Cúirt Festival/Over The Edge showcase

The 22nd Cúirt International Festival of Literature will take place from Tuesday 24th - Sunday 29th April 2007 and will once again bring authors of international, national and local repute to Galway. Over the course of its history, the Cúirt Festival has hosted a dazzling array of literary talent, including Nobel Prize winners, J.M. Coetzee, Nadine Gordimer, Derek Walcott and Seamus Heaney.

The Cúirt/Over The Edge showcase reading, which took place for the first time at last year’s festival – and was a big success – is to become an annual event. The reading - an official part of the Cúirt programme - will give four emerging writers the opportunity to showcase their work at Ireland’s foremost literature festival.

The four writers to be showcased at this year’s festival in April will be chosen from a shortlist of those who have been Featured Readers at the popular monthly Over The Edge: Open Readings in Galway City Library.

In a joint statement Over The Edge organisers, Susan Millar DuMars and Kevin Higgins, said: “We would like to thank the Cúirt Festival Committee for their support. The fact that the Cúirt/Over The Edge showcase reading is now to be on ongoing part of the festival each year provides an excellent opportunity for new poets and fiction writers, both in Galway and nationally. We are delighted to play our small part in what is without doubt the best literary festival in the country.”

http://www.galwayartscentre.ie/cuirt.htm

2007 Galway Poetry Book Showcase at Sheridan's

The 2007 Over The Edge Poetry Book Showcase featuring Mary O’Malley, Dolores Stewart, Tom Duddy, Colette Nic Aodha, Stephen Murray, Marion Moynihan, Celeste Augé, John Walsh, Andy Johnston & Neil McCarthy will take place at Sheridan's Wine Bar, 14-16 Church Yard Street, Galway on Friday, February, 9th at 8pm. In this annual retrospective of the year just past, every Galway-based poet who published a new collection of poems during 2006 will read three poems from the collection in question. The first Poetry Book Showcase took place last year and was a big success.

All welcome. For further details phone 087-6431748

Over The Edge acknowledges the financial support of The Arts Council and Galway City Council

'Against The Wall' edited by Dave Lordan

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS - Against The Wall

Deadline - 30th April 2007




Against The Wall is a poetry project designed to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the occupation of Gaza and West Bank by the Israeli Defence Forces, and to raise awareness of the cultural boycott of Israel initiated by John Berger and 93 other international artists in December 2006.

Submissions are open to poems in any style and any length to writers who support this boycott, which you can read more about at www.pacbi.org. Against The Wall will initially be an e-book, followed by a pamphlet or book. There will be associated readings- anyone who wishes organise an Against The Wall reading should go ahead and do so, just let us know. The launch of the e-book will take place in June 2006. Send submissions in the body of the e-mail to againstthewall2007@hotmail.com

ROPES 2007 seeks submissions

Want to get Published?

The editors of ROPES are currently accepting submissions for the 2007 edition. ROPES is the annual NUIG Review of Postgraduate Studies

With the theme of “In Knots”, this edition will be a collection of emotions: the way you feel when you see the people you love, the apron strings that were never cut, just tangled, the pain in your side after a proper belly laugh, and most importantly to the mess of jumbled ideas on the page after a flash of inspiration. Knots are the imperfections that make life interesting.Celebrate them.

Short-stories, poetry, critical and academic essays up to 3000 words in length, as well as photography and artwork now welcome for the 15th annual edition of ropes. Submissions please in Microsoft Word format to ropesgalway@gmail.com

Closing date Friday, 16 February 2007.

New issue of west 47 online & article in Poetry Ireland News

The January-March issue of west 47 – the literary web magazine of Galway Arts Centre – is now online at http://www.galwayartscentre.ie/west47/index.html

The new issue includes fiction by John McKenna, Gerry Boland, Harry O’Neill and Susan Millar DuMars; poems by Robert Jocelyn, Leeanne Quinn, Mary Mullen, Jean Andrews and Christopher Barnes; and a translation from the original Macedonian, by Nicola Madzirov, of a poem by Magdalena Horvat.

Poems and stories published on west 47 are eligible for inclusion in The Cúirt Annual and for the Cúirt New Writing Prize.

Submissions for future issues should be sent to Maura Kennedy, Assistant Editor, west47 online, Galway Arts Centre, 47 Dominick Street, Galway, Ireland.

Meanwhile, the latest issue of Poetry Ireland News includes an article on the subject of poetry readings by Over The Edge co-organiser, Kevin Higgins, Helping Irish Poetry Break Out Of The Victorian Drawing Room.

