SHORT-LIST ANNOUNCED for 2010 Over The Edge New Writer of The Year

The short-list for the 2010 Over The Edge New Writer of The Year competition was announced earlier this evening at the August 'Over The Edge: Open Reading' in Galway City Library. This year's competition has attracted a record 341 entries: 152 poetry entries and 189 fiction entries. The short-list is as follows:

Elizabeth Brennan, Wexford, Ireland
Laura Brennan, Galway, Ireland
Marie Cadden, Galway, Ireland
June Caldwell, Dublin, Ireland
Angela T. Carr, Dublin, Ireland
Martin Casey, Mayo, Ireland
Sarah Clancy, Galway, Ireland
Jane Clarke, Wicklow, Ireland
Paul Conway, Galway, Ireland
Elaine Cosgrove, Galway, Ireland
Margaret T. Costello, Louth, Ireland
Evan Costigan, Kildare, Ireland
Kevin Doyle, Cork, Ireland
Noel Duffy, Dublin, Ireland
Danni Emery, London, UK
Nicola Griffin, Clare, Ireland
Rachael Hegarty, Dublin, Ireland
Alex Hijmans, Brazil
Jean Kavanagh, Clare, Ireland
Eileen Keane, Dublin, Ireland
Tom Lavelle, Galway, Ireland
Antoinette McCarthy, Kilkenny, Ireland
Danielle McLoughlin, Cork, Ireland
Niamh Mulvey, Kilkenny, Ireland
Aongus Murtagh, Berlin, Germany
Kathleen Murray, Dublin, Ireland
Michael O'Siochain, Cork, Ireland
Kevin O'Shea, Galway, Ireland
James O'Toole, Galway, Ireland
Evelyn Parsons, Galway, Ireland
Desmond Rice, Cape Town, South Africa
Jane Rooney, Dublin, Ireland
Seamus Scanlon, New York, USA
Maresa Sheehan, Carlow, Ireland
Michael Solis, Galway, Ireland/New Jersey, USA
Ekaterina Tikhoniouk, Laois, Ireland
Jean Tuomey, Mayo, Ireland
Steve Wade, Dublin, Ireland
Evelyn Walsh, Dublin, Ireland
Suzanne Walsh, Tiperary, Ireland

The winners in the fiction and poetry categories and the 2010 Over The Edge New Writer of The Year will be announced at the September 'Over The Edge: Open Reading' in Galway City Library on Thursday, September 30th (6.30-8pm).

This year’s competition judge is James Martyn. James is from Galway where he is a member of The Talking Stick Writing Workshop. James writes both fiction and poetry. He has had work broadcast on both RTE and BBC and won the Listowel Writers Week Originals Short Story Competition. His work has appeared in The Cúirt Journal, West 47, Books Ireland, Crannóg, TheSunday Tribune, The Stinging Fly and The Shop. He was shortlisted for a Hennessy Award in 2006. He was shortlisted for the Francis McManus award in both 2007 and 2008 and for The William Trevor International Short Story Competition in 2007. His first collection of poetry, Shedding Skin, was recently published by Arlen House.

The 2010 Over The Edge New Writer of The Year competition is sponsored by Charlie Byrne's Bookshop and Michael D. Higgins T.D

Autumn Creative Writing Classes at Galway Technical Institute

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, 20th September, 2010. Advance booking is essential. Places cost €120. 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, 21st September, 2010. Advance booking is essential. Places cost €120. This class is suitable for those who’ve participated in creative writing classes before or begun to have work published in magazines. 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, e-mail adultedinfo@cgvec.ie or see http://www.gti.ie/

Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology presents Creative Writing for Beginners with Susan Millar DuMars

Susan Millar DuMars will give support, instruction and feedback to students who are interested in writing either fiction (short stories, novels) or poetry. The course takes place one evening per week (Wednesday) for 7 weeks from 7–9 p.m. The course commences on Wednesday, September 29th. Advance booking is essential. Places cost €95.00. For further details or to book a place contact GMIT, Dublin Road, Galway. Telephone 091-742145 or see http://www.gmit.ie

