Well, we’re approaching Christmas and the New Year. We would like to take this opportunity to thank sincerely everyone who has helped us, supported us, sponsored us, advised us and otherwise worked with us in the past twelve months, in particular Mr Frank Fahey, TD, Cllr Catherine Connolly of Galway City Council and Mr Michael D. Higgins, TD, who has written his support to us within the past few days; it is logical that The Western Writers’ Centre be included in any Galway City Arts Plan and that we find bigger premises where we can provide our usual services as well as a commemorative space for Galway’s literary heritage to which tourists, writers and researchers can come. We are looking forward to a great New Year; our second ‘The Forge at Gort’...
Galway-based wordsonthestreet (sic) publishers launched poet Maureen Gallagher’s fist collection, Calling The Tune, at Galway City Library this afternoon. Kicked off by writer Michael McGinley, who had travelled up from Dublin, the new collection is a juicy mix of the raunchy and satirical, sporting a large, luscious peach on the front cover. Galway County Librarian Pat McMahon opened proceedings, back by the opublisher, Tony O’Dwyer, to a packed audience which included playwright Patricia Burke Brogan, one of whose plays is currently on stage in Paris; playwright and novelist John Arden, playwright and writer Margaretta D’Arcy, poet and writer Kathleen O’Driscoll.
- I wonder can I say that? Tony O’Dwyer from Galway publisher, wordsonthestreet, ponders his...
Dublin’s prestigious Merrion Hotel, just off Merrion Square, was the scene of writer, broadcaster and playwright Ulick O’Connor’s launching this evening of The Kiss - New and Selected Poems and Translations, from Salmon Poetry. There was a touch of the gala evening in The Wellesley Room, with bevies of poets, reviewers and a sprinkling of columnists and the flashing of cameras - and meanwhile, outside, parked by the pavement, an RTE outside broadcast van and its crew waited expectantly for news on the pork contamination crisis emanating from Dáil Éireann and the Office of the Taoiseach across the street. Merlin Holland, grandson of Oscar Wilde, launched the collection, speaking movingly on the nature of poetry; and events were kicked off by a few words from Poetry...
The Galway Advertiser weekly newspaper is taking poems of a topical political or social nature for publication in its Letters page; one poem submission at a time, please, nothing epic or too lengthy. Send to: The Editor, Galway Advertiser, Eyre Square, Galway.......
Prominent UK literary magazine, Ambit, is the latest literary publication to send around letters asking for support in the face of the Arts Council cuts. Meanwhile, French magazine Comme En Poésie No 36 continues a fine tradition of discussing poetry, not merely publishing it. See ‘Kiosque!’. . . .......
The death is announced of the poet Robert O’Donoghue, father of poet, the late Gregory O’Donoghue. Robert O’Donoghue was an integral part of Cork literary life for five decades and more and worked with David Marcus on New Irish Writing, later encouraging a host of Irish writers while literary editor of The Cork Examiner.......
Competitions, visual art exhibitions, readings and music combine to make up the Caomhnú Literary Festival, running for the most part in The Farnham Radisson Hotel in Cavan from February 5th to Sunday 8th, with Joseph O’Connor turning up, Heather Brett, Noel Monahan, Michael Harding and the excellent Billy Roche, whom we brought to read at Loughrea, Co Galway, some goodly time back. The fabulous Crannóg Bookshop and Poetry Ireland are the main sponsors. The Caomhnú Crannóg Bookshop National Short Story Competition is judged by novelist Shane Connaughton and the Caomhnú National Poetry Competition is judged by Noel Monahan; details of both from aoifereilly@cavancoco.ie or on www.cavancoco.ie, or by calling the Arts Office at 049.4378548. Stories shouldn’t exceed 2,000...
Dara Mac Con Iomaire kicked off a three-workshop programme of Irish language workshops on drama and media writing at the Western Writers’ Centre this morning. Details of the remaining two, due in January, can be found by scrolling down this site.
- curtains up: Dara Mac Con Iomaire (left) and participants in the workshop.......
Journalist Harry Browne launched his analysis of the Shannon action by and subsequent trial of five Catholic Workers’ members in Charlie Byrne’s Bookshop, Galway, this evening, to an attentive crowd which inlcluded Margaretta D’Arcy, Cllr Catherine Connolly, and writer Patricia Burke Brogan. The book is reviewed in ‘Kiosque!’, in the right-hand column of this site.
