Happy New Year 2021!

 Happy New Year!

The last meeting of The Meath Writers' Circle was on Thursday the 5th of March and the An Tobar group had a get together on Tuesday the 18th of February, so it all seems a while ago now - and apart from a video get together via the internet just before Christmas it's been a very quiet and strange year. Our magazine was just about rolling last March when the corona virus hit but we went ahead with it anyway and in the end managed to sell hundreds. How things will go in the new year, hard to say, but going into another level five lockdown I don't think there'll be a meeting anytime soon. So happy new year to everyone and what will be...... 

John Prine Silent Night, All Day Long!

This song was released on the 8th of September 1993 from the album, A John Prine Christmas and is a regular Christmas favourite ever since. John had very strong Irish connections in that his wife is from Donegal and there are Galway ties there as well. He was one of the best known American singer songwriters and he could sure play with words. He was born on the 10th of October 1946 and died on April the 7th 2020 from COVID 19 complications. This video was loaded by 85points85 and with thanks. 

Willie Nelson - December Day!

Something laid back from Willie on a cold December Day. Happy Christmas! With thanks to gringotroller who posted and of course the old share button on Youtube.

Meath Writers' Circle/ An Tobar Poetry for Pleasure Group~ Poetry Get Together

 Meath Writers' Circle/An Tobar ~ Poetry Get Together!

Reflections of a Scottish Christmas by Johnny Cunningham led off the night at the first meeting - via the internet ~ of the above groups (Google Meet) the piece was read by Leona Rennicks and she was followed by Carol Owens who read her own poem, Winter Solstice. Jim Owens read a piece by Pam Ayers, Good will to all Men - Give me your Money. Taking a cue from that James Linnane read, The Up Side of Down. Jim Owens came back in with, A Christmas Childhood, a piece he composed himself. Sean Reilly read a poem by Muriel Spark, The Three Kings followed by Leona who read Winter by Tommy Makem. Carol Owens then read another of her own compositions, A Cabin in the Woods. Verona Pentony read her own poems Christmas Spirit From Reflections Of Time and Angel on the Christmas Tree also from the same book. Christmas Eve by Ruth and Celia Duffin was also read but my notes are not the best so I can't remember who read it. Might have been Leona. James Linnane read Still Breathing his own composition and I followed with Stopping by Woods by Robert Frost. Sean sang us out with The Old House.

Sinead O'Connor with Willie Nelson - Don't Give Up - High Quality

 

Something for the year that was in it. Written by Peter Gabriel and recorded with Kate Bush in 1986 there are many versions of this song out there, but I went for Willie, one of the last of the outlaw poets. Might post another song by him before Christmas. With thanks to youtube and Don Weber who posted. Read comments on Youtube.

M&M36 Matt & Michael's Lockdown!

This one was brought to my attention by Sean Reilly from Bohermeen and includes contributions from both Matt and Michael, Edel Cregan, Tommy Murray and special guest star Paddy Smith who has just published his lockdown diary, Cocooner, published by Meath County Library and available from both Charlie Byrnes of Galway and Antonia's bookshop in Trim at €10. Must drop in and get myself a copy! Paddy had just completed Colonel Bogey's and was commending Michael on his editing skills when the link went down. Driving past I glanced nervously at the bridge!

Matt and Michael have recorded a number of these videos over the past year since lockdown began and are up to about thirty seven at the moment which is quite an achievement. Sean to give him a mention was recorded by Michael (The Sheriff) Shiels a number of years back in the Solstice during a launch for the Navan Writers' and to date has clocked up almost twelve thousand hits of Dan O' Hara. (A Cappella). So congrats all round.

 

From the Plough to the Stars , Intro!

This video comes in two versions, a 17 minutes short version where at the end you will find a link (in the shape of a book cover - beside the name Eoin O' Donnell who made the video) to the full version of the launch. As with the Children of the Nation this anthology sold out almost immediately and a second issue is now available for those who might wish to purchase a copy. With thanks to Jenny for the info and of course  to Youtube and the Share button. 

From the Plough to the Stars/Book Launch!

 From the Plough to the Stars/Book Launch!