Susan was born in Philadelphia in 1966 to a Belfast-born mother. She holds an MA in Writing from the University of San Francisco. Her poems and short stories have been published widely in the US, UK and Ireland. Susan's stories have been short-listed for many awards, and in 2005 she received an Irish Arts Council Bursary for her fiction. American Girls, a volume of her short stories, was published by Lapwing in 2007. Since 2003, Susan and her husband Kevin Higgins have organised the successful Over the Edge reading series, showcasing new writers. Susan teaches creative writing at Galway Technical Institute, Galway Arts Centre, Galway Mayo Institute of Technology and on the Brothers of Charity Away With Words programme. Big Pink Umbrella (Salmon Poetry, 2008) is the first full collection of her poetry. One of her poems has been chosen by editor, Mathew Sweeney, for inclusion in Best of Irish Poetry 2010 (Southword Editions). Several of her poems feature in Landing Places: Immigrant Poets in Ireland, edited by Eva Bourke (Dedalus Press, March 2010). Her second collection of poems, Dreams for Breakfast, was published this April by Salmon Poetry.

http://www.gmit.ie/lifelong-learning/lifelong-learning-programmes/general-interest/artistic-creative/creative-writing-beginners.html

Daytime Creative Writing with Susan Millar DuMars at Galway Arts Centre

This Autumn Galway Arts Centre presents a daytime class for all those beginner and continuing creative writing students out there, both facilitated by Susan Millar DuMars. Susan writes both poetry and fiction. A collection of her stories, American Girls, was published by Lapwing Press in 2007; she has published two collection of poetry, Big Pink Umbrella (2008) and Dreams For Breakfast both with Salmon Poetry. She is also co-organiser of the Over The Edge reading series which specifically promotes new writers.

The class is suitable for both beginning and continuing creative writing students, working in either poetry or fiction. Students will spend their week responding to writing exercises designed to inspire, rather than inhibit. In class, they will receive gentle feedback on their work from their classmates and from the teacher. The class takes place on Monday afternoons, 2-3.30pm, commencing on Monday September 20th.

The cost to participants is 110 Euro with an 100 Euro concession price. Booking is essential as places are limited. For booking please contact Galway Arts Centre, 47 Dominick Street, phone 091 565886 or email victoria@galwayartscentre.ie

Autumn Poetry Workshops @ Galway Arts Centre with Kevin Higgins

This Autumn 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’s second collection of poems, ‘Time Gentlemen, Please’, was published in 2008 by Salmon Poetry and his poetry is discussed in the Cambridge Introduction to Modern Irish Poetry. His third collection ‘Frightening New Furniture’ was published in April by Salmon and his work also appears in the generation defining anthology 'Identity Parade –New British and Irish Poets' (Ed. Roddy Lumsden, Bloodaxe, 2010). Kevin is an experienced workshop facilitator and several of his students have gone on to achieve publication success. One of his workshop participants at Galway Arts Centre won the prestigious Hennessy Award for New Irish Poetry, while several have published collections of their poems.

Each workshop will run for ten weeks, commencing the week of September 20th. They will take place on Tuesday evenings, 7-8.30pm (first class September 21st); on Wednesday afternoons, 2-3.30pm (first class September 22nd) and on Thursday afternoons, 2-4pm (first class September  23rd).

Kevin with his wife and fellow writer and creative writing teacher Susan Millar DuMars

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 €110, with an €100 concession rate.


Places must be paid for in advance. To reserve a place contact Victoria at reception at Galway Arts Centre, 47 Dominick Street, phone 091 565886 or email victoria@galwayartscentre.ie

Creative Writing Night Classes back at GMIT Castlebar

A new course of the highly popular night classes in Creative Writing will commence in GMIT Castlebar on Tuesday September 28th. The course runs for two hours a night for twelve weeks. The classes will suit beginners and improvers.

This is a practical and fun course with the emphasis on writing. Topics covered include what to write about, point of view, setting, style, voice, memoir, flash fiction, short stories, poetry, dialogue, drama, critique and markets. The structure of the classes is very supportive to the often very personal nature of writing. At the end of the course students should have an impressive body of work completed.

Many satisfied students have taken this course over the past number of years. Some have gone on to win prizes and had their work published.

The facilitator, John Corless, is a vastly experienced tutor. He has an MA in Creative Writing and is currently researching a PhD. He has performed his work all over the country including at the Electric Picnic, Force 12 and The Munster Literary Festival. He writes poetry, drama and fiction. He work has been published in several countries. He has won many prizes for his writing.