-wordsmith: Harry Browne at Galway launch. (LitPix (c) 2008)......
The Western Writers’ Centre - Ionad Scríbhneoirí Chaitlín Maude - has announced the names of the three poets who will undertake the creation of three separate new poems to commemorate a history, personal and actual, of the City of Galway. The project was a major winner in the recent Bus Éireann and Foras na Gaeilge-sponsored Irish language project awards. The poets are Seosaimh Ó Guairim, Collette Nic Aodha and Ailbhe Ní Ghearbhuigh. Seosaimh Ó Guairim is a Carna-based poet who has published a collection of work with Coscéim and gave a reading during the Cúirt festival earlier this year at the Pádraig Pearse House, which was organised by the Western Writers’ Centre. Ailbhe is a native of Kerry and has spent time living in France and New York. She is now back...
The French-language, Breton-published cultural review HOPALA! has a new issue and it tells us much about Ireland. See Kiosque!......
At the All-Ireland Live Poetry Slam Championships on November 12 at the White House Pub in O Connell Street, Limerick former Sinn Fein activist Donal O Siadhachain, from Sliabh Luachra received the All Ireland Poetry prize for his passionate poem, Mandela , a tribute to one of a personal hero. Donal competed with poets from Ulster, Connacht and Leinster and his greatest wish now was meet his hero Nelson Mandela and perform the poem for him. The late poet Michael Hartnett once remarked that the only genuine Irish was spoken in Sliabh Luachra. The jury’s still out on that one!
- do you need a hand with that? (l-r) Donal Ó Siadhachain and Barney Sheehan, White House MC.
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The eminent Three-Leggéd Stool writers’ group, long-running and always busy, has atarted up an Open Mic afternoon every third Saturday in the month at the Glór Centre, Ennis, Co. Clare. Admission is free, all are welcome, and it will kick off around two pm. The group have also published an anthology of their work which includes a CD. It was all go yesterday, Saturday, when the first session began, with readers from all over the County and even further, old and new, reciting their work. There was humourous poetry, serious poetry, sad poetry, political poetry. Dominic Taylor, from Limerick’s White House Poets and Revival Press, offered some initial words welcoming the project; the new writers’ centre in Limerick is a credit to all concerned, of course. Brian Mooney of...
Fadó, fadó in éireann . . .there was a lively Kinvara Writers’ Group in Kinvara, Co. Galway, which met regularly and had writers such as Gabriel Fitzmaurice and Noel Monahan reading and workshop there. It even orgabnised pilgrimages to the Poet’s House and there is a large photograph depicting a group on one of these outings, hanging on the wall of Connolly’s pub across the street from Greens. Is it the parent or sibling or clone of the writers’ group which has now started up in Kinvara’s Green’s pub near the harbour, a pub better known for its traditional music? Monday November 10th, around 9pm, is the next date for the writers’ group. Good to see a new writers’ group - if it is a new one. Anyone with further information, or who can...
The Western Writers’ Centre - Ionad Scríbhneoirí Chaitlín Maude, Gallimh - is hosting three major literary-drama workshops in the Irish language, beginning on November 29th.
The Workshops are:Darach Mac Con Iomaire, 29th November an Introduction to ‘Writing for Theatre’; Ailbhe Nic Giolla Bhríghde, 17th January, ‘An Introduction to writing for Television,’ and Diarmuid de Faoite, 31st January, on where theatre and television crossover.
Fees are €20 per session or €50 for the three sessions. Places are limited. PLEASE CONTACT THE CENTRE FOR FURTHER DETAILS: westernwriters@eircom.net or 091.533594/087.2178138...
Ionad Scríbhneoirí Chaitlín Maude - The Western Writers’ Centre - were last night recipients of a major new award from Bus Eireann and were one of the three top award winners. The awards’ ceremony took place in Galway’s Radisson Hotel in the presence of Ministers Eamonn O Cuiv and Frank Fahey and was presided over by GAA legend, County Kerry’s own Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh, who spoke of his interest in the Western Writers’ Centre’s project. The awards, sponsored by Bus Eireann, are for projects in the Irish Language. The Centre are enabled by the award funding to procede with work on a project in the Irish language involving three Irish-language poets in the Galway City area.
