Tuesday 21 October 2008

CUISLE POETRY FESTIVAL 2008




I was in Limerick at the week-end for the Cuisle Poetry Festival; I was one of the judges for their Young Poet of the Year children’s poetry competition and the awards ceremony took place on Saturday in Daghda’s lovely converted church in John’s Square. They read; I handed out silver cups; and Bertha O’Callaghan – who instigated the competition last year – was mistress of ceremonies.

The children of Ireland write about many and various things including crocodiles, chocolate, butterflies, deceased grandparents, unrequited love, war, drinking, rivers, trees, pregnancy, shampoo, poverty, Ryanair and mining. The standard was incredible and it was great to meet all the young poets and see how happy it made them for their writing to be acknowledged.

We made it to the Salmon launch of Caroline Lynch’s and Pete Mullineaux’s new collections. I am familiar with Pete’s work from years of hearing him read in Galway and he didn’t disappoint. Caroline is brand new to me and she read wonderfully from her slim book Lost in the Gaeltacht. Her poem 'Our Dead Grandmothers' was particularly striking in its gleeful and morbid honesty; she also read a new and very effective pantoum about death and marriage. She is a poet to watch, for sure.

The only other writer we heard read was Neil Rollinson from England. He delivered a rakish set of poems about his twin obsessions: sex and horses. No poem was about both, I hasten to point out. He’s a great reader and his poem about seeing all his potential wives on the Tube had poet Ciarán O’Driscoll, and many others, in convulsions.

In a happy addition to a great week-end, I picked up the newest Stony Thursday Book to buy and found I had three poems in it! I never had heard back about my submission so presumed it was a PFO, but there I am, nestled between Gerry Murphy (my ‘conduit’!) and Mary Noonan. Nice one!

11 comments:

Padhraig Nolan said...

3 poems! Congrats. They didn't even take 1 of mine - I'm bummed.

Group 8 said...

Poor PJ. Well, I never would have known my stuff was in it if I didn't fetch up in Limerick for the week-end. Odd.

Unknown said...

You're not the only one to find yourself in there and nary a word to you. I know of at least three other poets who 'discovered' they were in there after the fact. Odd is being nice...

Group 8 said...

The thing is two of those poems have now been accepted elsewhere. And it's too late to withdraw them from the other place. But it wasn't my bad housekeeping that caused the double up so I'll just see it as a bonus! Anyway, Stony is an anthology, so that makes it different, right?!

Padhraig Nolan said...

I didn't get my PFO until after the book was printed, apparently. More 'pressing' matters, I guess.

......I'll get me coat.

Group 8 said...

Aw, PJ.
There's always the Munster Lit's chapbook competition. That looks like a good one.

Padhraig Nolan said...

Cool. Might well enter that. All not totally bleak though - I do have a poem in the new Boyne Berries , launching tomorrow evening, yay :-)

By gum, you're having a busy year though - publishing and otherwise!

Group 8 said...

See, Boyne Berrries gave me a major PFO. Each editor to their own, and all that. Are you going to the launch?

Yes, it's been hectic, so far, and there's more to do before the year is out. It's great.

Unknown said...

Oh yay - there is hope for me yet! I tried to order the book from Bantry to see if I am in it (lol) and apprently I cant get it yet. what does PFO stand for by the way?

Unknown said...

oh ha ha - pfo's - had plenty of those in that case! Didnt realise this was for the older stony t - what news of this years one? "PFO's" issued yet?

Group 8 said...

Hi MD
I don't know as I didn't send anything in. THe festival it is tied in with is over now, though, so I imagine it is done.
Best
WWR