An Tobar ~ Poetry for Pleasure/Ardbraccan!

 An Tobar ~ Poetry for Pleasure/ September 2021!

Leona Rennicks was the MC for an outdoor event at An Tobar on Sunday last where the theme of the gathering was 'Hope' or new beginnings. Maybe as many as twenty poems were read by the different participants and a wide variety of material was covered. The weather held out fine and the Meath ladies won the All Ireland at Croke Park for good measure. The first poem read seems appropriate given the outcome of the game and was penned by Edgar A. Gest, Don't Quit and was followed by, The Rose of Hope written by Madison Julius Cawein. Can't say I've come across that before. Michael D. Higgins's poem, The Picnic was next followed by Willie G. Hodgins reading his own poem, Hope. The very well known piece by Joyce Kilmer, Trees was followed by All the Way Down (Jonah) by Thomas Merton. A Nest for My Cares by Lilian Byrne (Can't find info on that) on a quick search. Also must include, For a New Beginning by John O' Donohue.

A Robin's Review was read by Brian Scott and inspired by the afternoon readings at James McConnell's earlier in the year. The poem was written by his wife Louise. She followed by another of her own poems, The Lightkeeper.  Louise is an accomplished and award winning poet. Swallows by Geraldine Lalor of Dunsany was read next and she was a member of The Meath Writers' Circle for many years. She passed away a number of years back and was one of Meath's finest writers.

Rose Mawdsley of Bohermeen read her own poem, Morning and the host for the afternoon, Jim Owens, gave it a second reading. I read an old poem of mine, Discovery (Here be Dragons) which has something of a new beginning about it if you want to go there! Sean Reilly read a poem from a collection by Garrison Keillor (Tom Hennen) but my notes here leave more than something to be desired and the name escapes me. Carmel Murray gave the best reading of the day reciting her piece titled, Moore Street and acted out the part as it should be. Leona came back in with a poem by Helen Steiner Rice, New Beginnings followed by a reading of, Lines Written on a Seat by Patrick Kavanagh and the gentleman who read Kavanagh's poem read from Pegasus by the same author. Willie finished off the day with his poem, Kind Words and Deeds. Info about the next meeting to follow!