“We are delighted at this,” said Fred Johnston, the...
The death is announced of poet and writer, James Liddy on November 4th. Born in 1934 in Dublin, his works include Esau, My Kingdom for a drink (Dublin, The Dolmen Press, 1962); In a Blue Smoke (The Dolmen Press, 1964); Blue Mountain (The Dolmen Press, 1968); A Life of Stephan Dedalus (San Francisco, White Rabbit Press, 1969); A Munster Song of Love and War (White Rabbit Press,1971); Baudelaire’s Bar Flowers (San Francisco, Capra Press, 1975); Corca Baiscinn (The Dolmen Press, 1977); Comyn’s Lay (The Dolmen Press, 1978), among numerous other publications. A member of Aosdána, he lived and taught in Milwaukee, USA for some years. Our condolences to his friends and family.
- James Liddy: photo (c) www.kennys.ie...
The latest issue of the Irish Writers’ Union news-letter, ‘Final Draft,’ headlines with news that the city of Dublin, through its public library service, “is leading a formal bid for the UNESCO City of LIterature designation.” The organising committee includes the Arts Council’s Sarah Bannan and Joe Woods of Poetry Ireland. Commercial benefit to the city who takes the designation is considerable: Edinburgh, who was up in 2004, generated £2.2 million per annum as a result. Increased tourism is a side-benefit. Literary, tourism and academic bodies have been involved. The cities of Kiev, Kolkata, Norwich, and Alexandria are in the hat for the next designation - but Galway City, in spite of running an international literature festival, Cúirt, and having...
- shop local: (l-r) Splinters, short stories from the Bill Naughton Short Story Competition; Liar, Liar, by Alan McMonagle; Crannóg 19; Décollage - New and Selected Poems, by Patricia Burke Brogan - last three titles from Galway-based wordsonthestreet publishers. ( www.wordsonthestreet.com)
Arguably, too much emphasis is placed on what is published from Dublin and in terms of having their books reviewed, smaller provincial publishers have a hard time getting their books reviewed by the major newspapers or journals. This hasn’t stopped small festivals and local publishers spreading their wings and producing very good work from interesting writers. Reviews of the above titles will appear in ‘Kiosque!’ shortly.......
The Co. Mayo village of Aghamore played host this weekend to the 16th commemoration of two very diverse Mayo-born writers, Bill Naughton (1910-1992), who gave us ‘Alfie’, dozens of collections short stories, plays for TV and children’s work and much else besides his great tale of working class English urban life; and Patrick Dermot Kenny (1862-1944), journalist, friend of Yeats, agricultural modernist, a man ‘unpopular among many segments of Irish society,’ chiefly because he was outspoken, declaring that it were ‘better to fail through courage than fail through fear.’ The Kenny/Naughton Autumn School must rate as one of the best little festivals, and certainly one of the friendliest, on the island. Sponsored by the Arts Council and Mayo Arts...
Does a pilot of a rescue helicopter have nine lives? Author of ‘Nine Lives,’ the recent book of his time in a Search and Rescue helicopter, David Courtney will read from his work for the Western Writers’ Centre at The Imperial Hotel, Eyre Square, Galway, on Thursday, November 6th at 8pm. Admission is free. David Courtney, born in Cork, spent most of his life in Tullamore, Co Offaly, before moving to County Clare. Now a pilot with Ryanair, he flew Search and rescue missions from 1988 to 2001 and has flown over 300 emergency missions of all types and in all weathers. He had joined the Defence Forces as a cadet in 1980, and with the Army Air Corps rugby team had many an encounter with the Western Command Rugby team in Galway. He forged many links with Galway, and in...
The Bury St Edmunds Writers’ Group, Write Now! announces details of its 2008 Short Story Competition, ‘On The Edge’. 1st Prize £150, 2nd Prize £75, 3rd Prize £50. The competition is for a fictional short story with theme or title ‘On the Edge’, with a maximum of 2000 words. Entry fee £5 per story. Closing date 30th November 2008. An entry form with full details and competition rules (PDF) is available for download on our website: www.writenow.wickerswork.co.uk/Competition2008
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In association with SpunOut, a web resource for young people, The Junior Galway Film Fleadh are announcing a ’stroy pitch’ competition ages 13 to 18; a short 500 word idea for a story that might develop into a script is what’s required. The five shortlisted will present their idea on the stage of Galway’s Town Hall Theatre. Ideas will be critiqued by award-winning screenwriter, Christian O’Reilly. First Prize is a Script Training Scholarship at Galway Film Centre, and runner-up gets a book voucher from Charlie Byrne’s Bookshop. Closing date is October 24th 2008. Post or e-mail entries to Junior Galway Film Script Competition, Cluain Mhuire, Monivea Road, Galway or festival@juniorfilmfleadh.com
- vacancy to fill: get the stories rolling!...
