Today is....

National Poetry Day, possibly the day that Ganching publishes her latest poem. It's the day evening when my ex creative writing/poetry tutor Ruth, is launching the new Poetry Place programme at Holywood Library for 2007/2008.

Holywood Library is hosting an evening of poetry with Shalom House Poetry Group headed by local poet Ruth Carr. The event begins at 8pm and will feature members of the group reading from their recently published anthology A Trail of Silver Papers. This anthology is a mix of the group’s finest work alongside previously unpublished poems from the pens of some of the greatest Irish poets writing today.

Seamus Heaney writes:”….I’ve gone through it thoroughly – which is more than I do with most anthologies – usually it’s a dip-in, dip-out kind of engagement. What struck me as I read is how well it is put together, how often poem answers poem…..here’s to the new silver papers.” [source - NI-Libraries.net]

I was checking what my friends @ Facebook, who happen to be poets, are doing today. Responses were...

I'll be in bed in Beeston library reading and making up poems for the public

yup -true

and then I'll be going to see Pam Ayres


I'll be on Radio Foyle talking about poetry & doing a wee poem with one of my partners in crime - Abby - from about 9am and then... back to work where I'll be talking in rhythm & rhyme with the rest of my co-workers. Aren't they lucky?! lol

Pam Ayers? That would be cool. Enjoy. :)


I'm in pefidious albion I'm afraid - deepest darkest heart of it too... near The Forest of Dean...and we all know what happens there, indeed we do my dearie,..

I'll try and mention these poets again today and encourage you to buy their books, see them perform and contribute to their pension funds ;-)

As it's National Poetry Day it's a perfect excuse to mention Niamh McMullan.

Ten year-old, Niamh McMullan, a pupil at St. Aengus N.S. Bridge End, Donegal, scooped the Overall Winner prize of a new laptop computer and accessories for her poem that she wrote when taking part in the WordFlight Young People's Written & Verbal Arts Project. Niamh was also placed first in the 8 to 10 year old category, and collected an additional £100 cash prize.

Patrick Kearney, writer and director with Artists in Creative Enterprise, who managed and delivered WordFlight, said:

"Niamh was one of 3000 young people aged 8 to 17 years across Ireland, Britain, Europe, the Middle East, and the USA, who participated in WordFlight. The project was designed to encourage young people to connect with this year's commemorations of the Flight of the Earls, and to use the Flight as a focal point to explore, through creative writing and storytelling, their own experiences and imaginings of loss and new beginning
[source - www.artistsincreativeenterprise.com]

And finally, the winning poem by Niamh McMullan which scooped Overall Winner prize

My Uncle Jason moved away
a few years ago.
He's over in Boston at the minute.
There is a lot of snow.

I think it was a big jump
for him when really young.
But now I think
he has moved on.

I think it was an experience
for him to move away.
I go to my granny's house and
on the phone we talk to him each Tuesday.

I would love to go to Boston,
and to see him.
I could play and talk all day,
just me and him.