Edited and introduced by Jenny Farrell and with a foreword by Gerry Murphy, President of  the Irish Congress of Trade Unions the above collection was launched on Monday the 16th of November by Clare Daly MEP whose own contribution or launch notes were perhaps the best I've heard. A follow up volume to The Children of the Nation this book includes just about everything from memoir to the short story or blog entry and reflects on every aspect of the working life. That said I'm still reading through, having started with Gráinne Daly's, The Dublin - Meath Saga from 1991 - and having included a sporting section in our own magazine would love to have had this one. Be careful what you wish for. There are over two hundred pages here so it is no small book. It actually ends on a poem by Máire Dinny Wren, The Common People which follows her flash fiction piece written in Irish. The introduction by Jenny Farrell ends in the words of James Connolly describing the Starry Plough banner:

 

A free Ireland will control its own destiny, from the plough to the stars.

See Press Release below.

Priced at €12/£11 it is available from the Culture Matters website.

Culture Matters  here.

Drowsy Maggies!

 Drowsy Maggies!

Another one that goes back to the London of 1970 and the back streets off Kilburn High Road. Will add the text over the weekend. Enjoy.

Drowsy Maggies

An accordion dragged out somewheres,

Quex Road Sundays,

Backs to the wall

Talking of the summertime,

Going home.

And the drift to Mass,

The nod.

There were rumours

Of a start somewhere.

Casuals; observations

Of the scraps of a match,

The laments for the crossing.

The red pillar post box,

Imperial signs

Hanging off the overheads.

Approved bed and board,

Crooked Jacks,

Going home

And the fleadh.

Through an open doorway

Drowsy Maggies

Drowning out

Three Dog Night -

"Mama told me not to come"

Frank Murphy

From the Plough to the Stars/Press Release!

 Culture Matters 

Press Release

From the Plough to the Stars: An Anthology of Working People’s Prose from Contemporary Ireland

“The cooks, the cleaners, the porters: unsung heroes on the frontline” cried an Irish newspaper headline in early May 2020. During the pandemic it has become clear that whatever else fails, a society cannot function without the working class. The underlying inequalities of our class-divided society have also been laid bare by the coronavirus, including the ways in which working-class histories, experiences and values have never been adequately represented in our national cultural life. 

So it is particularly timely that on Monday 16th November, Clare Daly MEP will launch a unique anthology of prose by Irish working-class writers.  There are 50 contributions from the whole island of Ireland, driving home the fact that their life experience as working people is the same, no matter where on the island they live, on which side of the border, rural or urban, female or male, younger or older, writing in Irish or English.

The common focus is on themes which reflect the texture and preoccupations of working-class life in contemporary Ireland. The writers create a complex and varied image of Irish working people today, one that challenges conventional stereotypes of their class.

The anthology is edited by Jenny Farrell, has a foreword by Gerry Murphy, 

President of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, and it has been generously supported and promoted by the Irish labour movement.

 It is the follow-up volume to Children of the Nation: An Anthology of Working People’s Poetry from Contemporary Ireland, published by Culture Matters in 2019.

 From the Plough to the Stars: An Anthology of Working People’s Prose from Contemporary Ireland. ISBN: 978-1-912710-25-6  

Price: €12/ £11 plus p. and p. Available from the Culture Matters website, culturematters.org.uk.

 

Note to Editors: For further information or for interview please contact

Jenny Farrell, Associate Editor, Culture Matters 091792297, 089-4600425, or Mike Quille, Chief Editor, Culture Matters, editor@culturematters.org.uk

 

                     From the Plough to the Stars                     

 

 

The Class of Fifty Seven!

 The Class of Fifty Seven!

This is another one that was sent to the SiarScéal Festival and is about emigration and especially refers to 1957 when it is estimated that at least sixty thousand people left Ireland. The figure given for the period between 1945 and 1960 is about half a million. Extraordinary! I spent about a year in London around 1970 and the poem above harks back to all those who talked of going home. Not many I'd say.

The Class of Fifty Seven

Back for summertime vacations

Paid for Confirmations made

Last year's Debs

Or school reunions

With the shovel and the spade

The whole schoolyard assembled

With the writing on the wall

The class of fifty seven

And the Boat Train called

Danced round tunes

Played on a Sunday

Whiskey talk of going home

On the streets off

Kilburn High Road

Cricklewood or Camden Town

The Mission Fields of Asia

The States the sessions

And the craic

The ones who made it famous

The ones who never made it back.

Frank Murphy

Beneath Western Skies!

 Beneath Western Skies/ SiarScéal Anthology 2020!