The latest issue of ‘The Word Tree’ from the Western Writers’ Centre is just out and should be available from bookshops, libraries or arts’ organisations in your area. If it isn’t, PLEASE INFORM US. We can always add you to our mailing list and make sure you get a copy each month. This month, we feature a well-known Galway bookshop, a poem by Dublin-born playwright and novelist Eamonn Kelly, notes on upcoming White House readings in Limerick, Ó Bhéal readings in Cork, a festival commemorating the explorer Shackleton, launchings from wordsonthestreet publishers and new books. deadline for inclusion of events, notices and so on is November 22nd. Send to (with pics, if you have them) to westernwriters@eircom.net Poetry submissions also to the same address.
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We were sad to learn of the death on October 11th of novelist, poet and playwright, Sydney Bernard Smith. Born in Glasgow in 1936 he studied at Oxford University, and lived for many years mainly in Inishbofin. He taught in Ireland, Spain, Germany and the US. His work was staged and published widely. His poetry collections included Girl With Violin (The Dolmen Press) Priorities (Raven Arts Press, Dublin 1979); Sensualities (Raven, 1981) and New and Selected Poems (Raven, 1984). He also authored a long meditative piece, I must be Talking to My Soul. ”I knew Sydney over a period of many years,” said Fred Johnston, “both in Dublin and here in Galway. We didn’t always agree, but there was an honesty to it. He was a writer of the old school, devoted to his task,...
The 40th outing of the (Man) Booker prize this evening saw the award go to first-timer novelist, Aravind Adiga, for his novel, ‘The White Tiger,’ published by Atlantic Books. Adiga was born in Madras, India, in 1974. He studied at Oxford and Columbia universities. He has written journalism for a number of prestigious publications, including The Financial Times, The Independent and The Sunday Times.......
http://media.libsyn.com/media/miporadio/SHWA_17_OCT2008_-_David_Caddy.mp3
Poet and editor David Caddy explores the world of the neglected English poet, David Gascoyne, who died in 2001, and asks what happened to a generation of English poets, among whom are some notable names . . . . Click on link above!
- lost verse: the late David Gascoyne...
David Courtney’s simply-told, evocative story of his time in helicopters doing Search and Rescue work around Irish coasts is stirring and has all the right stuff. Its simple style belies a very real bravery . . . (see Kiosque! - right-hand column):
- dangling man: (cover photo John McDermott)...
It’s pure coincidence that the day after French poet Dominique Sorrente reads in Galway, French novelist Jean-Marie Gustave Le Clézio should be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature, but there you have it. It was down to the marvellous Il Folletto restaurant in High Street after a brisk sea-salted walk over the Corrib river, and then to the reading at The Imperial Hotel on Eyre Square, where French writer Antonin Artaud once scribbled and mused. Galway city is not short on French connections, historic as well as current. Our thanks to Madame Francoise Connolly at the French Embassy in Dublin for connecting us to Dominique. A lovely reading. Dominique Sorrente had had a successful reading at Limerick University previously, and left Galway for Belfast and then to the ferry for...
Deadline is fast approaching for submissions of events, poems, notices of literary gatherings, workshops, readers’ groups, new plays, new books, lit-fests, writers’ groups, readers’ groups - anything literary! Send your news to westernwriters@eircom.net and pix as j-pegs, all before next Wednesday, October 8th. And don’t forget! THE FORGE AT GORT literary festival is scheduled for the end of March ‘09 for its second outing. We are delighted to hear from sponsors, local, national. Contact us at the above e-mail address or at 087.2178138 or 091.533594.
- historical monument: The Forge in Gort, Co. Galway’s main street, mentioned by W.B.Yeats in a famous poem. Is it time the old forge was renovated and made into museum to the old way of life of this...