Roscommon Womens Network, and Yeats

Just finished teaching a short creative writing course in the RWN, which was a great experience, thanks to Maria for setting it all up, well done all.
I'm pleased to hear from Declan Foley that my poem Hellsteeth will be part of his forthcoming book about W.B Yeats. Look forward to reading it..

Turlough House exhibition - "Time Machine"

I was recently at the opening of my friend Tom Meskell's latest art exhibition, in the café of Turlough House (the museum of country life, Castlebar), and was really taken by his vivid paintings of ancient hurling balls -which they are exhibiting in the main museum. I wrote a poem based on his art, and now I'm told the poem is on display alongside the paintings! Chuffed!! Check it all out for yourselves: country life

Warport - new poem in The Galway Review

My new poem Warport is online now on the Galway Review..

Shannon Warport

Margeretta D'Arcy, poet, artist and activist, is currently in Limerick prison for 3 months for protesting against war(s). Check her out: http://www.margarettadarcy.com/
and http://www.shannonwatch.org/

She is not seeking her own release, but the release of Shannon airport from the use of the US military.
There is however an email campaign for her   http://www.contact.ie/email-campaigns/email-campaign-free-margaretta-darcy-political-campaigning-not-crime

Desmond O Grady comp. excitement..

Myself and Catherine Ryan are both thrilled to be on the long-list for the Desmond O Grady poetry competition, that's 2 of the Millwheel Writers represented which is good stuff indeed! Catherine's poem "Snapshots" is a truly impressive piece, about photography, family, technology, time. Brilliant. My poem "Plant Reproductive Material Law" is pretty much what it says on the tin, a look at the new EU directive which seeks to criminalize seed-saving, and puts even more control over food into the hands of giant multinationals. Etc. So fingers crossed for both of us!
http://www.desmondogrady.com/poetry-competition-2013/
UPDATE! Congrats to Catherine!! whose beautiful poem has made it onto the shortlist!!! mine has stayed behind, but is cheering wildly!! go go go!

Third place at the Red Line!

Not bad! shame I couldn't get to the festival, but happy "Jamie's Red Yo-Yo" won third prize last night.
...Also glad to have Hellsteeth on sale now in the fascinating Cruchain Ai heritage centre in Tulsk, county Roscommon...
I am leading one of the creative writing workshops tomorrow morning in Roscommon Library. They're followed by readings and an open-mic for participants, it should be a great day... fingers crossed! Tomorrow is also Frackdown day across Ireland - anti fracking demo's on in most towns, join one near you, if you're not coming writing that is...

Red Line Book Festival...Stony Thursday Book...Sabotage review...

Some good news...
Happy to be shortlisted for the Red Line poetry competition, sorry can't get to the festival- it looks really good- next week http://www.redlinebookfestival.com/ ;
also delighted to have a poem coming in the next Stony Thursday book;
and you can read a nice review by Afric McGinchy on the Sabotage website, of my chapbook Hellsteeth.. though maybe the meaning of some of my poems has been lost in translation, the review overall is very positive, so that's got to be a good thing... http://sabotagereviews.com/