Dromineer Literary Festival

October 1, 2015

I’m really looking forward to the Dromineer Literary Festival in Tipperary this weekend. Highlights include the Friday evening reading, George Szirtes, Thomas McCarthy, Pascale Petit and Billy Ramsell. There are workshops on Saturday and a reading by Breda Wall Ryan, Victoria Kennefick and Maeve O’Sullivan. On Sunday, Dave McAvinchey, Caitríona Ní Chléirchín and I will be performing at the Dánta Grádha Reading (Love Poems) with harpist Laura Hogan. There’s also a mindfulness event, a songwriting workshop, a play and a photography exhibition. You can view the full programme here.

What happened, Miss Simone?

September 17, 2015

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I wrote an article about the new Nina Simone documentary for the Irish Times – you can read it here. ‘What happened Miss Simone?’ is available through Netflix and it’s a good mixture of archival footage and talking heads. Her impassioned playing of ‘Mississippi Goddam’ and the events that inspired it is particularly poignant in light of the Charleston church shooting in June.

The inequality faced by African-Americans in the school system was the subject of a recent This American Life podcast called ‘The problem we all live with’. Simone herself faced discrimination when she was denied a scholarship to the Curtis Institute of Music. I also mention the Black Lives Matter movement as it is impossible to watch footage of Simone in the Civil Rights era and not think of Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, Eric Garner and Tamir Rice…

Back in 2013…

August 28, 2015August 28, 2015

Here is Zoran Milanović, Prime Minister of Croatia, reading my poem ‘Filleadh ar an gCathair’ which was the EU Presidency Poem in 2013.

What’s his expression – confusion? alarm? bewilderment? He doesn’t look very impressed by it, anyway…

(Thanks to Best of Both Worlds for publishing it originally)

RTE Arena and Merriman Summer School

August 6, 2015

I was interviewed about the upcoming Merriman Summer School on RTE Radio 1’s arts show, Arena, on Wednesday 5 August. You an listen back here.

Linda Connolly is this year’s director of the Summer School and she has assembled a great programme on the theme of ‘Cumann agus Céileachas: Love and Marriage Revisited’ encompassing talks on literature, society, folklore, culture and a musical gala.

There are three free poetry readings as part of the Summer School in Glór theatre in Ennis, County Clare called Cúirt an Mheán Lae (12.15pm). I’m reading in English and Irish on Thursday the 13th August, Rita Ann Higgins is on Friday the 14th, and Doireann Ní Ghríofa is on Saturday the 15th.

The always entertaining Cónal Creedon will giving his take on the Summer School’s theme in a talk called ‘Love OR Marriage’ on Friday and Dónal Ryan will be interviewed by Doireann Ní Bhriain on Saturday. I’m particularly looking forward to hearing Máire Ní Annracháin and Pat Coughlan on Thursday morning.

The full programme is available here.

Twitter: @scoilsamhraidh

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Roland Barthes & the WWF

July 22, 2015

Here is a link to an article I wrote for The Irish Times about how Roland Barthes and the WWF (circa early 1990s).

http://www.irishtimes.com/culture/treibh/sa-chró-le-barthes-1.2292245

Barthes wrote about (French) wrestling in the 1950s and it reminded me a lot of my own fascination with the WWF when I was 8 or 9. It was great to reflect on some of the characters of the time like these guys:

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and my personal favourite:

Barthes makes it all seem so profound….

Dordfhilíocht at International Literature Festival Dublin

May 23, 2015

Bass + Poetry = Dordfhilíocht.

I was involved in an event curated by Liam Carson as part of the International Literature Festival Dublin on 21st May. He paired poetry with the bass (fretted, fretless, double… even a saw produced music!) I was accompanied by Nev Lloyd on fretless bass. He also played double bass for Liam O Muirthile. Marcus Mac Conghail and Eoin O’Brien produced an avant garde collaboration (we need more of this stuff as Gaeilge!) and Séamas Barra O Súilleabháin and Martin Brunsden riffed off each other in what was a really special performance. Martin even got out the aforementioned saw for SB’s haiku.

Here are some photographs by Jim Berkeley

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Féile na Bealtaine

May 20, 2015May 20, 2015

Here are some photographs by Fiona Morgan (www.fionamorgan.ie) of Féile na Bealtaine. She really captures the lovely vibe of the festival. I did a reading in An Café Liteartha with Gabriel Rosenstock and Simon O Faoláin. Tunes were courtesy of Maurice McKenna & Mark Crickard.

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I was chuffed to participate in the legendary Poetry Morning @Dick Mac’s on Saturday morning with Conal Creedon and Sara Baume. The inimitable Diarmuid de Faoite was MC and he steered us through a morning of poetry, songs, fiction and anecdotes with great verve.

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All in all, a great festival – will be certainly be returning next year. Mo bhuíochas le lucht eagraithe na Féile as tús spleodrach a chur leis an samhradh.

Tyrone Guthrie Centre @ Annaghmakerrig

May 15, 2015May 15, 2015

I’m very grateful to Kerry County Council for a bursary to spend almost two weeks in the blissful Annaghmakerrig. It’s my third visit here, and the most productive stint yet. The day is your own to work or walk or talk with the other artists. Breakfast and lunch are whatever time you choose, and everyone gets together for dinner at 7pm. The staff here are warm and welcoming, and Lavina, the chef, deserves a special mention for the creativity she brings to evening meals. It will be hard to go back to reality!