The above anthology is produced by the SiarScéal Festival in County Roscommon and includes contributions from both adults and children that reflect on climate change, competition poems from the Hanna Greally Awards (2019), the Beneath Western Skies, exhibition on tour (2019) and the Beneath Western Skies exhibition (2018). There is a foreword by Gwen McNamara Bond, the SiarScéal Festival Founder/Director and a preface by Anni Wilton-Jones the editor of the collection. Reflections on Climate Change opens the collection followed by, A Selection from SiarScéal 2018 and 2019 - Adults, the book closing with, A Selection from SiarScéal 2018 and 2019 - Children and Young People. A number of local writers from the Meath area include Michael Farry whose prize winning poem, The Burma Road Blues won the competition in 2019, Rinn Dúin by Sinéad MacDevitt and Drowsy Maggies by myself. A copy of the book can be sourced from The Manuscript Publishers (TMP) and retails at €10 Euro. Another winner that is included in this collection is Faye Boland who won the award in 2017 and also must mention that the book includes a number of photographs that complement the poems included. 

The Lost Roads of South Meath!

 The Lost Roads of South Meath!

This was one of the poems I recorded for the SiarScéal Festival 2020 (Frank Fahy) but I had to delete the title and credits in order to get an upload to the blog. Too much data or something. Hope you enjoy. Will get back tomorrow with the text of the poem. I recorded a number of videos for The Meath Writers' Circle back about 2012 but this is the first since then. We were going to bring out a recording of some of the members back then but events as they say...events. 

The Lost Roads of South Meath

Boreens

They called 'em

Back roads.

Turning in on themselves

Merging

Between hedgerows

And red tin roofs.

The roads less

Travelled.

And the odd tourist

Taking the shortcut

Advised to go back

By a man making hurlies.

To a sign that said

Kill something or other

Pointing out in the fields

Of buttercups and dandelions

Blowing in the wind

And not a bog

For miles.

The afternoons spent

Nursing the Pint

Or a crossword

In grocery bars.

Stills battered out the back

And an insurance man

Selling clothes pegs,

The company 

Of a collie dog.

And there was any

God's amount

Of time.

Frank Murphy

Joan Baez OH FREEDOM

Listening to part of the Arena show on RTE last night I caught the item on Joan Baez and the book, The Last Leaf  by Elizabeth Thomson which is available on Amazon. It got me searching for an old album recorded in 1960 on the Vanguard label and this girl could sing. From the sleeve notes on the back, "A soprano voice with no break from the lowest to the highest registers", Joan Baez was some fine singer and one of the great social activists of the past century. The video above was loaded by PS109VanBurenHigh and a visit to Youtube to read the notes accompanying it is a must. When Martin Luther King gave his famous, "I Have a Dream" speech on the 28th of August 1963 she opened the proceedings with this. Recorded in 1958 when she was just 17 years old it was released in 1964. From the album it says she's of Mexican-Irish parentage but everywhere else it's Mexican-Scottish. Someone correct me. She was also part of the Northern Irish peace process. As I said of John Lennon - where are they now. Look around you. To finish - all life matters.

M&M29 Matt & Michael's Lockdown!

Another in the series of videos recorded by Michael Farry and Matt Gilsenan during the Covid crisis here in Ireland. This one includes a poem read by the late Tommy Murray of Trim, County Meath and a number of other interesting pieces as well. Very little going on around the county now but Michael and Matt keep turning them out each week. 

Plastic Ono Band - Give Peace A Chance (1969)

Meant to put something up over the weekend but just ran out of time. One of the great poets and songwriters of the twentieth century, John Lennon was just 40 years old when he died on December 8th in New York. Born on October 9th in 1940 he was a founder member of The Beatles and his writings have left more than a little to be remembered for, so go on and have some fun, give a listen. Just look around you now. Where have they gone! Posted by Yoko Ono and with thanks to that old share button on Youtube.

The Meath Writers' Circle/Annual Magazine 2020!

 The Meath Writers' Circle/Annual Magazine 2020!

 

Due to Covid - 19 restrictions there will be no launch of our magazine this year, however if you sent something in we will get a copy of the magazine to you in the next few days if at all possible. The contributors' copies have been printed and we're posting them out now or leaving them for pick up, whichever is more suitable. We should have some for sale next week and delighted if you purchased a copy or two. The retail price is € 8 and a giveaway! Seventy six pages of poetry, prose, short stories, children's poems and pieces of historical interest and all on glossy paper A4 size. Make a lovely Christmas Present.  

