The Jonathan Swift Creative Writing Awards 2019!

The Jonathan Swift Creative Writing Awards 2019!

Mervyn Ennis/ Coordinator of Creative Writing Awards Saggart

Sang Kevin Johnson, Patrick Kavanagh and Elton John

Orla Fay receiving her Highly Commended Certificate
From Judge Maria Wallace

Just a few photos from last Saturday's event in Saggart Heritage and Arts Centre in Tallagh, Dublin. All photographs of prize winners and a list of those Highly Commended and Commended are on their Facebook page. The winner of the Prose Category was Andrew McLaughlin and the winner of the Poetry Category was James Conway. Managed a Commended on a poem so a thank you to the Judges.

Launch Boyne Berries 26/ Photos!

Launch Boyne Berries 26!

Just some of the contributors to the Autumn issue.

Karen Fay and James Linnane

Michael Farry

A few photos taken at last Thursday night's launch of Boyne Berries 26 at The Castle Arch Hotel in Trim County Meath. Will have a read through and get back to in a week or so. Congratulations there to everyone. Getting to 26 is quite a feat.

New Launch Date: Boyne Berries 26!

New Launch Date: Boyne Berries 26!

Boyne Berries 26 will be launched in The Castle Arch Hotel in Trim, County Meath on Thursday the 24th of October at 8pm by poet Jean O' Brien. Jean is an award winning poet whose fifth collection, Fish on a Bicycle was published by Salmon Poetry in 2016. A winner of many awards including The Arvon International Poetry Award and the Fish International, she was commended for the Forward Prize and shortlisted for the Voices of War Competition by UCD. In 2017 she was awarded the Patrick and Katherine Kavanagh Fellowship. Info above from both the Boyne Berries blogsite and Orla Fay's. Links to the right. After the readings light refreshments will be served and all are welcome!  

An Tobar ~ Poetry for Pleasure/Readings!

An Tobar ~ Poetry for Pleasure/Readings!

I think about ten in all turned out for the October meeting on Tuesday night at An Tobar with a wide variety and selection of poems on the Autumn Equinox or turn of the year, though you could interpret it lightly or not as you wished or desired. The first poem read was by Emily Bronte, Spell bound which was a fine choice given the theme. The Touch of the Master's Hand which was written in 1921 by Myra Brooks Welch was next followed by my own contribution De Scripto Meridians which is more about waiting out Winter! A Bachelor in Autumn by Myra Lalor was the choice of Sean Reilly followed by  The Night Wind by Eugene Field (1850 - 1895) a poem I hadn't heard before. Willie G. Hodgins read his own piece Winter which coincidentally was the choice also of Leona Rennicks so it got a second reading as well! An excerpt from Patrick Kavanagh's The Great Hunger was next and was very well read and there are poets and there are poets. Lead Kindly Light which was written in 1833 was read given that Cardinal Newman was recently canonised (October 13th) and Carol Owens read her own piece The Dark Places Where The Beetle Goes which was an interesting piece of observation. Shell Shocked Land by Kildare poet Helen Fallon finished the round and this one was a prize winner in this year's Trócaire Poetry Competition though I did sneak in my own piece Beyond this Point to finish the night. The theme for next month is "Remembrance" of any kind and all are welcome!  

An Tobar ~ Poetry for Pleasure/ October 2019!

At An Tobar, Ardbraccan

Everybody welcome to our Poetry Group on

Next session Tuesday evening 15^th October at 7.30pm

The guiding theme for October is ‘Equinox or endings or just the time of year’

People can bring a poem that has a special meaning for them  

People can come and listen to others read

The session in good An Tobar style is followed by a cuppa.

 For further information please feel welcome to contact: 

Ø Jim Owens 087 967 6728,  Email: kiltale@eircom.net

Ø Carol Owens  Email: carol.antobarpoetry@gmail.com  

                              Ø Jackie Smyth (An Tobar) 046 9078973                                                                Email: antobarnavan@gmail.com

 An Tobar, Ardbraccan, Co Meath

Suggested donation: €5

The Jester of the Kingdom 2019!

Tralee Humorous Verse Competition 2019!

The final of this competition will take place in the Kerins O' Rahilly's clubhouse in Tralee on Friday the 18th of October at 8 pm, though finalists are requested to register no later than 7.40 pm with Sonia Elston. There is over €400 in prize money to be won and the judges on the night are: Noel King and two yet to be appointed. Open Mic and before a live audience with live music and dancing by Beautiful Noise. Until late! The poems will be printed in a book which will be on sale on the night (€4) with a proviso that the work is copyright and must not be reproduced without the writer's consent. For further info contact Sonia at 087 219 5406 or e-mail at soniaelston@yahoo.com 

By coincidence  Friday the 18th is the Graduating Day at Tralee IT and anyone visiting the Kingdom or looking for a night's entertainment or celebration following the award ceremonies are guaranteed a great time.

The Meath Writers' Circle/October 2019!

The Meath Writers' Circle ~ Meeting/October 2019!

Sean Reilly, Sean Kane and Willie G. Hodgins

A few Bravehearts made it out to our October meeting last Thursday night in the midst of what was not such inclement weather, given all the forecasts. Code somewhere between yellow and green I'd say, though along the west coast it wasn't too pleasant at all. When I left the house the rain was bucketing down but ten minutes later the sky cleared  and the night turned sort of quiet for a while. The magazine is now with the printer and after a last look-see should be good to go. The launch will be in November and more details or information to follow in a week or so. Hopefully all goes well. The rest of the night was given over to a few stories and poems and a discussion as to who might do the honours as to the launch! Looking good so far and a big thank you to everyone who something in.