1st October. Poetry events all over the country. For a county by county guide go to http://www.poetryireland.ie/poetryday/
I would like to think that this day would be used to tap into a new audience for poetry, hopefully it will. Certainly many fine poets are on the road, Ciaran Carson, Peter Fallon, Vona Groarke, Francis Harvey, Theo Dorgan, Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill; too many to name. And there are readings at times that may attract a different clientele. It would be nice to see evening readings in those areas where the current listings are for working hours. I myself would have liked to get to something in the Dublin/Kildare area but the times don’t suit.
And it would be nice to see more readings by established poets alternating with open mike sessions; to give all enthusiasts (and their families and friends)a day out. In this regard I like Leitrim’s offering which takes place in The Dock, Carrick-on-Shannon: Dermot Healy earlier on, later in the day there's local poets and music, and that's a attractive mix.Kildare's Q&A for 2nd level schools is a nice touch, (I've always believed the greatest potential for growing a poetry audience is in 2nd level schools), and Galway’s poetry competition with theme 'EYRE SQUARE' for the residents of the county hits the point of the day squarely.
That bit extra – you can’t beat the West !
Showing posts with label "Poetry Ireland". Show all posts
Showing posts with label "Poetry Ireland". Show all posts
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Word Power, Obama and Poetry
Rhetoric has returned with Obama. More than anything else it was his careful, intelligent and incisive use of language that got him elected. It had the effect of electrifying not only fellow Americans but millions of people across the world.
Yes, of course, it was the substance of his speeches; but it was his ability to convince that made the difference. This power of words is something one might expect to appear occasionally among poets, but it has largely disappeared from poetry in this part of the world at least.
Certainly it’s an ability that comes to the fore in times of strife, (Yeats’ phrase “a terrible beauty is born” from “Easter 1916” has this essence). So one might argue that it’s the absence of outright war on our soil, but I think a majority of poets have avoided engagement with hot issues or are not sufficiently affected by the horrors of our time to write in this way. (I count myself among these.)
It’s an engagement that should be re-ignited,perhaps best done with students in secondary schools, for the sake of making poetry more relevant(and therefore more popular),for deepening the feeling and understanding that people have for what’s happening around them.
Who should instigate or lobby for such an initiative: Poetry Ireland? publishers? Association of English teachers? Amnesty Int? I don't know.
Yes, of course, it was the substance of his speeches; but it was his ability to convince that made the difference. This power of words is something one might expect to appear occasionally among poets, but it has largely disappeared from poetry in this part of the world at least.
Certainly it’s an ability that comes to the fore in times of strife, (Yeats’ phrase “a terrible beauty is born” from “Easter 1916” has this essence). So one might argue that it’s the absence of outright war on our soil, but I think a majority of poets have avoided engagement with hot issues or are not sufficiently affected by the horrors of our time to write in this way. (I count myself among these.)
It’s an engagement that should be re-ignited,perhaps best done with students in secondary schools, for the sake of making poetry more relevant(and therefore more popular),for deepening the feeling and understanding that people have for what’s happening around them.
Who should instigate or lobby for such an initiative: Poetry Ireland? publishers? Association of English teachers? Amnesty Int? I don't know.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Writers Groups: Yes or No
Well both actually. A regular group, at the very least, provides you with a deadline by which work must be completed. If the piece is well received the encouragement can be invaluable. Exposure to different styles of writing can be eye-opening, news on upcoming events and opportunities may be a standard part of the proceedings, often groups publish their works also encouraging and pleasing. Just mixing with interested others can make it well worth while.
On the downside, the standard of writing can be very mixed,there can be a lot of very average work. Often the most vociferous critics are the poorest critics. Sometimes there can be group adulation of the writer with the most charisma, the trendiest or the most confident; the better writers can often go unrecognised. It’s important to recognize that the most useful criticism doesn’t necessarily come from the popularly recognized sage.
