Sunflower.

"Sunflower" A first book of poems by William G Hodgins was launched in Navan Library on Thursday the 23rd of April by Trim poet and writer Tommy Murray with guest readings from members of The Meath Writers' Circle and the Navan Writers. Tom French who made the arrangements also read a number of his poems, and a few others contributed as well if my memory serves.

Willie is a native of Bohermeen and has been a member of The Meath Writers' Circle for the past seven or eight years and these poems touch on everything from personal experience to observations of the surrounding countryside, especially the area where he grew up. Should be for sale in the local shops in the next few days. Some delightful poems inside and one to add to your collection. Price €10 euro.

Photograph: Cover of book.

Open Mic Launch/Boyne Readings.

The Village Hall Knightsbridge Trim was the venue for the first ever open mic session organised by the Boyne Writers' Group. Hosted by Paul Egan and with guest readings from Trim born novelist Pat Dunne and myself the night went off to some considerable success. Many of those in attendance read from their own work with pieces that touched on personal experience or had some interesting take on the world. Left Right on the night you might say. Overall very entertaining and more to come. Next session on the 21st of May. More info on that later, or click on http://www.boynewriters.com/ or the link opposite.

"Sunflowers" a first book of poems by Willie G Hodgins will be launched in the Navan library on Thursday the 23rd of April by Trim Poet Tommy Murray. Willie has been a member of the Meath Writers' Circle for a good few years now and writes poetry when others are in their beds. Good luck with the book Willie!

Photograph: The Village Hall Knightsbridge.

Thursday 16th April 2009.

Open Mic Sessions.

The Boyne Writers' Group launch their open mic session or should that be season, at the Village Hall Knightbridge on the Longwood Road in Trim on the 16th of April. Pat Dunne and yours truly being the guest readers on the night. Hopefully it will be the first of many to come and give an opportunity to those in Meath and beyond who wish to read their work, or simply listen and enjoy good company! More details at http://www.boynewriters.com/ or just click on the link opposite. See you there.

Photograph: Church of Ireland/Killucan

Co. Westmeath Autumn 2008.

Boyne Berries (5)

"Boyne Berries 5 Spring 20009" , edition, was successfully launched at the Castle Arch hotel in Trim Co. Meath on Thursday the 19th of March by novelist Pat Dunne. It includes contributations from authors in many parts of the world as well as those more closer to home.

A mixture of poetry and prose, many of the names here will be familiar. On a once through there are some striking poems, "Entebbe", by Olutayo K Osunsan, "Dawn at Dolmen" by John Noonan, followed by "The Heron", by Tommy Murray. The prose makes for an interesting mix, but be careful of what newspapers you read. Michael Farry poses the question "What is a poem?" or does he? while Brendan Carey Kinnane's "The Broadmeadow" is a must read. Back to give it another once over, but for yourself, click on the link opposite for details on how to purchase. Recommended!

Photograph: Book cover/ Church of Ireland. Tara.

Dark Rooms.

And continuing in the

same sombre tones...

Dark Rooms.

Well met these fellows

Shuffle through the pack

And ply their trade.

In deadly nightshades

Out the back

The bones of it

Entice invite.

In eye for eye

Through shuttered piers

To dark rooms

Do not enter here.

Imperfect forms

Unwind unreel

And silhouette

Down easy streets.

The wise men

Who brought

Nothing.

Frank Murphy.

Photograph: Evening at Ballivor Bog.

Autumn 2008.

Journey's End.

Journey's End

Sleeper towns

Old faded signs

Vapours trail

Cross rainbow skies.

Houses now

That watch the road

Peeping out

Through terraced

Rows.

Villages

And valleys though

Steepled through

The hedgerows go.

Shadows traced

Across the glass.

Reflections and

The world go past.

The road sweeps round

Another bend

Down crooked miles

To journey's end.

Frank Murphy.

Photograph: Taken Scurlogstown Olympiad 2008.

The Road to Tara

The Road to Tara.

William Bulfin cycling through Meath at the turn of the last century stopped on the railway bridge in Kilmessan to get his first view of Tara. He had come a long way. A native of Derrinlough in Co Offaly he returned to Ireland after seventeen years in the Argentine and set out on a journey that would take him to almost every corner of the Island. Plotting a course from Crúachain to Uisneach, he searched in vain for any reference to what he described as once one of the great capitals of the world and found none.

Battling through drovers herding cattle from the railway stations at Enfield and The Hill of Down he spent the night in Connell's Hotel in Trim before heading out for the Hill. On announcing that he was one of the first of an advance party of the Gael returning, they enquired of him if they would be all as wet and as hungry as he was. "Past the courthouse," they said, "Turn left, and out by Kilmessan across the Boyne." (William Bulfin: Rambles in Eirinn).

Looking back from the Hill he described Meath as a great forest, a tenantless expanse of grass from which man had banished himself and he lamented the absence of people. He held to a set of views that were not politically correct then and perhaps even less so now and if he failed to see the finer points of some or the shortcomings of others, he knew what he was standing on. His friend Arthur Griffith and others were instrumental in bringing to an end excavations by an evangelical group who believed The Ark of the Covenant was buried on the Hill. Who knows?

In the hundred years since Bulfin's been there Tara has hosted many visitors, the local volunteers assembled in 1916 , while there must be many in the surrounding parishes who remember the celebrations in '48 or '49, not forgetting the Pope's visit and waiting for helicopters that didn't come. Daniel O' Connell delivered a speech there before the famine which would make uncomfortable reading for the great and the good.

Approaching Tara today there is no shortage of signs, and if you read the small print some of them proclaim Meath to be the heritage capital of Ireland, and it is, but it is a heritage that is badly protected. Tara is perhaps the most important archaeological and historical site in Ireland and one of the most important in the world and to drive a motorway into that complex, when there are other alternatives, does not make sense.

Towns along the N3 should have been bypassed years ago, and for those caught in the gridlock of Navan or Dunshaughlin then I suspect that the motorway cannot come soon enough, but it is difficult to understand why the stretch between Skryne and Tara could not have been upgraded to accommodate everyone's interest. that the protest was left to academics or actors or what the media described as "tree huggers" is to nobody's credit.

The clamour though to move the road does not make sense either. Move it to where? Tara is a complex, and if you dig anywhere in its vicinity you are sure to unearth something. In truth the road should not have gone anywhere near Tara, not between the hills or around them. Too much of what identifies us as a people is tied up in those surroundings.

Note: Tara has been nominated for inclusion in UNESCO's tentative list of World Heritage Sites.

Photograph: Looking across the valley towards Skryne. February 2009.