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

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 ~ 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!

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 ~ 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".

An Tobar/Poetry for Pleasure!

An Tobar/Poetry for Pleasure!

An Tobar/Google Images

Last night's meeting of the Poetry for Pleasure group was chaired by Danny Cusack and included readings of some fine poems by authors such as W.B.Yeats, Austin Clarke, Patrick Pearse, Wendel Berry, Longfellow, Arthur Symons, Radclyffe Hall, Matthias Claudius and one or two local poets. The theme was on nature and sowing and opened with a poem by Thomas Hardy called "The Darkling Thrush" which was written on the last day of the nineteenth century. I remember reading it many years ago in a book by Karen Armstrong (A History of God) where she remarked on, " the growing blankness where God once existed in the human consciousness" and noted that, "one of the first people to express this dry desolation - quite different from the heroic atheism of Neitzsche - was Thomas Hardy", in his poem The Darkling Thrush. Another highlight of the night was Sean Reilly's reading of Myra Lalor's poem "Do You Remember". Myra was a member of both The Meath Writers Circle and the Navan Writers and her poetry was published in several journals including Poetry Ireland Review, The Irish Times and The New York Times. The theme of next month's meeting is "Easter" and the meeting is on Tuesday the 18th of April at 7.30 pm.

"Poetry for Pleasure Group"/An Tobar.

"Poetry for Pleasure Group"

Jim Owens and Danny Cusack

The Poetry for Pleasure Group will meet on the third Tuesday of every month in An Tobar, Ardbraccan, County Meath and people are welcome to come along and read a poem or just listen to the choice of the other participants. Last night was the initial get together and about sixteen turned out for what was an interesting mix with poetry from Kavanagh to Montague to Kennelly and pieces where the author is unknown. It was a thought-provoking evening or get together with everything from recitation to modern prose in what are very comfortable surrounds. The group organizers are Stephanie O' Brien, Danny Cusack and Jim Owens and the next meeting is on Tuesday the 21st of February at 7.30pm. For further information contact Jim Owens at 087 967 6728 or Jackie Smyth (An Tobar) at 046 907 8973.