Groups can become too much the property of a few, who set rules, tone and standard. The Dublin Writers Workshop was, in some of its years a good example of an open forum in all senses of the word ‘open’. Its success might be gauged by the number of its members that have had books published. It attracted a very diverse range of people without any of them becoming too proprietary. The calibre of many of its members ensured a reasonable standard of criticism. It wasn’t to everyone’s taste though; for example it was not the forum for discussion on the technical aspects of writing and, be warned, few writing groups are. However, even there, some good writers were overlooked.
There is a directory of writers groups on the Poetry Ireland website see http://www.poetryireland.ie/resources/writers-workshops-list.html but I’m not sure how comprehensive or up to date it is; for example, the Roscommon Abbey Writers group from Roscommon town is not included. I understand this group is welcoming new members.
On the downside, the standard of writing can be very mixed,there can be a lot of very average work. Often the most vociferous critics are the poorest critics. Sometimes there can be group adulation of the writer with the most charisma, the trendiest or the most confident; the better writers can often go unrecognised. It’s important to recognize that the most useful criticism doesn’t necessarily come from the popularly recognized sage.
Groups can become too much the property of a few, who set rules, tone and standard. The Dublin Writers Workshop was, in some of its years a good example of an open forum in all senses of the word ‘open’. Its success might be gauged by the number of its members that have had books published. It attracted a very diverse range of people without any of them becoming too proprietary. The calibre of many of its members ensured a reasonable standard of criticism. It wasn’t to everyone’s taste though; for example it was not the forum for discussion on the technical aspects of writing and, be warned, few writing groups are. However, even there, some good writers were overlooked.
There is a directory of writers groups on the Poetry Ireland website see http://www.poetryireland.ie/resources/writers-workshops-list.html but I’m not sure how comprehensive or up to date it is; for example, the Roscommon Abbey Writers group from Roscommon town is not included. I understand this group is welcoming new members.
Monday, September 22, 2008
All -Ireland Poetry Day
How do I know I need to mix more? When just about every poet I’ve ever heard of has a gig but myself.
And that’s close enough the case on the Poetry Ireland supported all-Ireland poetry day on Oct 2nd. They are supporting a reading in every county in Ireland. It’s very impressive. A huge number of poets are involved and that’s great to see.
I especially like the poetry of John F Deane (reading in Dublin), Ger Reidy (Mayo), Gabriel Rosenstock (Roscommon), but there are numerous poets worth hearing all around the country and looking at the list I see that I am out of touch with some of the newcomers to the scene. Co Donegal is hosting an Oíche fhílíochta as is Leabharlann na Ceathrún Ruaidh, agus beidh fílí Chiarraí ag léamh san Daingean. The big Galway event includes mayors of city and county reading personal favourites and a particularly strong musical component with Judith Mock and John Feeley performing.
All in all it’s a tremendous effort. Lets hope the events are well advertised and the suppport they deserve arrives.
And that’s close enough the case on the Poetry Ireland supported all-Ireland poetry day on Oct 2nd. They are supporting a reading in every county in Ireland. It’s very impressive. A huge number of poets are involved and that’s great to see.
I especially like the poetry of John F Deane (reading in Dublin), Ger Reidy (Mayo), Gabriel Rosenstock (Roscommon), but there are numerous poets worth hearing all around the country and looking at the list I see that I am out of touch with some of the newcomers to the scene. Co Donegal is hosting an Oíche fhílíochta as is Leabharlann na Ceathrún Ruaidh, agus beidh fílí Chiarraí ag léamh san Daingean. The big Galway event includes mayors of city and county reading personal favourites and a particularly strong musical component with Judith Mock and John Feeley performing.
All in all it’s a tremendous effort. Lets hope the events are well advertised and the suppport they deserve arrives.
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Increasing Poetry Readership
When I passed up Manchester United on television to give a poetry reading in the back room, the barman commented, as he pulled his chair closer to the screen, that it was easy to see that I was a poet. I bit my lip; there’s not many things I enjoy more than settling down in front of a good game of football.
But this view of poets, (and similarly for practitioners of other art forms), is extremely common and one that will have to be addressed if we are not to witness the continued shrinkage of the poetry sections in bookshops, readings on radio, indeed its perceived relevance to society in general.
