An Tobar/Poetry for Pleasure ~ May 2019!

An Tobar/Poetry for Pleasure ~ 2019!

The theme for last Tuesday night's get together at An Tobar was 'Schooldays' or something you learned from back then which brought out a few interesting contributions and poems. Chaired by Leona Rennicks the first poem read was by John Quinn, "For the Children of St. Mark's" followed by Eugene Kane reading one of his own, " Coolronan New School"  Thomas Hood's "I Remember, I Remember" came next followed by Zohar Dida's "There is a Normal Sadness" (Not familiar with that - must chase it up?) Read "Rooms and Canon" myself and this was followed by a poem from our first book called, "First Day" by Collette Gibson. "Vengeance is Mine" by Willie G. Hodgins was read by himself and was followed by "A Noble Boy" written by Mary Dow Brine. "Damson" by Seamus Heaney followed next and  "We Wear the Mask" by Paul Laurence Dunbar was also included. Eugene Kane finished off with "A Friend Is" and then out to refreshments and conversation. The group meet again on Tuesday the 18th of June with a theme on 'Summer'. All are welcome!  

An Tobar/ Poetry for Pleasure!

An Tobar/ Poetry for Pleasure ~ March 2019!

Last Tuesday night's gathering of the poetry group in Ardbraccan had a guiding theme of, "Celtic Travelers" and though loosely interpreted brought out some interesting material both old and new. "The Burial of Thomas Moore" by Sir John Betjeman had an interesting story or two attached and was followed by, "St Patrick" read by Willie G. Hodgins which is from a collection of his own poems he had published a while back. "The Wayfarer" by Patrick Pearse was read next followed by, "The Journey Home" by Rabindranath Tagore. Braving it perhaps as was the next one by Billy Collins, "Passengers" which gave pause for thought! "The Spring Well" by Cathal O' Searcaigh was followed by, "The Sea Farer" an Anglo Saxon narrative which was read by Carol Owens. (A translation of!) "The Song of Wandering Aengus" by W.B. Yeats also got an airing and was followed by, "Going Home to Mayo" by Paul Durcan, a favourite of Jim Owens, followed by, "The Poem of Columcille" taken from some ancient text, though author unknown I believe. Willie read, "April Fool" and Sean Reilly finished off the evening with Stephen Foster's, Beautiful Dreamer". Quite a selection on what seemed a difficult theme. The theme for next month is "Dreams".  

An Tobar/Poetry for Pleasure!

An Tobar/ Poetry for Pleasure ~ February 2019!

Carel Owens chaired last Tuesday night's meeting of the group and on a theme of "Poems of the Heart" there were some interesting choices. Her own poem about her father and one by Brigid Herbert did not have titles. The night led off with a poem by MacDara Woods "The Sixteenth kind of Fear" and one I'm not familiar with and hope I got it right. Hannah Hodgson's "Parents" is another one I haven't come across and Willie Hodgson read a couple "The Private Tutor" and "A Proposal" and I think there are a number of them out there with titles of the same. "Spring Memory" by Teresa Brayton is I think is from her book "Songs of the Dawn" and I hope someone will correct me if I got any of the above wrong. "Flowers" by Wendy Cope was also included as was "Young Lambs" by John Clare. Ruairi Somers read his own poem "The Shopkeeper" and I read "A House of Cards" and Willie read one of his own as well. I will have to check the title. A night for detective work! The theme for next month is "Celtic Travellers." Should be interesting! 

An Tobar ~ Poetry for Pleasure!

An Tobar ~ Poetry for Pleasure

The first meeting of the Poetry for Pleasure group (2019) takes place this Tuesday night coming in An Tobar Ardbraccan, Navan with a guiding theme of "Unknown Poets" though someone is sure to have come across one or two of them in their travels. Should make for an interesting evening. For further details please contact Jim Owens at 087 967 6728 or Jackie Smyth (An Tobar) at 046 789 73. All are welcome and light refreshments will be served.  

An Tobar ~ December Meeting 2018!

Poetry for Pleasure/An Tobar Ardbraccan Navan.