 

 

 

The Francis Ledwidge Poetry Award 2020!

The Francis Ledwidge Poetry Award 2020!

The closing date for this one is the 5th of November and the rules for entry stipulate that all poems must be the competitor's own work and not previously published or broadcast and poems should not exceed 40 lines of type.The entry fee is €5 per poem or four for €15. There is a trophy and cash prizes with a Ledwidge plaque for the winner with name inscribed and cash prizes and books for Second and Third places, also merit certificates for all finalists.

The winner will be invited to read at the annual Francis Ledwidge Commemorations at the National War Memorial Gardens in July 2021. The judges decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. Full information also on the Poetry Ireland webpage. Link to the right. Send your entries to: The Francis Ledwidge International Poetry Award 2020. C/o 20, Emmet Crescent, Inchicore, Dublin 8.

Winners will be notified and results will be announced at the annual awards night in December. Enquiries to 085 8497531. Facebook page: Inchicore Ledwidge Society.

Francis Ledwidge

M&M27/Michael Farry & Matt Gilsenan!

Here's some interesting video from both Michael Farry and Matt Gilsenan of Trim, County Meath. Despite the lockdown and the restrictions imposed they have produced a number of videos of both poetry and song and if the above is anything to go by, well worth the twenty minutes or so of your time. Michael Farry's blog link is to the right. Well done guys. Note the number!

The Fab Four and the Four Evangelists

Johnny Duhan's fantastic take on the "Fab Four" and a few others as well! Something for Culture Night or should that be Culture Weekend. His in-depth knowledge and musical background lends more than a little something to his analysis and makes for an interesting half hour or so. If "Eleanor Rigby" was the first Beatles track to get my attention then "Working Class Hero" was definitely the second. I can remember crossing the Half-Penny bridge in Dublin (going south) and hearing a busker give a fair old rendition to the original. It wasn't a song that got any real 'airplay' back then or even now. "So you think you're so clever...." "Across the Universe" is probably way out there somewhere beyond the furthest reach and that's some achievement for the guy from Liverpool. (NASA ~ look it up!) Together the Beatles were much more than the sum of their parts and changed everything. With thanks to Johnny and the old share button on youtube.  

Chapter 67 : Ballyshannon, Ireland’s Oldest Town!

Looking for something to go with The Allingham Festival info, I came across this fine video on Youtube. Narrated by Barry Sweeny it tells something of the history of Ballyshannon and the surrounding area. So with thanks to all concerned and the old share button. 

The Allingham Festival 2020

The Allingham Festival for 2020 is a Flash Fiction and Poetry competition with a closing date of  Monday, midnight, September 28th. You can submit online or by post and an entry form can be downloaded from their site. The entry fees and other details are also available on the Poetry Ireland competition page. (Link to the right)

www.allinghamfestival.com 

Enjoy the video and good luck with the competitions!

Staying Home/Brian Kirk!

Perhaps the best poem I've come across on the Covid 19 Pandemic. The video and poem combined are ten out of ten. It is part of a sequence of poems by the Dublin writer, Brian Kirk, 'focusing on the theme of isolation and social distancing and the wider issues and challenges of community and family arising out of the current Covid 19 Pandemic'. (From the writer's website: Link to the right)

Brian Kirk is a poet, short story writer, playwright and novelist from Dublin, Ireland. His first collection of poetry, After The Fall is published by Salmon Poetry and his novel for children, The Rising Son is also available. Awards and credits; too numerous to mention. With thanks to Youtube and Brian for loading. A visit to his website for more information.

Waterford Poetry Prize 2020!

Waterford Poetry Prize 2020!

The Arts Office, Waterford City & County Council is pleased to announce details of the Waterford Poetry Prize 2020. This is open to all writers currently living on the island of Ireland. The prize will be announced at the Waterford Writers' Weekend in October 2020, during the Imagine Arts Festival in Waterford city. There is no age limit and no entry fee,

The first prize is €400 plus attendance at a designated writing course at the Molly Keane Writers' Retreat, Ardmore in 2021. Second prize is €300 plus a writing course in Ardmore and third prize is €200.

The closing date for receipt of entries is 12 noon on Wednesday 16th of September 2020. The judge is writer and poet Colm Keegan. 