It’s not that there isn’t a fondness for poetry; there is, maybe even more than previously but it’s losing out to other forms of entertainment in the media and no one is going to come to the rescue if those involved don’t.
Elsewhere on this blog I suggested that Poetry Ireland, (since it will take such a central organisation), organise a Poets Corner in Dublin (maybe the first of many throughout the country) where everyone/anyone can stop for 15 minutes to listen and buy poetry. I would suggest that a meeting of interested parties be set up to discuss the initiative and organise as big a kick-start as can be mustered.
Secondly. I was for a time involved in the organisation of poetry competitions for students. I discovered that the prospect of publication in a well-distributed book had greater appeal than prizes and drew in greater numbers of entries. I firmly believe that it is in the student years that readers can be won over to poetry. Is there a possibility that Gallery Press, Dedalus Press, Salmon Press and all the other poetry presses in Ireland, with or without Poetry Ireland, could pool their resources to produce such a publication? It would be very saleable in schools and colleges, seriously crank up their visibility and would be an investment in their own futures.
But this view of poets, (and similarly for practitioners of other art forms), is extremely common and one that will have to be addressed if we are not to witness the continued shrinkage of the poetry sections in bookshops, readings on radio, indeed its perceived relevance to society in general.
It’s not that there isn’t a fondness for poetry; there is, maybe even more than previously but it’s losing out to other forms of entertainment in the media and no one is going to come to the rescue if those involved don’t.
Elsewhere on this blog I suggested that Poetry Ireland, (since it will take such a central organisation), organise a Poets Corner in Dublin (maybe the first of many throughout the country) where everyone/anyone can stop for 15 minutes to listen and buy poetry. I would suggest that a meeting of interested parties be set up to discuss the initiative and organise as big a kick-start as can be mustered.
Secondly. I was for a time involved in the organisation of poetry competitions for students. I discovered that the prospect of publication in a well-distributed book had greater appeal than prizes and drew in greater numbers of entries. I firmly believe that it is in the student years that readers can be won over to poetry. Is there a possibility that Gallery Press, Dedalus Press, Salmon Press and all the other poetry presses in Ireland, with or without Poetry Ireland, could pool their resources to produce such a publication? It would be very saleable in schools and colleges, seriously crank up their visibility and would be an investment in their own futures.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Dublin's Poets Corner
There used to be free outdoor poetry readings outside the Scottish Poetry Library just off the Royal Mile in Edinburgh each afternoon during the Summer season. I think they were open readings, at least that’s how I remember them; its a few years ago now. Anyway they were, to my mind, a very attractive addition to the joys of Edinburgh summer afternoons.
I remember thinking, when Poetry Ireland was based in Dublin Castle, that similar readings could have been quite successful there or, since then, on the Grafton St corner of Stephen's Green.I know free summertime readings in themselves are nothing new, it’s the location that’s important. I also think that over the Summer season a number of poets might give their time to man/woman a stall of publications for sale while the readings were in progress. It could rotate between the different publishing presses or different bookshops.
Sponsorship from Dublin City Council(since Dublin's tourism is all about its writers), a colourful canopy over the books, a built up reputation as Poets Corner, etc etc.(Maybe it has been suggested and shot down already). It needs an organisation like Poetry Ireland to set up, then I would volunteer.
I remember thinking, when Poetry Ireland was based in Dublin Castle, that similar readings could have been quite successful there or, since then, on the Grafton St corner of Stephen's Green.I know free summertime readings in themselves are nothing new, it’s the location that’s important. I also think that over the Summer season a number of poets might give their time to man/woman a stall of publications for sale while the readings were in progress. It could rotate between the different publishing presses or different bookshops.
Sponsorship from Dublin City Council(since Dublin's tourism is all about its writers), a colourful canopy over the books, a built up reputation as Poets Corner, etc etc.(Maybe it has been suggested and shot down already). It needs an organisation like Poetry Ireland to set up, then I would volunteer.
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