This is an abridged version of a paper Kevin delivered to the International Irish Studies Conference at NUI Galway last June. http://www.nuigalway.ie/cis/images/conference_programme_2006.pdf

The full paper can be read at http://www.poetryireland.ie/news/opinion.asp#Kevin%20Higgins

Over The Edge celebrates fourth birthday with reading by Todd Swift

The first Over The Edge: Open Reading of 2007 takes place in Galway City Library, St. Augustine Street, Galway on Thursday, January 25th, 6.30-8pm.







The Featured Readers are Elaine Feeney, Mary Mullen & Todd Swift. The reading is a special occasion for co-organisers, Susan Millar DuMars and Kevin Higgins, as it is the fourth anniversary of the series, which began in January 2003.

Elaine Feeney was born in Galway in 1979. She teaches English at St. Patrick’s College, Tuam. She has performed and read her poetry at various readings and festivals, including the Cuirt Festival Poetry Slam. Elaine has poems forthcoming in both The Shop and Nthposition.com. According to 2005 Patrick Kavanagh Award Winner, Dave Lordan: “Her performances are notable for their fearless confrontation with the controversial truth of women’s lives in the new Ireland.”

Mary Mullen is an Alaskan-born writer who has lived in County Galway for the last decade. Her work has been published in We Alaskans, Sunday Miscellany 2003-2004, The Stinging Fly, the Cork Literary Review, Galway Now, West47online, the Anchorage Daily News, and a chapbook ‘The Whole Building Could Be On Fire’. She is working on a collection of personal history essays and short stories. Mary is a graduate of NUIG’s MA in Writing.

Todd Swift is the Canadian-born author of three poetry collections, Budavox, Café Alibi and Rue du Regard. He currently lives in London. Todd is an editor of many poetry anthologies, including 100 Poets Against The War. He also compiled the recent audio CD Life Lines: Poets for Oxfam. His latest publication is Natural Curve, a pamphlet of poems from Rubicon Press, Alberta. He has co-edited a major collection of essays on Anglo-Quebec Poetry, Language Acts, to be launched spring 2007 in Montreal. His New and Selected Poems, 1987-2007, edited with an Introduction by Kevin Higgins, is forthcoming from Salmon Publishing in 2008.

As usual there will be an open-mic when the Featured Readers have finished. This is open to anyone who has a poem or story to share. New readers are especially welcome. The MC for the evening will be Susan Millar DuMars. For further details contact 087-6431748.

Over The Edge acknowledges the financial support of Galway City Council and The Arts Council

Creative Writing Classes & Poetry Workshops starting in January 2007

Galway Technical Institute presents creative writing classes for the New Year

Creative Writing for Beginners with Kevin Higgins takes place one evening per week (Monday) from 7.30-9.30pm. (10 weeks) It commences on Monday, 15th January, 2007. Advance booking is essential. Places cost €100. Kevin Higgins will provide writing exercises for, and give gentle critical feedback to, those interested in trying their hand at writing poems, stories or memoir.

Intermediate Creative Writing with Susan Millar DuMars takes place one evening per week (Tuesday) from 7.30-9.30pm. (10 weeks) It commences on Tuesday, 16th January, 2007. Advance booking is essential. Places cost €100. A course for those who have an interest in writing stories or poems, and want the guidance and discipline of a weekly class to help them improve. Flexible exercises and work-shopping of assignments, together with the study of the works of published writers, will help each class member to find their own writing voice.

To book a place in either class contact GTI, Father Griffin Road, Galway Telephone 091-581342
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Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology Presents Creative Writing for Beginners with Susan Millar DuMars.

The course takes place one evening per week (Wednesday) for 8 weeks from 7.30 p.m. – 9.30 p.m. It commences on Wednesday, January 31st, 2007. Advance booking is essential. Places cost €120.00. During the eight weeks Susan Millar DuMars will give support, instruction and feedback to students who are interested in writing either fiction (short stories, novels) or poetry. For further details or to book a place contact GMIT, Dublin Road, Galway. Telephone 091 753161.
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Poetry workshops with Kevin Higgins at Galway Arts Centre

In January Galway Arts Centre is offering aspiring poets a choice of three poetry workshops, all facilitated by poet Kevin Higgins, whose best-selling first collection, ‘The Boy With No Face’, published by Salmon Poetry, was short-listed for the 2006 Strong Award for Best First Collection by an Irish poet. Kevin Higgins is an experienced workshop facilitator and several of his students have gone on to achieve publication success.