John’s debut collection, Are you ready? (Salmon Poetry) was published in 2009 and reprinted this year making it one of the biggest selling poetry titles for many years.

John’s poetry is a mix of political and satirical; one critic described it as Paul Durcan meets The Sawdoctors. Another said: "... he shines the tell tale torchlight of his killer wit into all the most embarrassing areas of contemporary Irish life. No-one is safe..." Another said: “…side-splitting humour and tongue-in-cheek commentary are synonymous with John’s poetry…"

Anyone interested in taking the Creative Writing night classes should book immediately to avoid disappointment as places are limited. Bookings are made directly with the college only, at their Lifelong Learning Dept., Westport Road, Castlebar. You can telephone GMIT on 094 90 25 700. The course fee is €150.

The college will host an open evening at the Castlebar campus on Wednesday 8th. September from 7-9pm to finalize bookings. This is an opportunity to meet the tutor who will answer any questions you may have and to enrol for the course.

If you want any further details on the course, or if you can't wait to for the enrolment night, you can telephone John on: 087 98 43 900.

UPDATE The Inisbofin Jaunt Poetry Weekend with Yvonne Cullen SPECIAL OFFERS VIA OVER THE EDGE

The Inisbofin Jaunt

Poetry Weekend

With Yvonne Cullen

Inishbofin Poetry Jaunt with Yvonne Cullen


Dates are now: Sat 25 - Mon 27th Sept!

I've tweaked the timetable to make the weekend more accessible than ever! Sessions now start at 8 p.m on the Saturday night on the island: Sept 25th! A final optional landscape-based class will now run on Monday morning Sept 27th . Some places are still available - booking closes Friday 17th Sept. Special offers via Over The Edge still apply! Contact yvonnesworkshops@gmail.com or phone 086 1701418 for more information, mentioning Over The Edge to avail of offers. Students organise own accommodation on Inishbofin with support from Yvonne.

WRITING TRAIN WORKSHOPS: possibly the most consistently successful writing workshops in Dublin. FIVE members shortlisted for 2010's Over The Edge awards and TWO shortlisted for the 2010 Hennessy Award.

"The best thing I have ever signed up for!" Student feedback on Yvonne Cullen's Writing Train.

See www.yvonnecullen.com, and facebook page Yvonne Cullen's Writing Train

Weekend accessible from Galway over Sat-Sun timeframe

Booking and info: mailto:yvonnesworkshops@gmail.com OR http://www.yvonnecullen.com/ Ph: 086 1701418 Book by 15 Sept!

Special Galway offers via

“Over The Edge” Literary Events!

4 places on weekend for Galway/Mayo residents at €140 tuition fee! Available to Galway residents who come across the event via this blog or at one of our readings. All you have to do is apply by email to Yvonne Cullen by 30 Aug with one poem and /or a brief thought about why they'd like to attend, mentioning that became aware of the Inisboffin Jaunt via Over The Edge.                                  

“I feel more positive about my writing now than I have for a long time!”
“Wonderful, natural teacher!”
“Soul- cleansing!”
“Life-changing!”
Participants on Inishbofin Poetry Jaunt Aug 2010

A Writing Train Event with Yvonne Cullen

N.B. Plans are also afoot for an Inis Mór Prose and Poetry Jaunt at Hallowe'en, geared around Inis Mór's renowned celebration of Hallowee'n night. Weekend events for the Inis Mór Jaunt will start on Sat p.m too, to allow those on the western seaboard to make the journey on Saturday. Details to follow in September.

North Beach Poetry Nights returns with Miceál Kearney PLUS The Connaught Heat of the All-Ireland Poetry Grand Slam

North Beach Poetry Nights returns on Monday 13th September at 9pm in The Crane Bar, Sea Road, Galway with Guest Poet: Miceál Kearney, young farmer, ecologist, animal-lover (well, not really kittens) poet and performer without equal, Miceál has won every slam award in Ireland, nearly!

His best-selling debut collection Inheritance, published by Doire Press, will be available for purchase on the night. (It has recently been confirmed that Miceál is no longer considered a threat to the safety of the nation.)

Also: The Connaught Heat of the All-Ireland Poetry Grand Slam will be held  to select the two winning poets who will travel to Dublin to this year's Grand Slam.

Poets wishing to take part in the regional heat should register with North Beach Poetry Nights beforehand by emailing John Walsh johnmawalsh@gmail.com There are 16 places on a first-come basis.

