Féile na Bealtaine

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

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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!

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I hope to publish my next collection, Tost agus Allagar, in the autumn.

Féile na Bealtaine

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I’m really looking forward to reading at this year’s Féile na Bealtaine in Dingle. I’ll be reading at An Caife Liteartha on Friday 1st May (Lá Bealtaine) at 3pm. It’s always a pleasure to read with Simon O Faoláin and Gabriel Rosenstock, and we’ll be joined by musicians Maurice McKenna and Mark Crickard. More information about this (free!) event here.

Once my duty is done, I’ll be going to as many as the other events as I can – like Ré in St James’ Church.

It’s a great programme – check it out here: http://feilenabealtaine.ie/home/ 

There’s nowhere like Daingean Uí Chúis on a Bank Holiday weekend!

A Poem for Ireland

There was a nice piece in The New York Times yesterday about ‘A Poem for Ireland’. I particularly like that the journalist, Douglas Dalby, acknowledges the dual literary tradition (Irish and English) in this country. What an honour to have been on the shortlist.

Three Days – Three Talks

A few years ago I went along to Éigse an Spidéil to hear Biddy Jenkinson and to participate in the open mic (maidhc oscailte) afterwards. It was a great evening of poetry, music and banter. I’m delighted to be the guest poet this year, joined by the very fine musician Saileog Ní Cheannabháin. There is a fantastic line-up at this year’s Éigse; check it out at this link:

http://www.eigseanspideil.ie

I’ll be giving a talk at Galway City Museum on Saturday afternoon from 2pm-3pm. It’ll be an informal sweep through ‘A Brief History of the Irish language’ and entry is free, though booking is advisable. Details at the link:

http://www.galwaycitymuseum.ie/calendar-of-events/

On Sunday night I’ll be reading at an IMRAM event to celebrate International Women’s Day. There’ll be a bevy of women including Celia de Fréine, Biddy Jenkinson, Aifric Mac Aodha, Dairena Ní Chinnéide, Caitríona Ní Chléirchín, Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill and traditional singers Síle Denvir, Máire Ní Choilm and Máiréad Ní Oistín.

McGrattan’s 76 Fitzwilliam Lane, Dublin 2 @8.00pm 

Cead isteach/Admission €10

http://imram.ie/?event=night-of-poetry-and-music-for-international-womens-day

Sunday Miscellany

The weather is still cold enough to justify this post ( I think!)… Back in December I was invited to read at the National Concert Hall in Dublin for the recording of RTE’s Christmas Miscellany. I read the poem ‘Filleadh ón Antartach’ (translated by Billy Ramsell as ‘Return from Antarctica’).  It was fantastic to read with such writers as Nuala Ní Chonchúir, Dónal Ryan, John F. Deane, Enda Coyle Green, Pat Boran, Mary O’Malley, Mary Morrissy, John McKenna, Anthony Glavin and Hilary Fanin, and to share a stage with RTE Concert Orchestra. You can listen back here

http://podcast.rasset.ie/podcasts/audio/2014/1225/20141225_rteradio1-sundaymiscellany-christmasm_c20706427_20706428_232_.mp3

and http://podcast.rasset.ie/podcasts/audio/2014/1221/20141221_rteradio1-sundaymiscellany-podcastsun_c20702810_20702811_232_.mp3