The Fourth Estate

A little poem for Saturday.



The Fourth Estate.



Embedded in such legalise
As please M'Lords
A little wheeze
Could show good cause
To such respect
When body politic
Dissect.

That every class
Of hound or hack
Was safely muzzled
Round the back.

Or carcass nailed
In some debate
That prowled about
The Fourth Estate.


Frank Murphy.

Photo: The River Tolka/Blanchardstown.

Open Mic Readings/Knightsbridge.

Open Mic Readings Knightsbridge.

Paddy Smith of The Boyne Writers' Group chaired the open mic readings which recommenced at The Knightsbridge Village Hall on Thursday the 15th of October. The guest readers were Marie MacSweeney who read some of her beautiful poetry and Michael Regan who kept everyone entertained with tales from his recent autobiography "Ten in a Bed".

Much ado about bell ringing, ringers, tight groupings, and those who were said to have fled. The curious absence of! Though the tea was fine!

Photos: Tommy Murray, Paddy Smith, and Paul Kerr.

Boyne Berries (6)

Boyne Berries

"Boyne Berries 6" the latest edition of the literary magazine published by the Boyne Writers' Group was launched in the Castle Arch Hotel in Trim a number of weeks ago by the well known local author and solicitor Michael Regan. A mixture of poetry and prose it includes contributions from Ireland and much further afield. It opens with a poem by Marie MacSweeney which catches the eye. I watched a program on television a while back about the battle, and it was a good day for horses. Enough mystery! Another poem I found interesting was "Truth" and "Nine Lines" , to shorten the title, and "Masks" by Quincy R. Lehr is a fine poem.

The book dips almost into the surreal through the centre pages, or maybe completely into it, ending with Rory O' Sullivan's " The Siren Lake". As fine a piece of traditional writing as you are likely to come across. But there's mystery here too, and "Sinking" and " The Secret Past of the House" leave you wondering, but I'm not sure I like wondering too much. A book well worth having. Click on the link opposite for details. Price €7 euro.

Photo: Book Cover.

Note: Open Mic sessions will resume at the Knightsbridge Village Hall in Trim on Thursday the 15th of October.

Guest readers are Marie MacSweeney and Michael Regan.

All-Ireland Poetry Day

All-Ireland Poetry Day.

St Patrick's Cathedral Trim was the venue for the first ever National Poetry Day event in Meath. Organised by the Boyne Writers and facilitated by the Rev. Robert Jones the Cathedral was and is a beautiful setting for this type of occasion, and the above are to be congratulated for the effort involved. Although a small crowd attended, the readings were always interesting and perhaps more so than at a usual event, in that the Cathedral itself, dare I say, lends something. On to bigger and better things next year.

Photo: Paddy Smith; Chairman of Boyne Writers' Group reading Dangerous Dan McGrew.

All Ireland Poetry Day.

All Ireland Poetry Day.

The Boyne Writers' Group are hosting an event at St Patrick's Cathedral Loman Street Trim on Thursday the 1st of October at 11am to mark the above and all are welcome. Details to come on their site. Click on the link opposite.

Photo: Memorial Cross on Hill of Tara. Erected I believe in 1948 to mark battle of 1798.

Readers and Writers.

Readers and Writers.

For those who are interested in such, Meath County Library are

holding their annual "Readers and Writers' day" in Navan Library

on Wednesday the 23rd September starting at 9.30am and ending

at 4.30pm. Local writers include, Tom French, KT McCaffrey, and

and Oisín McGann. So if you should be free on the day! Details from the Library.

Boyne writers launch the latest edition of their magazine "Boyne Berries" at the Castle Arch in Trim on the following night with Michael Regan doing the honours this time. And finally The Sunday Times has announced "The Sunday Times EFG Private Bank Short Story Award". The world's largest award for a short story with a grand prize of £25,ooo. Grand indeed! Details at www.timesonline.co.uk/shortstoryaward. So get writing.

Photo: Blanchardstown village.

Heritage/Short Story.

Heritage/Short Story Competition

In keeping with the events on Tara for Heritage Sunday, congratulations must go to Mark Doyle of The Meath Writers' Circle whose short story "Requiem for a Gentleman", won second prize in the Duleek Heritage Group's short story competition. Mark's story concerned the events leading up to, and the outcome of the battle of Tara in 1798. The area surrounding this site contains many graves of the Croppies who took part and little today serves as any reminder to this. The inscriptions on a cross, erected I believe in 1948, have long since faded. If I get any more info on the winner I will post. Marie McSweeney was third in the same competition.

Photo: Tricolour flying over Blanchardstown Centre.