Journey to Seamus Heaney Home Place – read by Liam Neeson.

Journey to Seamus Heaney Home Place - Read by Liam Neeson.

Seamus Heaney was born on April 13th 1939 and died on August 30th 2013. So ten years ago to this day. He won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1995.This here is a wonderful video by 'Discover Ireland' where some of his poems are read by Liam Neeson, who has the perfect voice for it. I got a photograph of him and a number of other literary figures at an event on Tara during the protests about the motorway coming through. It came anyway. If you type in his name to the Blog the photographs should come up, Enjoy and go to youtube for the comments. 

Elizabeth Hickey - 1917 - 1999!

Elizabeth Hickey!

Came across this while wandering through youtube and I can remember the late Tommy Murray bringing her name up on more than a few occasions. Elizabeth Hickey lived very close to here and while I've been to many 'readings' and book launches over the years, I can't remember anyone else giving her a mention, although you might rightly claim she was one of the county's leading historians. There is an interesting piece on her background and her contributions over on Wikipedia and the above video is from Wiki Reads. (With thanks) She was the author of ' The Green Cockatrice', an account I believe that doesn't buy into the 'Stratford Story' and you'll have to chase that one up yourself as I have yet to read it and will not venture an opinion. I would imagine her research though was fairly comprehensive, so on my 'to do list'. For those who are foreign to these parts, Skryne is pronounced 'Skreen'. With that I will leave you. Enjoy. 

Elizabeth Hickey ~ 1917 - 1999. 

Celebrating Seamus Heaney: An Evening of Poetry and Song.

Celebrating Seamus Heaney: An Evening of Poetry and Song on Sunday 3rd September.

Greetings Poetry Friends,

Carol Owens kindly forwarded me this notice of an exciting evening in the Abbey on Sunday evening 3rd September. 

Tickets appear to be going quickly but there are some still available. I have just booked 2 seats.  

On the Heaney theme John Bowman is doing a series of 4 radio programmes on Heaney’s stuff in the RTE archives at 8.30 am on Sunday mornings. He has done 2 programmes already.

Also to remind you our next poetry session is on Tuesday evening 26th September at 7.30 pm

Theme not confirmed yet. Suggestions welcome....!

Best wishes,

Jim

087 9676728 

1964: Philip Larkin and John Betjeman on Poetry | Monitor | Classic arts...

Philip Larkin and John Betjeman 

One from the vaults and very interesting, both of these guys were fine writers and Betjeman spent more than a while in Ireland. His poem 'Ireland's Own' about the burial of Thomas Moore is really worth a listen, if you can find a recording of it and Philip Larkin's 'Going, Going' is another. Look them up and enjoy. This video is from the BBC Archive and with thanks.

The Mary Wallopers 'Building up and Tearing England Down', Underground P...

The Mary Wallopers ~ Building up and Tearing England Down.

Written by Dominic Behan (22nd October 1928 - 3rd August 1989)

There are so many back stories here you'll have to chase them up or 'down'. The Mary Wallopers are a folk group from Dundalk in County Louth and would be in a line that includes the best there is. There are many versions of this ballad out there but most people of my generation would probably remember it from 'The Dubliners' or Dominic's own version of the song. It is some fine piece of writing and it will be remembered and around as a record of the conditions endured on the building sites of England and other places from the ending of world war two almost to the present. The New Victoria Lines paid well but you paid. Loaded by John Reilly and with thanks. 

Theo Dorgan reads his poem "Croke Park"

Theo Dorgan reads his poem 'Croke Park'

Having been 'up for the match' yesterday as it were, brings this poem to mind and he gave us permission to use it in our magazine a number of years back when we did a sporting section. Sport really is poetry in motion and I have this weird theory that counties that are good at one are usually very good at the other. May not always be true. Great to see women's sport getting its share of media coverage these days and anyone who went to Croke Park yesterday certainly got their money's worth though this ticketing on line really annoys me. I see the 'Ploughing Championship' are up for the same lark, though he'll get in free. Coming from Meath the game goes to a replay in Thurles next Saturday. It really was a game of two halves with Derry very much in control in the first half and Meath coming within a fraction of a fraction of winning it in the end. Allowing for the distance that fans will have to travel, better a half way point or even Croke Park itself for the replay. But them's the breaks. From the 'UCD Special Collections' and with thanks.  

* I see from the Meath Camogie page that the venue is now in Clones! Makes sense. 

* Information directly from Poetry Ireland Website.

Poetry Competition - Letterkenny Cathedral Quarter Literary Festival 2023

Deadline: 15 Sep 2023

Letterkenny Cathedral Quarter Literary Festival 2023

Poetry Competition

Letterkenny Cathedral Quarter Literary Festival is delighted to announce its inaugural poetry competition. This year, the Festival will celebrate the centenary of the birth of Brendan Behan and his connections with Letterkenny. Considering Behan’s achievements through adversity, the theme for the poetry competition is Against the Odds.  Poets, interpret as you wish! 

Five shortlisted entrants will be invited to read their entry at the Letterkenny Cathedral Quarter Literary Festival and the winners will be announced at the event. The competition will be judged by Mary Turley-McGrath. Mary is a poet and writer who has published four collections of poetry.    

The Festival wishes to thank Bookmark, Letterkenny for sponsoring our prizes. The winner will receive €150 and runner-up €100. Three highly commended entries will receive book tokens. The closing date for entries is Friday 15th September 2023.

Submission Guidelines.

The poems must be the author’s own unpublished work on the theme provided.
Entry is free. Entrants must be over 18 and from the island of Ireland. Entries to be in English, or Irish with a translation.    
You may submit up to 3 poems, one submission per person. Maximum length of each poem to be 30 lines, excluding title. Entries should be typed in a clear font.
Ensure that your name does not appear on the work. In the body of the email, please include contact details e.g. name, county and telephone number.  
Five shortlisted entrants will be expected to read at the Festival in October 2023, please consider this factor when entering.

Copyright remains with the author.  
Entry to the competition implies acceptance of the rules. The judge’s decision is final.     
Submit your work as a Word document by email to lkcqfest@gmail.com by the closing date of Friday 15th September 2023.