The entry form and guidelines can be downloaded from
 www.waterfordarts,com
Or by contacting the Arts Office on 058/41416.

* Info from Press Release. Good Luck!

Jonathan Swift Creative Writing Awards 2020.

Details of this year's competition is as above and entry form and other info is on their Facebook page. Also information on the competition's page of the Poetry Ireland website. Best of luck!

John Duhan - The Waste Land of Modern Culture

Johnny Duhan's take on modern culture or (Modern Heresies) was brought to my attention by another member of our group and his in-depth knowledge on poetry or literature is way above my pay grade. He has other videos out there on social media and such, on both The Beatles and James Joyce and others but his essay on Bob Dylan seems to have disappeared off Youtube. Agree or disagree, following on from Spoken Verse and his reading of The Wasteland you'll be entertained and perhaps a little more curious as to why modern poetry or literature is where it is. The easy response being, well it had to go somewhere, and perhaps so, but out in the wasteland somebody is probably asking the  "last" question. Or should that be word. Look it up! With thanks to Johnny Duhan for loading and the old share button on youtube. The above is well worth a listen.

* Johnny Duhan is one of Ireland's best known singer/songwriters.    

"The Waste Land - Death by Water & What the Thunder Said" by T.S. Eliot ...

And so to the end. Hope to come up with an interesting analysis. But that's for the next time, if possible. Again with thanks to Spoken Verse (Tom O' Bedlam) and the share button on youtube where you can read the comments as well.

"The Waste Land Part III The Fire Sermon" by T.S. Eliot (read by Tom O'...

And so on to part three - educational if nothing else - allusion, allusion. So you need to know lots of lots or head for some analysis. (Poem of course). Keep reading! With thanks to Tom O' Bedlam and the share button on youtube.

"The Waste Land - Part II - A Game of Chess" by T.S. Eliot (read by Tom ...

Again with thanks to Spoken Verse, Tom O' Bedlam for the reading and of course the old share button on youtube. This is all leading somewhere I'm sure and as someone who's been accused of writing crossword puzzles this is a long one with more to come. You'll have to chase those references up yourself! 

"The Waste Land - Part I - The Burial of the Dead" by T. S. Eliot (read ...

From the Spoken Verse site on youtube read by Tom O' Bedlam and with thanks. Said to be one of the most important poems of the twentieth century. But a few more episodes to come! You'll have to do your own research and if we make it to the end I'll let someone else dissect! 

Troubles ~ Michael Farry.

Troubles ~ Michael Farry.

Michael Farry is a poet and historian from Sligo in the west of Ireland and his writing here combines both disciplines to provide an insight into a period that has left a certain legacy that is still not resolved today. His third collection of poems brings to life again the mind and times of those who shaped the place we live in now and is no small collection. He ranges across any number of different interests and brings his own particular insights or take, unearthing names or events that the ordinary reader would not be familiar with and all with the expertise and competent technique readers of  his other books would be more than a little versed or accustomed to. You might beg to differ on some of the points but you'd better have your homework done. The book ends on a humorous note (or not) The Modern Day Historian is Condemned in that it takes its inspiration or at least some of it from Seamus Heaney's poem The Flight Path. Times you can't win. The irony of it all is I suppose that one hundred years after the events recorded here the major parties concerned would go into government together. If you wish to purchase a copy: Link to the right. For those with an interest in the history of the time, a must. Scroll further back to The Trim Poetry Festival for Anne Tannam's launch of the book. Published by Revival Press/Limerick. Michael Farry lives in Trim, County Meath.

Chasing the Wind ~ James Linnane!

Chasing the Wind ~ James Linnane!

Chasing the Wind by James Linnane is a series of reflections on love, life and everything in between. A total of eighty nine poems in all, it is a fair size collection and as the author say in the intro, "I have been scribbling poetry since I was 17, good and bad, about everything that happens in my life: joy, pain, despair, frustration, love, hate and anything in between can induce a poem in me". He writes about family, friends and other people and often with a humour that tells its own story. His social commentary has a keen edge to it and very hard to argue with the sentiments expressed. A member of a number of writing groups including The Boyne Writers and The Meath Writers' Circle he has published five books to date including the one above. His other books are, Never take an Irishman seriously unless he's armed (New York 1988) The Life and Times of a Gotcha (2011) The Potless Generation (2014) and Leaving Galway ( 2016). He now lives in Ballivor, County Meath with his wife and two daughters. 