Each workshop will run for ten week, commencing in the week of January 22nd.They will take place on Tuesday evenings, 7-8.30pm; Wednesday afternoons, 2-3.30pm; and on Thursday afternoons, 2-3.30pm.

The Tuesday evening and Wednesday afternoon workshops are open to both complete beginners as well as those who’ve been writing for some time. The Thursday afternoon workshop is an Advanced Poetry Workshop, suitable for those who’ve participated in poetry workshops before or had poems published in magazines. The cost to participants is €100, with an €90 concession rate.

Places must be paid for in advance. To reserve a place contact Victoria at reception at Galway Arts Centre. Phone091 565886 or email victoria@galwayartscentre.ie or margaret@galwayartscentre.ie

GTI Creative Writing Students Reading

Participants in the Autumn 2006 Beginners & Intermediate Creative Writing Courses facilitated at Galway Technical Institute, Fr. Griffin Road by Susan Millar DuMars & Kevin Higgins will be reading their work at Galway City Library on Thursday, January 11th, from 6.30pm.

For further details contact 087-6431748.

Belfast Poets at North Beach Poetry Nights

The BELFAST POETS kick off the season at
North Beach Poetry Nights
in BK's Winebar,
Spanish Parade, Galway
Thursday January 18th 2007. 9pm


MC for the evening is Elaine Feeney.

This touring group of 3 female and 2 male poets follow on their
2006 successful tour of Australia with a poetry tour of Ireland,
taking in Cork, Limerick, Galway, Dublin, Derry and Belfast.

The touring poets, Phatbob, Aisling Doherty, Chelley Mclear, Ellen Factor and Gordon Hewitt emerged from the various open mic nights held over the last few years in Belfast and the Sunday Session performance spaces in Derry.

Gordon Hewitt, spokesperson for the Belfast Poets Touring Group says,

“Too often we get told that poetry is something that people cannot get into, that it can’t be accessible or easily understood. We write about the world in which we live. We comment on Iraq, Lebanon, racism, paramilitarism, policing and the Peace Process, but we also write about everyday experiences, love, relationships, clubbing, even shopping, so that our show has something for everyone. Last year we were equally successful performing to other writers and performance poets at Festivals as well as working class pubs in places like Darwin or Perth, We want what we do to be powerful poetry but which anyone can enjoy. “

The North Beach Poetry Nights Slam follows the usual format.Please bring along two three minute (max.) pieces for Round 1 and 2 of the slam.North Beach Poetry Nights especially welcomes newcomers to take thestage.The prize is the honour and a bottle of red wine generously donated by BK's Winebar. Location: BK's Winebar, Spanish
Parade, Galwayat 9pm. Admission: 4 Euro

Coming Events:

February 15th
Guest Poet: KEVIN HIGGINS MC: Gary King

March 15th
Guest Poet: MAIGHREAD MEDBH MC: Trish Casey

April 26th
North Beach Poetry Nights special Pre-Cúirt Grand Slam event
with performances by the 4 former Cúirt Grand Slam winners
and the 2007 competitors.
MC: Brendan Murphy

May 24th
Guest Poets: KEITH ARMSTRONG and PAUL SUMMERS
MC: John Walsh

NBPN gratefully acknowledges the support of Poetry Ireland and Galway City Council.
Info: John Walsh at 091-593290

Kevin Higgins to edit Kilkenny Poetry Broadsheet

Call for Submissions: Kilkenny Poetry Broadsheet Issue 7

The Arts Office of Kilkenny County Council is delighted to announce the publication of the seventh issue of the very popular Kilkenny Poetry Broadsheet. The aim of the publication is to give local writers a platform for their work. Each poem selected is included in the broadsheet which will be for sale throughout the County.

Kevin Higgins will edit the seventh issue of Kilkenny Poetry Broadsheet. Kevin is a poet based in Galway City. He facilitates poetry workshops at Galway Arts Centre and along with his wife Susan Millar DuMars they organises the Over The Edge readings in Galway City Library. His first collection of poems, The Boy With No Face, was published by Salmon in 2005 and was short-listed for the 2006 Strong Award for Best First Collection by an Irish Poet. His second collection is forthcoming.

We are now accepting submissions from poets born or based in Kilkenny City and County.

Closing date for receipt of submissions is no later than 4pm on Friday 9th February 2007.

Application forms and submission rules are available from the Arts Office, No. 72 John Street, Kilkenny T: 056 7794138 E: niamh.finn@kilkennycoco.ie