Please bring along 2 max. 3 minute poems. And remember: using a script for the Grand Slam will disqualify you.

Door: 5/3 Euro

Info: John@091-593290

North Beach Poetry Nights gratefully acknowledges the generous support of Galway City Council.

Book Launch & Birthday Reading: Robyn Rowland and Susan Millar DuMars

A powerful reading by two women poets in their prime, followed by a Q&A. Dr. Robyn Rowland unveils her brand new book, Seasons Of Doubt And Burning: New and Selected, covering almost 40 years of publication. Susan Millar DuMars reads from Dreams for Breakfast, published in April 2010 and celebrates her 44th birthday.

Poet Celeste Auge (The Essential Guide To Flight) hosts and leads a question and answer session. Admission free. All welcome. Please come and join our celebrations.

Dr Robyn Rowland AO has published twelve books, nine of them poetry. Her work has been awarded a number of prizes, including the Catalpa Poetry Prize and overall Writers Prize from the Australian-Irish Heritage Association, and the Jean Stone Poetry Prize. Silence & its tongues (2006) was shortlisted for the 2007 ACT Judith Wright Poetry Prize. Third generation Irish-Australian, Robyn has been reading and teaching in Ireland for 28 years, where she lives part-time in Connemara. She has read her poetry in Portugal, Ireland, the UK, the USA, Greece, Austria, Bosnia, Serbia, Turkey and Italy, where, along with Canada and Japan, she has also been published. Her poetry has been featured often on Australian national radio programs PoeticA and The Spirit of Things. Robyn is known for her moving readings, available on her CDs, Off the tongue and Silver Leaving - Poems & Harp.

Robyn's collection Seasons of doubt & burning: New & Selected Poems covering almost 40 years of publishing, will be launched in September 2010. Robyn, an Honorary Fellow in the School of Culture and Communication, University of Melbourne, was Deputy Chair of the Board, Australian Poetry Centre (2007-2008); and Professor of Social Inquiry and Women’s Studies at Deakin University (1981–1996), retiring in 1996 with breast cancer and burnout. She was made an Officer in the Order of Australia for her contribution to higher education and women’s health in 1996.

Susan Millar DuMars’ debut poetry collection, Big Pink Umbrella, was published by Salmon Poetry in 2008. Her next collection, Dreams for Breakfast, appeared in April 2010. Her work features in Landing Places, Dedalus’ 2010 anthology of immigrant poetry written in Ireland; and also in The Best Of Irish Poetry 2010. A fiction writer as well, she published a collection of short stories, American Girls, with Lapwing in 2007. She has been the recipient of an Arts Council Literature Bursary. Susan teaches creative writing to adults and to groups with special needs. She lives in Galway, where she and her husband have run the Over the Edge readings series since 2003.

Ger Reidy's new poetry collection to be launch by James Harrold @ Charlie Byrne's Bookshop

Drifting Under the Moon (Dedalus Press) by Ger Reidy  

Thurs. Sept 16th, 6.30pm James Harrold will launch Drifting Under the Moon,

the new poetry collection by Ger Reidy, in Charlie Byrne's Bookshop, Middle Street.

Launch of Edward Boyne's debut poetry collection 'The Day of the Three Swans' published by Doire Press

Quick Thinking Poets Needed!

Poets or writers who feel they can rise to the challenge of creating new work on the spot, are wanted for an experimental evening of collaboration with the public on Culture Night Sep 24th Inkstorm Galway, in conjunction with the Spirit Store in Limerick are co-hosting a Poetry Depot, where members of the public provide the inspiration for pieces written by the poets on the night.

A special set of questions to help people generate poetic seeds is already being circulated. On the night people will sit down with a poet and give them a subject and a little information. The poet will then tailor make a piece for the person and read it to them. The commissioner will be recorded reading their poem and their response, and it will all go together on the website. There will be poets of all levels of experience participating, and given this and the time limit, the point is not to expect a flow of masterpieces, but the spontaneity, excitement and rawness of co-creating with the public, and giving them a sense of ownership of the creative process.

The Poetry Depot will take place from 5-7pm in the Milk Market, Limerick, on Culture Night, Fri Sep 24th.

