmarsh.ie and www.thehistorypress.ie . The book retails at €12.99 or around there and is available as they say in all good bookshops or check out the web for prices.   

Tom Clay..What The World Needs Now (Abraham,Martin and John)

I remember this one from late night radio back in the seventies and given the year that's in it why not! Just about everyone who was alive at the time remembers where they were when the news came through on the assassination of President Kennedy and there are as many conspiracy theories now as there are stars in the sky. In fact there are conspiracy theories about the conspiracy theories. But I'll tell you this and if you are reading here and on a good guess, only for himself and old Nikita and a few more we'd be in cinders... With thanks to youtube and the person who loaded!

The Meath Writers' Circle/Christmas Party!

The Meath Writers' Circle/Christmas Party!

Pat Farrelly

Joan Leech

Christmas Tree~Christmas Tree!

The Meath Writers' Circle held their Christmas party at the Castle Hotel on Thursday night (the first!) with about forty in attendance and a meal that was followed by recitations, poetry and story telling, not forgetting Sean Reilly who entertained us with some fine singing. Some of the material I hadn't heard before and just about everyone contributed a piece or two, the highlight for me being a "poem" read by Paul Martin who said he "composed" it while sitting at the table. Another piece of note was an excerpt from the speech attributed to Chief Seattle read by Joan Leech. All in all a successful evening and hopefully more to come. Noel French gave a nice speech before handing over to Willie and Pat Farrelly and Paddy Pryle was in attendance also. The book is still selling and I might even add to the sales over Christmas. The next meeting will be in early January of 2014 and I'm sure we'll come up with something for the New Year! 

Eugene Kane

The Francis Ledwidge Poetry Award/"Riposte"

The Francis Ledwidge Poetry Award"Riposte"

Poetry Broadsheet

The winner of the above award for 2013 was Mairead Donnellan for her poem Castlewellan Pillar Box with second place going to Catherine Ann Cullen for Shoe Box Coffin and third place to Mary Guckian for Corsets. Mairead Donnellan is I believe, a member of the Cavan/Meath Lit-Lab group which has a number of the Boyne Writers to their credit and if I'm not mistaken another member of that group picked up an award as well. Congratulations also to Louise Scott who was highly commended in the above and who was a long time member of The Meath Writers' Circle and indeed has two poems included in the recent collection A Gathering of Poetry and Prose. Writers from both groups have had their poetry published in the Broadsheet edited by Michael Ó Flanagan (Riposte) and the Winter issue arrived today with a Ballot Paper for the Readers Choice 2013 which should or must be returned by Friday the 20th of December. The first prize is €150 so a nice little sum to pick up, though I doubt if I'll get a vote or two. I see Michael and his wife Helena were guests at Áras An Uachtaran with President Higgins during the Summer and well deserved too. Riposte is Ireland's longest running poetry broadsheet and has been continually published since 1996. Link to the right!