The theme for last Tuesday night's meeting was, "A Winter's Fall" which introduced a few old favourites as well as some not heard before. "Twas the Night Before Christmas" by Clement Clarke Moore led off followed by "Gardening Diary" by Reginald Arknell and something from "A Winter's Tale" by William Shakespeare who also got a look in with "Love Labour's Lost." Eiláin Ni Chuilleanáin's "A Winter Prayer" was read as was her poem "Swineherd"   and "Snow Flakes by Rose Mawdsley, her own composition, was followed by "The Moon". Willie G. Hodgins read "The Donkey "  and "In a Winterland" from his own collection and I myself read "Christmas" which was one of the first poems I wrote. (Back When!) "Winter, Fire and Snow" by Macdara Woods was played and sung via the smartphone by Orla Fallan or was that Anuna?(Will load more info about on next post!)
 "On a Night Of Snow" by Elizabeth Coatsworth got a reading and Carol Owens read a poem about a well known shoe shop in Navan. Thomas Hardy's "Snow in the Suburbs" followed. Also read was "A Lament" by Reginald Arknell. Did someone read " The Ghost of Christmas Past?" Get back to me!   

An Tobar ~ Ardbraccan/Poetry for Pleasure!.

An Tobar ~ Ardbraccan Navan

The next meeting of the "Poetry for Pleasure" group in An Tobar takes place a week early on Tuesday the 11th of December at 7.30 pm and all are welcome to attend. The guiding theme for the night is "A Winter's Tale" whatever your interpretation or chosen piece. Light refreshments will be served afterwards. Contact Jim Owens at 087 967 6728 or Jackie Smyth (An Tobar) 046 90 789 73 for further details.

An Tobar ~ Poetry for Pleasure

An Tobar ~ Poetry for Pleasure

About fifteen people turned out for last Tuesday night's readings in Ardbraccan and for what was a very entertaining evening with a wide variety of poems read on a theme of "My Favourite Place." A light interpretation though was in order with Austin Clarke getting the lead off with "The Planter's Daughter" followed by Michael Longley's "Carrigskeewaun" and "The Leveret." Carol Ann Duffy's "Meeting Midnight" was followed by "Tara" by Carol Owens and Tom French's "The Shamrock Road." Sean Kane entertained with "The Two Travellers" by C. J. Boland, so be careful what you boast about. Willie G. Hodgins read "A Cradle for a King" and Claire Kane read Felix Halton's "The Banks of Lough Gowna. William Allingham's "Adieu to Ballyshannon" was followed by Eugene Kane reading "My Dream" and Sean Reilly reading Myra Lalor's "Gypsies of Long Ago." Myself I read "The Hejaz" and there was also a water colour by John G. Ryan displayed. Other poems included Una Leavy's "Going to Gowel", Macdara Woods "Above Pesaro" and "Estonian Fields" by Kevin Dwan. Admission Day" by Carol Owens and "The Green Kingdom" by Margaret Fagan were also included. Sure to have left something out but that was some collection of poems for one night! Eileanain Ni Chuilleanain also gets a mention. If I've left anyone out please remind! A reference to Ethna Cantwell and "41 Watergate Street" ? and to finish Patrick Kavanagh's "Inniskeen Road".

An Tobar ~ Poetry for Pleasure!

An Tobar ~ Poetry for Pleasure!

This month's meeting of the Poetry for Pleasure group in An Tobar, Ardbraccan, County Meath has a theme of "Place" or something that relates to it in someway depending on interpretation. The start time is 7.30 pm this Tuesday night coming and everyone is welcome to attend. Light refreshments will be served afterwards. Contact Jim Owens at 087 967 6728 or Jackie Smyth (An Tobar) at 046 90 789 73 for further details. 

An Tobar ~ Poetry for Pleasure/ Readings!

Poetry for Pleasure/Readings!

Last night's gathering in An Tobar, Ardbraccan was hosted by Jim Owens and included members of a number of different writing groups and local poets. A wide selection of favourite poems were read and with a theme on the Autumn of John Keats 'season of mists and mellow fruitfulness' - given a little poetic license; the following poems were read. The Canditate by Thomas Gray, A Soft-edged Reed of Light by Julia Copus, Temptation in Harvest by Patrick Kavanagh, Journey's End by Reginald Arkel, The Astronomical Fall by Carol Owens, The Fiddler o' Legananny by Richard Rowley, (recited from memory by Sean Kane) To Autumn by John Keats, The Guest House by Rumi, The Ranch by Eugene Kane, Luke Kelly by Claire Kane, Sunflower by Willie G. Hodgins, The Rising Tide by Frank Murphy, (the only poem I have with a mention of Autumn in it) and if I remember correctly there was another poem by Reginald Arkel, Apple Blossoms? and did somebody read a poem by Síobhan O' Luan? Should keep better notes! Hope somebody will correct me on that!   

