Swift Satire Festival Trim County Meath.

Battle of the Books

The Swift Satire Festival is now in its sixth year and for those who like a little something that is perhaps not so politically correct then this could be the place to be! That said however the Battle of the Books has been relegated to the opening night and will cost you only the princely sum of €5 to get in. The President, Michael D Higgins is there for the Sunday Lunch and a "Bite of Satire" though the bite on the Thursday might be more agreeable, and being a well read man would have no difficulty with the long word or the lean out into the left field. It promises to be an interesting weekend though and if you find yourself in the vicinity of Trim or its environs why not drop in for a while.

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Swift Satire Festival

Trim County Meath

www.swiftsatirefestival.com

The Swift Satire Festival Trim County Meath

Swift Satire Festival

Michael Farry

Street Scene

If Jonathan Swift were to return to his old parish this weekend I wonder what he would make of the festival which kicks off on Thursday night. Difficult to say though I'd imagine he'd have more than enough material to get worked up about. Last year's Battle of the Books would have had him wondering about the ancients and where it all began and what the hell was a tracker mortgage anyway. Credit where credit was due  and when his new school was open everyone would be able to read and write. If the weather holds! Not much to look forward to there. Still one can but hope! Meanwhile both sets of writers are squaring up and a clean contest is promised with no kicking  gouging or biting or as Joe Jacobs said...never mind. Anyway the festival runs from Thursday 5th July to Sunday 8th July with full details at www.swiftsatirefestival.com and more on Michael Farry's blog and Meath Books. Just click on the link to the right. Some of Ireland's leading satirists will attend. 

The Battle of the Books 2011

Presentation: Battle of the Books 2011

                                  
Michael Farry put in a great performance to win this year's Battle of the Books at the Castle Hotel in Trim on Sunday last. Ably assisted by Bill Comerford, James linnane, and Caroline Finn who put in a great performance herself the trophy was presented afterwards by Noel Dempsey.

Early favourites and odds on to win the event The Meath Writers ran out seconds on an afternoon hampered out to bad ground and the over reliance on a timepiece purloined off on an away leg out to the Stretford End. Coupled with the long "wait" of expectation and the low blood sugar levels, the failure to secure an inside line mitigated heavily against when the match officials lined out on the other side, but gracious to the end the Meath Writers offered the heartiest of congratulations and departed for lunch, in Dunshaughlin!

Photo: Noel Dempsey presenting Trophy to Michael Farry and other members of team.

          From left/Caroline Finn, Bill Comerford, Noel Dempsey, Michael Farry

          And James Linnane,

The Battle of the Books.

The Battle of the Books has come and gone, and the Boyne Writers have gone, off with the spoils. I picked up this account up from one of the combatants fleeing the scene, though I'm claiming credit for it myself, of course. One does.

The Battle of the Books.

Much to contend with.

Weather bad,

and the loss of

the high moral ground

an early factor.

Loose talk,

of the purge.

And the flag of

convenience

thrown in.

The electoral rolls.

Revisionists everywhere!

A war about a horse

And some girl

shopping in Printemps.

Having platonic relationships

in Paris.

While swapping recipes

over a cocktail sausage

that was best served

cold.

Old scores!

Might have been different

if our cromwellian allies

had come

But, C'est La Guerre!

Sour Grapes.

Photo: A Place of Learning.

The Battle of the Books.

Battle of the Books.

Inebriated by the exuberance of their own verbosity,and late of the King's Library, and even later of Trim, the Royal and Ancient Order of Scribes, will gather one week hence at the said Castle to debate on whether contemporary learning has surpassed anything at all! May the best team win. Tickets are €25 Euro each and available from The Trim Swift Committee. I borrowed the opener from Benjamin Disraeli who had a lot to say on such things. More info at http://www.boynewriters.com/ and follow the links. Such is the seriousness of this, I had difficulty in finding an image suitable and had to settle for less.


Before I go I have to mention a competition worth keeping an eye out for next year. The Jonathan Swift Creative Writing Awards in Saggart Co Dublin, (where I had some little success) is worth a look in. The standard of the short stories was something else. Signing off.

Photo: Clouds over Meath.