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