An Tobar/Poetry for Pleasure ~ July 2018!

An Tobar/Poetry for Pleasure ~ July 2018!

The theme for this month's get together was journeying or travel in some form or other and the meeting attracted a fair old attendance with about seventeen people there in all. The poetry read was an interesting mix of both modern and old favourites followed by a little light refreshments afterwards.  "Tel Aviv" by Ronan Rodgers was the opening contribution which was an interesting take on the Eurovision and who knows? Other pieces read included, "An Englishman Abroad" by myself, "The Road to Kinsale" by Aubrey De Vere, "The Weary Traveller" by Willie G. Hodgins, "Hollyhead" by Jonathan Swift, "The Road not Taken" by Robert Frost, "Originally" by Carol Ann Duffy, "Memo of a Camel Man" by Joseph Richard Dunne, "To Trust in the Not Knowing" by Marion Murphy, "The Caravelles" by Sir John Squires, "Cambodia" by Lee Crowell, " The Journey Home" Maura/ Eamon Flanagan, "Clouds" by Eugene Kane, "Madrigals and Ploughing" by Giovanni Pascalli, translated by Seamus Heaney? Not sure on those! " The Washer Woman" by Seamus Heaney, "Shoe Shore" by Pheme Glass and "The Road Home" Gillian Allnutt. A few there I'm not familiar with! Also a writing group from Raheny, Dublin joined us on the night.

Poetry for Pleasure/AnTobar Ardbraccan.

Poetry for Pleasure Group 2018

An Tobar, Ardbraccan, Co Meath

                     Tuesday evening 17^th July at 7.30pm

 Guiding Theme: Journey and travel     

For further information please feel welcome to contact: 

Ø Jim Owens 087 967 6728,  Email: kiltale@eircom.net

Ø Carol Owens  Email: carol.peacefulhaven@gmail.com

Ø Jackie Smyth (An Tobar) 046 9078973                                               email: antobarnavan@gmail.com

The Group meets on the third Tuesday of each month (No meeting in August)

Everybody welcome

                    

An Tobar/Poetry for Pleasure ~ March 2018!

An Tobar/Poetry for Pleasure/Ardbraccan, Navan.

The theme for last Tuesday night's meeting was either satire or romance and just about everyone managed a poem or two that was either one or both. Some of the more interesting included Thomas De Quincey's, On Murder Considered as one of the Fine Arts, first published in 1827 and Willie G. Hodgins', Romance with a Difference.  She Walks in Beauty by Lord Byron was very well read by Sean Reilly and if I remember correctly he did a take on Julie Andrews', My Favourite Things. All had interesting stories attached. Other pieces read included, Song of Wandering Aengus by W. B. Yeats, Base Details by Siegfried Sassoon, The Hospital by Patrick Kavanagh, and also his poems, Come Dance With Kitty Stobling and Consider The Grass Growing, so he was the most popular on the night. Myself I read, A Knight's Tale and A House of Cards and Lines Written in Early Spring by William Wordsworth also got a reading. The theme for the next meeting in April is, Pastimes.

An Tobar Ardbraccan County Meath!

Poetry for Pleasure/An Tobar/Ardbraccan.

Just a reminder though maybe a little late. The "Poetry for Pleasure" group meet on the third Tuesday of every month in An Tobar, Ardbraccan, Navan and the next meeting is tomorrow night where the theme is on humour!. You can contact Jim at 087 967 6728 or Jackie at 046 907 8973. The meeting time is 7.30 pm and light refreshments will be served afterwards.

An Tobar ~ Poetry For Pleasure!

An Tobar ~ Poetry For Pleasure 

Christmas Tree/Kilmessan

Chaired by Jim Owens the "Poetry For Pleasure" group had their Christmas get together last night in An Tobar Navan where the theme naturally enough was on the Christmas season and memories of times past. Everyone got to read or recite a favourite poem with Patrick Kavanagh coming up more than a few times. Other writers included were, Christina Rossetti, Henry Wordsworth, Anne Ridler, Mary Oliver, Sean Reilly, Camilus Kane, Noel Monahan, Carol Owens, Eugene Kane, Sean Kane, Frank Murphy, David Olney, Milo O' Shea and Willie G. Hodgins. I'm sure there were a few more that I've missed and there were some other stories told as well. Sean Reilly finished of with the Christmas carol, "Silent Night". The next meeting will be on Tuesday the 16th of January where the theme is "starting afresh".