For those who wish to contact James or to purchase a copy of his books his email is :Jameslinn48@gmail.co

His mobile: 00353-89-4216531

Chasing the Wind (2020)

The Virtual Allingham Concert July 16th 2020

Another festival that decided online was the way to go has some very interesting video of that part of Donegal with a little entertainment as well. Very well presented and enjoyable and perhaps these covid times will shape all such events in the future. Have to say I'm not familiar with that part of the country but Donegal has some history. Will watch again. "No hawk no hound"...  

Close ~ Trim Poetry Festival 2020!

Michael Farry closes the Trim Poetry Festival of 2020 with readings from Kate Dempsey, Maurice Devitt and Carolyne Van Der Meer. There are other videos from the festival available on their blog site and worth a visit. The good thing about the virtual festival is that you can dip in and out whenever you can find the time so it has that advantage. Again congratulations to all!

Groups Intro ~ Trim Poetry Festival 2020!

Introduction by Frances Browne, secretary of the Boyne Writers Group with information on three local writing groups participating in the festival.

Anne Tannam Reading ~ Trim Poetry Festival 2020!

The poet-in-residence for this year's on line festival by the Boyne Writers Group was Anne Tannam, a Dublin based poet with two collections published. Tides Shifting Across My Sitting Room Floor (Salmon Poetry - 2017) also And Take This Life (Word On The Street - 2011). Her third collection, Twenty Six Letters of a New Alphabet is forthcoming from Salmon Poetry this summer.

Dipping into the collection (not possible to listen to them all at once!) I got around to this one and it's a bit special so if you've been surfing and just happened to log onto this site, give yourself twenty minutes or so and have a listen.   

Anne Tannam (1)

Anne Tannam (2)

Info from The Trim Poetry Blogspot page. With thanks!

Competition ~ Trim Poetry Festival!

Another video from the Trim Poetry Festival site, to listen at your leisure. With an intro by Orla Fay, editor of The Boyne Berries magazine and a judge of the competition. Enjoy!

BullsArse ~ Navan Writing Group!

The above group are based in Navan, County Meath and were contributors to the recent Trim Poetry Festival. A chance to listen to some of their members and their poems. Videos from the Festival website and from youtube and with congratulations to Michael and Orla for the work done with regard to presentation. Will dip into a few more of them. A chance to listen at your leisure! 

LitLab ~ The Trim Poetry Festival 2020!

Lit Lab was initiated by the Cavan and Meath Arts Offices back when! I remember Tommy telling me about the group, so it would be pre 2010 at least. Anyway first chance to listen to some of the members although I have read some of their poems. The Trim Poetry Festival has left a nice collection of videos for dipping into and will probably load one or two more. 

"Troubles" - Michael Farry - Book Launch!

This is Michael Farry's latest book of poems and may be purchased on his website, link to the right or from Revival Press, Limerick. Launched by Anne Tannam at the Trim Poetry Festival.

Revival Press

BB1/Launch of Boyne Berries 27 by Orla Fay!

On this video Orla Fay launches Boyne Berries 27 with readings from some of the contributors.: Gerard Smyth, Felicia McCarthy, John D Kelly Lorraine Carey, Peter Goulding, Sinead MacDevitt and Orla reads a poem by Jenny Andersson (1940 - 2020) Enjoy!

President and Sabina celebrate Bloomsday 2020

For Bloomsday 2020, President Higgins hosted the first in a series of cultural performances highlighting Irish art, and makes a call to support artists at a time of crisis. From youtube, Loaded by Aras an Uachtaráin. Link from Verona and even at this late date a thank you to Noel O' Grady who sang and put in such a brilliant performance at the launch of our "Centenary Book" in the Trim Castle Hotel back in 2016, Thanks Noel.

https://president.ie/en/diary/details...

Bloomsday - James Joyce's First Date

With thanks to Jonathan Brielle who loaded. Hitting the share button on youtube! Finn's Hotel is in Dublin (Video Editor!) and Nassau Street which I often walked down. I think Nora said something about swinging a cat! Well done on the video. Something for Bloomsday.

Welcome/Trim Poetry Festival 2020!

A welcome to the Trim Poetry Festival by Boyne Writers chair, Michael Farry and also by Noel French, chair of Trim Municipal District and Trim Tourist Network.

