Lunchtime Readings at The Irish Writers' Centre - Susan Connolly

This coming Friday at 1 pm you can catch Susan Connolly in The Irish Writers' Centre where she will read poetry.  The event is in association with Poetry Ireland.  I won't make it but if you can be there then you will be in for a treat as Susan is a wonderful writer.  I think she is one of my favourite Irish poets.  She read at The Boyne Readings in Trim (which incidentally I kind of miss, hopefully they will return in the new year) and she has a poem published in Boyne Berries 10.  Susan has many lovely poems about life, relationships, ancient Ireland, her native places and the beauty of the countryside.  Yes I am a fan!! Go and buy one of her collections ( For the Stranger, Winterlight, Forest Music) for yourself and you'll see what I mean. 

These are busy times in the literary world.  In fact I have just been thinking that I haven't taken my foot from the floor all year in regards to writing.  This week Kate Dempsey will read Some Poems from The Moth editions in Maynooth Contemporary Arts Centre at 7.30 pm.  On Thursday night there is an event in The Irish Writers' Centre celebrating  Frank X. Buckley.  I have been invited as I entered a competition to write some poems based on the paintings in the Irish Writers' Centre.  It looks like it will be a fabulous event.  I don't know if I will be able to attend Kate's reading or the latter as I am in work all this week until 6 o'clock.  The winners of the Frank X. Buckley Competition are Elizabeth O'Carroll, Paddy Doherty, Susan Stairs, Eleanor Hooker, Eoin Hegarty and Patricia Clark.

Italian Writers at the Irish Writers' Centre - Catherine Dunne

Due to my involvement in The Lonely Voice Short Story Introductions I've been asked by Catherine Dunne, pictured above, to participate in a morning dedicated to emerging writers on September 3rd in the Irish Writers' Centre.  Events are being organised by Catherine on the Saturday for the benefit of a group of Italian Writers who will be visiting Ireland.  This initiative has at its heart the development of cultural tourism.  We are to bring one piece of work which we may be asked to read from, a CV and contact details. 

Catherine Dunne is the author of six novels and one work of non-fiction. Her last novel Set in Stone was published by Macmillan in October 2009 and Catherine will be launching her latest novel Missing Julia at the Irish Writers' Centre on Friday 24th September. She has been shortlisted for several prizes, including the Kerry Fiction Prize, and won the International Award at Vigevano, Italy, in 2006. Her work is widely translated and has been optioned for television. Catherine has taught creative writing for the Irish Writers' Centre, Dublin City Council, Writers' Week Listowel and the Arvon Foundation in the UK.  She is a member of the board of The Irish Writers' Centre.

Reading in The Irish Writers' Centre tomorrow night 7pm

The jeans I like that have been missing since October have just been found and where were they? In the top drawer of the chest of drawers!  Why didn't I see them before this?  Anyway this is good as I can wear them tomorrow with a black top and a black jacket.  So that's sorted.  I'm also going to get my hair done tomorrow afternoon so at least I should look the part.

Now I only have to worry about feeling like a rabbit caught in headlights, stunned and unable to speak.  Or perhaps I will panic and run from the building.  No, just calm down.  It should be okay.  Except I feel a bit like an "i" (a little i in an ee cummings poem).  I've printed off the story and read it aloud once.  I must read it again in a while.  In the immediate I have to go to sleep and go to work in the morning. 

The next Lonely Voice Short Story readings will take place on Wednesday, 6th July at 7pm, where Sarah Gilmartin, Deirdre McClay, Orla Fay and Guy Barriscale, the four short-listed writers, will read from their winning stories. The readers were selected anonymously by guest judge Leo Cullen.

Poem 42


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the m

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SteR

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tilLnes

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e.e. cummings

The Lonely Voice: Short Story Introductions

I recieved an email earlier informing me that one of my short stories, Safa, has been selected as one of four winners of The Lonely Voice June 2011.  The judge is Leo Cullen and I will read my story on Wednesday, 6th July, in the Irish Writers' Centre.  I'm very proud and especially as this is a story I really wanted to tell and I spent hours in the library making it work one evening before coming home and spending more hours typing it up.

The Lonely Voice: Short Story Introductions take place on the last Wednesday of every month. Up to four short story writers are selected and invited to read their work at the event.  The Lonely Voice are particularly interested in providing a platform for emerging writers, who previously may not have had the opportunity to read their work in public.

For more information visit:

http://www.writerscentre.ie/html/events/thelonelyvoice.html