If you, or anyone you know, are up for the challenge please contact Dave Rock as soon as possible for more information.

d.rock3@nuigalway.ie
0862147117

On the Farm presents poets in a corner of a field in association with Charlie Byrne's Bookshop

On the Farm presents poets


Kevin Higgins,
Terry McDonagh,
Dave Lordan
Stephen Murray
and Brendan Murphy —
in a corner of a field on a farm, over looking a turlough.
Oct 16th, 12 noon; Ballinderreen, Co. Galway.
In association with Charlie Byrnes Bookshop

M.C: Mags Treanor.

It’s free and refreshments served.
Event not weather permitting.
For information and directions:
087 9139698
farmreadings@yahoo.com

2010 Over The Edge New Writer of The Year long-list

The long-list for the 2010 Over The Edge New Writer of The Year competition was announced earlier this evening in Charlie Byrne's Bookshop. This year's competition has attracted a record 341 entries: 152 poetry entries and 189 fiction entries. The long-list is as follows:

Lisa Allen, Galway, Ireland
Claire-Louise Bennett, Galway, Ireland
Elizabeth Brennan, Wexford, Ireland
Laura Brennan, Galway, Ireland
Kevin Boyle, Sligo, Ireland
Marie Cadden, Galway, Ireland
June Caldwell, Dublin, Ireland
Greg Carey, Clare, Ireland
Angela T. Carr, Dublin, Ireland
Martin Casey, Mayo, Ireland
Mike Casey, Dublin, Ireland
Deirdre Clancy, Dublin, Ireland
Sarah Clancy, Galway, Ireland
Jane Clarke, Wicklow, Ireland
Anne Connolly, Galway, Ireland
Paul Conway, Galway, Ireland
Michael Corley, Clare, Ireland
Elaine Cosgrove, Galway, Ireland
Margaret T. Costello, Louth, Ireland
Evan Costigan, Kildare, Ireland
Madeleine D'Arcy, Cork, Ireland
Kevin Doyle, Cork, Ireland
Damien Drohan, Galway, Ireland
Noel Duffy, Dublin, Ireland
Paul Ellson, Tipperary, Ireland
Danni Emery, London, UK
Tanya Farelly, Dublin, Ireland
Michael Farry, Meath, Ireland
Stephanie Flaherty, Galway, Ireland
Thomas Forde, Dublin, Ireland
Rab Swannock Fulton, Galway, Ireland
Cristina Galvin, Galway, Ireland
Richard Gibney, Dublin, Ireland
Dani Gill, Galway, Ireland
Nicola Griffin, Clare, Ireland
Mary Healy, Kilkenny, Ireland
Rachael Hegarty, Dublin, Ireland
Patrick Hewitt, Dublin, Ireland
Alex Hijmans, Brazil
Anne Irwin, Galway, Ireland
Jean Kavanagh, Clare, Ireland
Eileen Keane, Dublin, Ireland
Nuala Keher, Galway, Ireland
Tom Lavelle, Galway, Ireland
James Marshall, Galway, Ireland
Ann McCarry, Dublin, Ireland
Antoinette McCarthy, Kilkenny, Ireland
Naoise McDonagh, Galway, Ireland
Jimi McDonnell, Galway, Ireland
Mary McDonnell, Galway, Ireland
Danielle McLoughlin, Cork, Ireland
Andrew Meehan, Galway, Ireland
Gerald Moloney, Dublin, Ireland
Jacki Morrissey, Dublin, Ireland
Niamh Mulvey, Kilkenny, Ireland
Aongus Murtagh, Berlin, Germany
Kathleen Murray, Dublin, Ireland
Gerard O'Callaghan, North Yorkshire, UK
David O'Dwyer, Dublin, Ireland
Dara Ó Foghlú, Galway, Ireland
Shane Ó Maoildhia, Galway, Ireland
Michael O'Siochain, Cork, Ireland
Kevin O'Shea, Galway, Ireland
James O'Toole, Galway, Ireland
Evelyn Parsons, Galway, Ireland
Fiona Place, Galway, Ireland
Kate Quigley, Meath, Ireland
Máire Olivia Reidy, Dublin, Ireland
Desmond Rice, Cape Town, South Africa
Christopher Rippingale, Mayo, Ireland
Jane Rooney, Dublin, Ireland
Ami Roseingrave, Mayo, Ireland
Mo Ryan, Galway, Ireland
Breda Wall Ryan, Wicklow, Ireland
Seamus Scanlon, New York, USA
Maresa Sheehan, Carlow, Ireland
Michael Solis, Galway, Ireland/New Jersey, USA
Teresa Sweeney, Galway, Ireland
Ekaterina Tikhoniouk, Laois, Ireland
Jean Tuomey, Mayo, Ireland
Steve Wade, Dublin, Ireland
Evelyn Walsh, Dublin, Ireland
Suzanne Walsh, Tiperary, Ireland


