Poetry Workshop

I attended a most enjoyable workshop at the Forge Literary Festival in Gort at the week-end. It was run by Dublin poet Nessa O’Mahony and she did a great job of calmly encouraging us, the participants. It was mostly exercise based – a format I am not used to – and it was great for that very reason. I always feel if I learn – or come away with – just one thing from a workshop, it has been worthwhile. And I may have got the germ of a seed of a poem from an exercise that Nessa did with us based on George Ella Lyon’s poem ‘Where I’m From’. It’s an exercise I may use in my own teaching, if Nessa doesn’t mind.
Here’s a link to the poem and to George’s website:


Where I'm From

Scottish Poetry Competition

The Edwin Morgan International Poetry Competition is being held in association with the Edinburgh International Book Festival. Closing date 2nd June 2008.
Judges: Colette Bryce, Donny O'Rourke and Richard Price.

It costs £5 for each entry but the great thing is you can enter online and pay with Paypal. For those without UK bank accounts, you gotta love that!

First Prize: £5000
Second Prize: £1000
Third Prize: £500
Runner-up: two prizes of £50 each


See:
Edwin Morgan Comp

Forge Literary Festival, Gort

The Western Writers' Centre are holding a literary festival in Gort County Galway next week-end.
Nessa O'Mahony and Jessie Lendennie are giving poetry and publishing workshops, respectively; other readers include Geraldine Mills and Knute Skinner.
Gort is midway-ish between Galway and Ennis and has its own literary links, though this is its first lit fest. Lady Gregory's Coole Park is nearby as is Yeats's Thoor Ballylee. Worth the trip!

See:
Western Writers' Centre

Poetry Now Festival 2008

The PN08 website is finally live. The festival is on from the 3rd to the 6th of April. Readers this year include, among many more, Mimi Khalvati, Ruth Padel, Séamus Heaney and Daljit Nagra.

Also taking place are the readings and prize-givings for the Irish Times Poetry Now Award and The Strong Award. Almost all of the events take place at the Pavilion Theatre in Dun Laoghaire.
See:
Poetry Now 08

Happenstance Short Story results delayed

The Happenstance Story comp - which I've entered - are experiencing a delay in getting the results out. Which is a good thing.
A) because they received more than twice the number of entries this year (over 400), which is a trend all over it seems to me. More people are entering comps these days, probably because of the WWW and the fast passing of info.
B) because they have a very thorough and open judging criteria which can be explored here, on their site:
Happenstance

Anne Enright on Orange Longlist

Our own Anne Enright is on the Orange Prize longlist for her Man Booker winning novel The Gathering and I am delighted for her. I loved it, but I've yet to meet another reader (in person) who shares my enthusiasm.

This is the thirteenth year of the prize; the shortlist is announced in April, the winner in early June. Maybe it'll be lucky No. 13 for Anne. Here's hoping! See the rest of the longlist here:
Orange Longlist 2008

Brian Moore Shortlist

The shortlist for this year's Brian Moore Short Story Award has been posted on the Creative Writers' Network site (see below). Good luck all! The writer's name and not the name of the story is up, which I thought a biteen odd...:

Patricia McCaw
Gerry McCullough
Erin Soros
Wes Lee
Lorraine McCann
John Roberts
Pauline McNulty
Peter Jordan
Pauline O'Hare
Joanne Maguire
Martin Cromie
Olivia Rana
Mark Burns
Brian Steele
Teresa Godfrey

Welsh Readings

I'm just back from reading in Wales: a whirlwind tour of Carmarthen, Cardiff and Swansea. The glorious-accented Welsh were hospitable, down-to-earth and welcoming.
Appreciative audiences are so heart-warming: they have open faces and lively eyes and they can't ask enough questions afterwards. And they buy your book - yipee!
So thank you, Welsh people, you are lovely!

Notice board snippet #3

'A good painting must contain a little piece of poison.' Lucian Freud

'And so must a good short story.' Women Rule Writer

DUBLIN BOOK FESTIVAL!

Reminder! The Dublin Book Festival is on this week-end. Don't miss the Stinging Fly's 10 year celebrations on Friday from 4pm to 6pm. They've promised cake!

All events are on in City Hall and are free. What more could a poverty struck writer ask for? Friday 7th to Sunday 9th of March.
See: Dublin Book Festival

I took the above photo of City Hall last October, from the hotel across the street. Isn't that a very UFO-like object on the left, in front of the building? Hrmnnn.

THE SHORT REVIEW, MARCH ISSUE

The March Issue of The Short Review is now live. My God, Tania Hershman is a busy woman, doing great work. Can’t wait to read her collection The White Road and Other Stories, which will be published in June by Salt in England.
Carys Davies, Kevin Barry and Nuala Ní Chonchúir are reviewed, among others. Also a personal favourite short story collection, Tim Winton’s The Turning. See also the author interviews. Enjoy, story lovers!
See: The Short Review

Notice board snippet #2

'Nobody can prevent you
from being the fulfiller
of your golden dreams.' Sri Chinmoy

Ennis Bookclub Festival

I was at the Ennis Book Festival at the week-end, doing a reading and meeting other writers and readers. All very jolly. The organisers were so friendly – genuine book lovers. I brought ten copies of my latest book, thinking I’d be schlepping them home, as per. It bloody sold out plus one! I brought ten, sold eleven ( I have to send it on). That was good going in the world of poetry. Wish I’d brought more…
Anyway, Ennis is a lovely town - we went on the walking tour with Seán Spellissy - and the festival is action-packed. Watch out for it next March.
Back to mundanity now (i.e. editing) until the Dublin Book Festival next week-end, where I am also reading. It’s a busy March, thank my literary stars.