MeathWritersCircle/Trim Poetry Festival 2020!

With thanks to Michael Farry for editing on the above. The Trim Poetry Festival which was postponed last March due to the corona virus was held over the weekend as an online event and if you click on the link to the right there is a whole library collection of poems for your entertainment. Every cloud has a silver lining and the video presentations here means that you can browse through at your leisure. Congratulations to all concerned. Will hit the share button more than a few times I think. The event saw the launch of 'Boyne Berries 27' by Orla Fay and Michael Farry's new poetry collection 'Troubles' by Anne Tannam.

The Children of the Nation/Reviews!

Review 1    Neil Young

Review 2    Cork Echo - Jenifer Horgan

Review 3    Galway Advertiser - Kevin Higgins

Review 4    Dublin Review of Books - Micheál O' hAodha

Review 5    Irish Times - Jenny Farrell

Review 6    Morning Star - Andy Croft

Review 7    People's Star - (USA)

Review 8    Derry Now

Just some of the reviews of The Children of the Nation. Have a read and enjoy.

Troubadour Poetry Prize 2020!

Troubadour Poetry Prize 2020!

Time to think about submitting your poems  to our prestigious poetry judges,  Mark Doty & Mona Arshi, for the 2020  Troubadour International Poetry Prize. Deadline 28 Sep, £3,500 in prizes, details below & on our prizes page, & feel free to pass info on to poetry groups, friends etc.  Anne-Marie Fyfe coffee-house poetry troubadour international poetry prize 2020 judged by mona arshi & mark doty first prize £2,000 second prize £1,000 third prize £500 plus 20 commendeds submit via email by mon 28 sep 2020 (Check out winners, winning poems & judges’ reports,  2019 & previous, on our poems page.) judges Mark Doty is an American poet & memoirist,  winner of Stonewall, Robert Creeley,  Lambda Literary & National Book Awards &  a former Chancellor of the Academy of American Poets.  His books of essays  include Still Life with Oysters and Lemon,  memoir includes Firebird &  Dog Years, &  his 13 poetry collections  range from Turtle, Swan (1987)  to Deep Lane: Poems (Norton, 2015).   His latest publication is What is the Grass:   Walt Whitman in my Life  (Norton & Cape, April 2020). Mona Arshi worked  as a Human Rights lawyer at Liberty  before starting to write poetry: her debut,  Small Hands won the 2015  Forward Best First Collection Prize,  her poems have featured  in Poems on the Underground &  she was recently commissioned  to write a programme  on The Odyssey for BBC Radio 4’s  Book of the Week.  Her latest collection is  Dear Big Gods (Pavilion Poetry, 2019) judges will read all poems submitted rules Poems: Poems may be submitted  from any country &  must be in English, must each be no longer  than 45 lines,  must show title & poem only,  must not show poet’s name,  must be the original work  of the entrant (no translations) &  must not have been previously published;  no text alterations after submission;  no limit on number of poems  or number of subsequent submissions. Submission: Email only, no postal entries;  email your poems as attachments  (.doc, .docx, .pdf, .rtf only)  to poems@coffeehousepoetry.org;  include in e-mail: Poet’s Name & Address,  Phone Number, List of Titles, Number of Poems,   Total Fees, & PayPal Receipt Number. Fees: £5/€6/$7 per poem  (Sterling/Euro/US-Dollars only);  payment via PayPal (see below,  PayPal account not required). Timeline: Submit by midnight (your local time)  on Mon 28 Sep 2020;  prizewinners will be contacted in week  commencing Mon 16 Nov 2020. Acknowledgement/Results:  Submissions acknowledged within 14 days of receipt;  results posted on website after Mon 23 Nov 2020;  judges’ decision is final; no correspondence entered into. Email Address: By including email address  you agree to receiving emails regarding  Troubadour International Poetry Prize.  You will not receive emails regarding Coffee-House Poetry  readings &  classes unless specifically requested. Note re Dates: The 2020 prize is now rescheduled  with an autumn closing date (see Timeline above),  having been placed on hold due to circumstances in March  which made the original June deadline impractical.  The small number of submissions  prior to that date were cancelled & fees returned. payment Our secure online payments are handled by PayPal  on our website prizes page;  PayPal account not required; all major credit cards accepted. This info was taken from the Troubadour Poetry email. So check Troubadour site to be sure of all details. Frank Murphy.