The shortlist will be announced at the August 'Over The Edge: Open Reading' in Galway City Library on Thursday, August 26th (6.30-8pm)

The winners will be announced at the September 'Over The Edge: Open Reading' in Galway City Library on Thursday, September 30th (6.30-8pm)

This year’s competition judge is James Martyn. James is from Galway where he is a member of The Talking Stick Writing Workshop. James writes both fiction and poetry. He has had work broadcast on both RTE and BBC and won the Listowel Writers Week Originals Short Story Competition. His work has appeared in The Cúirt Journal, West 47, Books Ireland, Crannóg, TheSunday Tribune, The Stinging Fly and The Shop. He was shortlisted for a Hennessy Award in 2006. He was shortlisted for the Francis McManus award in both 2007 and 2008 and for The William Trevor International Short Story Competition in 2007. His first collection of poetry, Shedding Skin, was recently published by Arlen House.

The 2010 Over The Edge New Writer of The Year competition is sponsored by Charlie Byrne's Bookshop and Michael D. Higgins T.D

Spiddal Library invites you to a reading by Galway poets Gerry Galvin and John Walsh

Gerry Galvin

Spiddal Library invites you to a reading in the library on Wednesday, September 8th at 19.30 with Galway poets Gerry Galvin and John Walsh.

Many people know poet Gerry Galvin as a former restaurateur and chef of Drimcong House in Moycullen.Many people will have read the poems displayed throughout his restaurant, but not everyone realized that the author of these poems is Gerry Galvin himself. No Recipe Gerry's debut collection was published by Doire Press in May 2010. Launched by fellow-poet and politician Michael D. Higgins, it has been received very well country-wide. Gerry has read and talked about the poems with Sean Rocks on RTE's Arts Show 'Arena'and on Galway Bay FM with Keith Finnegan. Gerry now lives outside Oughterard.

Poet John Walsh, originally from Derry, has lived in Inverin for twenty-one years. He has published three collections. His latest, Chopping Wood with T.S. Eliot, was published in May this year by Salmon Poetry. John is an engaging reader and performer of his work. He is the organiser and M.C.of the monthly performance poetry event North Beach Poetry Nights in the Crane Bar.

Admission to the reading is free and all are welcome.

North Beach Poetry Nights returns on Monday September 13th with Miceál Kearney as guest poet when the Connaught heat of this year’s All Ireland Poetry Slam Championship will take place.

John Walsh is also a featured poet at this year's Clifden Arts Festival. https://www.clifdenartsweek.ie/index.php?option=com_redevent&view=details&xref=136&id=112%3Apoetry-reading-with-john-walsh-and-jarlath-mcdonagh&Itemid=80

Salthill Village Festival presents Poetry Open Mic @ The Office Bar, Lower Salthill

Participants in Galway Arts Centre’s Advanced Poetry Workshop will be reading from their soon to be launched publication Behind The Masks at the Salthill Village Festival on Sunday, August 22nd, from 7pm. There will also be an open mic at which anyone who has a poem they wish to share is most welcome to do so. The MC for the evening will be Kevin Higgins. The reading will take place at The Office Bar, Lower Salthill. For further information phone 087-6431748.

http://www.salthillvillage.com/

Loose Lips @ Róisin Dubh

EVERYONE HAS a story, and Loose Lips offer a stage and a microphone to members of the audience who can tell their story, provided it is true, unscripted and doesn’t take longer than five minutes.

The event is hosted by Mags Treanor and special guests, and each month’s session is inspired by a different theme. The story slam takes place every last Wednesday of the month, this month that date is August 25, and the slam is limited to 10 stories.

Open mic events have become very popular, and although the Róisín has regularly hosted open mic sessions for budding comedians and poets, the difference with Loose Lips is that it is not a platform to discover up and coming writers or comedians, and it is not a competition. Loose Lips is an evening where anybody can just come along and tell their story, whether it be tragic, heart rendering or hilarious.

