Poetry for Pleasure ~ An Tobar, September 2023!

 Poetry session this Tuesday evening 26th Sept. at 7.30 in An Tobar,Ardbraccan

Jim Owens <jim@slip.ie>

Mon 25/09/2023 21:25

Good evening folks

 A quick reminder that we have our September poetry session tomorrow evening Tuesday 26th in An Tobar at 7.30pm

We didn't agree on a theme the last evening in July.

Someone recently suggested  Summer Memories? Or perhaps Harvest Time?

Or some other theme that takes your fancy!!

Can I bring to your attention a fascinating weekend in An Tobar . Details below

Hope to see you tomorrow evening 

Apologies for late note

Slán go Fóill

Jim O

Mobile: 087 9676728

Your one wild and precious life

“Tell me what it is you plan to do with your one wild and precious life” is a quote from Mary Oliver’s poem, The Summer Day, and is a question many of us ask at different times in our life's journey.

Over the weekend writer and broadcaster John MacKenna will lead a retreat based around the work of the poet Mary Oliver whom he says “ is one of the most popular but also one of the most spiritual of contemporary poets”.

Over the course of the weekend, we will explore her approaches through different media to the worlds of prayer, spirituality, the environment, loss and self-discovery.

 

Mary Oliver was an exemplar of environmental awareness. The woodlands and walks around Ardbraccan will hopefully facilitate our reflection on and responsibility for the natural world.

 

Date: Friday 29^th September — Sunday 1^st October 2023

 

Time: Registration: 6.00pm

 

Cost: Residential €300.00 | Non-Res €200.00

 

Venue: An Tobar Retreat & Spirituality Centre

   Ardbraccan, Navan, Co Meath, C15 T884

 

Website: www.antobar.ie |Email: jackie@antobar.ie|Tel: (046) 9078973

 

Bruce Springsteen - Highway Patrolman ( Lyrics )

Bruce Springsteen ~ Highway Patrolman!

June the first 1981 was a fine and sunny day but I was driving in the wrong direction. On the other side of the road cars were bumper to bumper and heading for Slane in County Meath and the Bruce Springsteen concert. Now looking that far back there are not too many days you can remember where you were or who you were with. But I was on the Navan to Trim road and like I said, going in the wrong direction. The other driving memory I have of Bruce is of turning onto Tahlia Street in Jeddah down near the Jamjoon Centre and the above playing on the tape deck and something about it and again like I said there are not too many days you can remember where you were or who you were with. The above tells of a moral choice that is almost an absolute though the place-names have been argued about. There are other Bruce songs that I like but I can't remember where I was when I heard them first. I believe he's not too well at the moment, so wishing him the best. Yesterday was his 74th birthday. He was born on Saturday the 23rd of September 1949. The above was loaded by 'Don Mac' and with thanks.   

The Last Farewell (w/lyrics) ~ Roger Whittaker

The Last Farewell ~ Roger Whittaker

Sorry to hear of the passing of Roger Whittaker who died a few days ago. He was one of the more gentle of folk singers and very English in many ways though I believe from Wikipedia that his greatest fan base was in Germany. Also I note that he had Irish connections as well and lived here for a while. His married Natalie O' Brien in 1964 so perhaps that explains that. Born in Nairobi, Kenya where he saw active service, his mother later moved to England in 1969 following a family tragedy and the murder of her husband. I hope the above information is accurate but you can chase it down on other sources. He was a fine singer and amassed an incredible amount of followers and awards. The above video was posted by 'Denise' and with thanks.

Born: 22nd of March 1936

Died: 13th September 2023

 

Hannah Greally Literary Awards 2023!

 Hannah Greally Literary Awards 2023!

This one has a closing date of Friday the 22nd of September at 5 pm and is free to enter though one entry only is allowed. The SiarScéal festival takes place on Saturday the 21st October at Roscommon County Library, Abbey Street, Roscommon Town and full details and further information are given on their website address below. 100 lines for poetry submitted and 2000 words for prose but check out the full details for entry requirements. Good luck!

www.siarsceal.org 

Cogar 4 - Goodnight Ballivor (4/4)

Cogar ~ Goodnight Ballivor - John Quinn!

Last in the series and hope you enjoyed. Ballivor in a corner of Meath and always worth a visit. Again with thanks to bpkilmer who loaded the videos and to TG4.

Cogar 3 - Goodnight Ballivor (3/4)

Cogar ~ Goodnight Ballivor - John Quinn!

Part three of the four part series loaded by 'bpkilmer' about John Quinn's childhood days growing up in the south Meath village of Ballivor County Meath. TG4 are excellent on these and other types of documentaries and are well worth checking out.

Cogar 2 - Goodnight Ballivor (2/4)

Cogar - Goodnight Ballivor ~ John Quinn!

Part two of the series on growing up in the south Meath village. Enjoy. Loaded by bpkilmer and with thanks.

Cogar - Goodnight Ballivor (1/4)

Cogar ~ Goodnight Ballivor ~ John Quinn!

Back in 1996 RTE radio did a documentary on the above and it's one of those that tend to stay with you,

By coincidence, a year or so later I was picking someone up from Navan Hospital when a gentleman asked me how he might get back to Ballivor and I replied, "Goodnight Ballivor, I'll sleep in Trim" to which he replied, " I'm the man who played the accordion on that show" and we spent a few moments talking about things. John Quinn is a writer and broadcaster from the south Meath village and in the above he reminisces about the village he grew up in. He also contributed a number of pieces to our magazine over the years. The above documentary is from TG4 and is one of the best. ( Yet to watch!) Loaded by bpkilmer and with thanks, a public service, loading the above. Hopefully I'll be able to find the other parts. 

Felix Dennis - NEVER GO BACK!

Felix Dennis ~ Never Go Back!

Wandering through Youtube I came across this poem and I remember reading it back in 2012 at a Poetry Day special in Navan Library. Felix Dennis was a remarkable man and was known as 'The Millionaire Poet' and there's few out there can say that, if any, though he was much more than that and I suggest a visit to Wikipedia to check out his background. Also I read somewhere that the above was a motto that he lived by. A very successful entrepreneur his contributions to the world he lived in were second to none. Posted by 'rankamateurfilms' and with thanks. 

Felix Dennis ~ 27th May 1947 - 22nd June 2014.

The Meath Writers' Circle ~ September 2023!

The Meath Writers' Circle ~ September Meeting!

The next meting of the group is on this Thursday night coming at 7 pm in Navan Library and all are welcome to attend. Bring your poem or story or just drop in for while and who knows? The group has been in existence now for over thirty years and while many of our members have come and gone; hopefully new writers will see it last another decade or so. The Covid years were a trial but even then we managed to get out a magazine or two and we couldn't have done that without the assistance of others who contributed in many ways. Hope to see you on the night.  

Oliver Anthony - Rich Men North of Richmond (with Lyrics)

Oliver Anthony - Rich Men North of Richmond.

From the poetry of people and place to that of protest and this one has comments on it from all over the world, so it's not just north of Richmond. Gone viral as they say! Can't say I'd heard it until a mention on RTE about a week ago but then western civilization 'if you could call it civilization' is in a crisis these days. Not too many people sing protest songs anymore or perhaps it's just that they don't get air-time anymore so no Dylans or Guthries or Ewan McColls and of course not forgetting our own Christy. But this guy has touched on a nerve and it has slipped through the cracks. I believe he turned down an eight million dollar record deal. Loaded by 'Walker' and with thanks. Go to Youtube for the many many comments.