If you wish to participate you can register on the night, when 10 names will be pulled from a hat to decide who gets to tell their story.

The theme for this month’s Loose Lips event is Siblings and it will take place on Wednesday August 25th, 9pm. €5 on the door.

announcing the fourth annual troubadour international poetry prize

judged by gwyneth lewis & maurice riordan
with both judges reading all poems

prizes: 1st £1000, 2nd £500, 3rd £250 & 20 prizes of £20 each plus a spring 2011 coffee-house poetry season ticket and a prizewinners’ coffee-house poetry reading with gwyneth lewis & maurice riordan on mon 29th nov 2010 for all prize-winning poets

submissions by fri 15th oct 2010
about the judges

Gwyneth Lewis was the first National Poet of Wales (2005) and her words appear over the Wales Millennium Centre, opened in 2004. Educated at Ysgol Gyfun Rhydfelen, a bilingual school near Pontypridd, and at Oxford, Columbia and Harvard Universities, she has written oratorio as well as having written on clinical depression and Two in a Boat—The True Story of a Marital Rite of Passage, inspired by a sailing journey during which her husband was diagnosed with cancer. Her poetry collections in English include Parables and Faxes (1995), Chaotic Angels—Poems in English (2005) and A Hospital Odyssey (2010, all Bloodaxe).

Maurice Riordan (b. Lisgoold, Co, Cork, 1953) is the author of three collections of poetry, A Word from the Loki (Faber, 1995, a PBS choice), the Whitbread shortlisted Floods (Faber, 2000) and The Holy Land (Faber, 2007) which received the Michael Hartnett Award. A Next Generation poet, he has been Poetry Editor of Poetry London and is currently Professor of Poetry at Sheffield Hallam University, has translated the work of Maltese poet Immanuel Mifsud (Confidential Reports, 2005), has edited and co-edited anthologies on science, space and ecology, and has edited a selection of Hart Crane’s poems for Faber’s Poet to Poet series (2008).

Both judges will read all poems submitted.

rules

General: Entry implies acceptance of all rules; failure to comply with rules will result in disqualification; competition open to poets of any nationality over 18 years; no competitor may win more than one prize; judges’ decision is final; no individual correspondence will be entered into.

Poems: Poems must be in English, must each be no longer than 45 lines, must fit on one page of A4, must be the original work of the entrant and must not have been previously broadcast or published (in print or online); winning & commended poems may be published (in print or online) by Troubadour International Poetry Prize and may not be published elsewhere for one year after Friday 15th October 2010 without written permission. No limit on number of poems submitted. No alterations accepted after submission.

Fees: All entries must be accompanied by fee of EITHER £5/€6/$8 per poem, if fewer than 4 poems, OR £4/€5/$7 per poem if 4 or more poems submitted; payment by cheque or money order (Sterling/Euro/US-Dollars only) payable to “Coffee-House Poetry” with poet’s name (and/or e-mail Entry Acknowledgement Reference, if appropriate) written on back.

By Post: No entry form required; each poem must be typed on one side of A4 white paper showing title & poem only; do not show author’s name or any other identifying marks on submitted poems; include a separate page showing Name, Address, Phone, E-Mail (opt), Titles and Number of Poems EITHER @ £5/€6/$8 each OR @ £4/€5/$7 each; no staples; no Special Delivery, Recorded Delivery or Registered Post; entries are not returned.

By E-mail: No entry form required; poems must be submitted in body of e-mail (no attachments) to CoffPoetry@aol.com; entries should be preceded by Name, Address, Phone, Titles and Number of Poems EITHER @ £5/€6/$8 each OR @ £4/€5/$7 each; acknowledgement will be sent to entrant’s e-mail address showing Entry Acknowledgment Reference; send payment by post within 14 days quoting Entry Acknowledgement Reference; e-mail entries will be included only when payment received by post; no Special Delivery, Recorded Delivery or Registered Post.

Acknowledgement/Results: will be sent to all e-mail entrants after entry deadline and winners announcement respectively; no correspondence; postal entrants should include stamped, addressed postcard marked “Acknowledgement” and/or stamped, addressed A5 envelope marked “Results” if required.

Deadline: All postal entries, and postal payments for e-mail entries, to arrive at Troubadour Poetry Prize, Coffee-House Poetry, PO Box 16210, LONDON, W4 1ZP postmarked on or before Friday 15th October 2010. Prizewinners will be notified individually by Monday 22nd November 2010. Prizegiving will be on Monday 29th November 2010 at Coffee-House Poetry at the Troubadour in Earls Court, London.

2010 Over The Edge New Writer of The Year long-list to be announced

This year's Over The Edge New Writer of The Year competition has attracted a record 341 entries. The long-list will be announced in Charlie Byrne's Bookshop, Middle Street, Galway on Wednesday, August 18th @ 6.30pm and, later that evening, here on our website.

UPDATE Saturday, August 14th: This year's competition has attracted 152 poetry entries and 189 fiction entries.

The shortlist will be announced at the August 'Over The Edge: Open Reading' in Galway City Library on Thursday, August 26th (6.30-8pm)

The winners will be announced at the September 'Over The Edge: Open Reading' in Galway City Library on Thursday, September 30th (6.30-8pm)

This year’s competition judge is James Martyn. James is from Galway where he is a member of The Talking Stick Writing Workshop. James writes both fiction and poetry. He has had work broadcast on both RTE and BBC and won the Listowel Writers Week Originals Short Story Competition. His work has appeared in The Cúirt Journal, West 47, Books Ireland, Crannóg, TheSunday Tribune, The Stinging Fly and The Shop. He was shortlisted for a Hennessy Award in 2006. He was shortlisted for the Francis McManus award in both 2007 and 2008 and for The William Trevor International Short Story Competition in 2007. His first collection of poetry, Shedding Skin, was recently published by Arlen House.

The 2010 Over The Edge New Writer of The Year competition is sponsored by Charlie Byrne's Bookshop and Michael D. Higgins T.D

August 'Over The Edge: Open Reading' with Patrick Cotter, Sarah Clancy & Aron Costello

Patrick Cotter

The August Over The Edge: Open Reading takes place in Galway City Library, St. Augustine Street, Galway on Thursday, August 26th, 6.30-8pm. The Featured Readers are Sarah Clancy, Aron Costello & Patrick Cotter. The reading is sponsored by Poetry Ireland.

Sarah Clancy is from Salthill. She is a participant in the Galway Arts Centre Poetry Workshops facilitated by Kevin Higgins and has previously read her poetry at North Beach Poetry Nights and the Over The Edge open-mic. This year, in a display of what she describes as beginners luck, Sarah was shortlisted in both the poetry section of the WOW awards 2010, and the Listowel Writers Week Collection of Poetry Competition 2010. Her poems feature in the soon to be launched publication of work by participants in the advanced poetry workshop at Galway Arts Centre.

Aron Costello was born in Tuam in 1975. He has lived in Galway City for the past eleven years. Writing since the age of six, he has completed dozens of short stories, plays, poems, and songs. A fan of the Horror/Thriller genre, he is currently finishing his fifth (and sixth!) novels, and has been longlisted in the Over The Edge New Writer of The Year competition. Aron is also reading his work at the Tuam Arts Festival, the evening before his Over The Edge reading.

Patrick Cotter was born Cork in 1963. His work has appeared in the anthologies Separate Islands: Contemporary British and Irish poetry (Quarry, Ontario), Irish Poetry Now (Wolfhound), Jumping off Shadows - Some Contemporary Irish Poets (Cork University Press), The Irish Eros (Gill & Macmillan), The Backyards of Heaven (Newfoundland), Something Beginning with P (O'Brien Press) and in The Great Book of Ireland. In 1984 he was shortlisted for a Hennessy Award. Cotter was runner-up in the Patrick Kavanagh award in 1988. His poems have been translated into Chinese, Estonian, Italian, Norse, Norwegian, Spanish, Swedish and Turkish. He currently directs the Munster Literature. Patrick’s first full-length collection of poems Perplexed Skin was published by Arlen House in 2008. Making Music followed in 2009.

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 always especially welcome. The MC for the evening will be Susan Millar DuMars. For further details phone 087-6431748. THE EVENING WILL ALSO SEE THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE SHORT-LIST FOR THIS YEAR'S OVER THE EDGE NEW WRITER OF THE YEAR COMPETITION. The longlist can be read here http://overtheedgeliteraryevents.blogspot.com/2010/08/2010-over-edge-new-writer-of-year-long_18.html

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