Over The Edge

2012 Over The Edge Poetry Book Showcase at The Kitchen @ The Museum

2012-01-25T00:11:00.001Z

Moya Cannon

The 2012 Over The Edge Poetry Book Showcase featuring Moya Cannon, Stephen Murray, Ndrek Gjini, Lorna Shaughnessy, Jack McCann, Mae Leonard, Sarah Griffin, Pauline Fayne, Pete Mullineaux, Susan Lindsay, Maeve O'Sullivan, Kate Dempsey & Sean Kavanagh will take place at The Kitchen @ The Museum, Spanish Arch, Galway on Friday, February, 10th at 8pm.

In this annual retrospective of the year just past, Galway-based poets who published a new collection of poems during 2011 are invited to read three poems from the collection in question. There will also be short readings from the anthologies Bicycles with Umbrellas (NUI Galway MA in Writing class of 2010), Monday Miscellany (Westside Writers) and Mosaic (Skylight Poets/Galway Arts Centre Advanced Poetry Workshop).

All welcome. There is no cover charge. For further details phone 087-6431748.

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

Over The Edge Celebrates Ninth Birthday with Reading by Leanne O’Sullivan, Damian Cunniffe & Dearbhaile Houston

2011-12-23T12:26:00.000Z

Leanne O'Sullivan

The first Over The Edge: Open Reading of 2012 takes place in Galway City Library on Thursday, January 19th, 6.30-8.00pm. The Featured Readers are Dearbhaile Houston, Damian Cunniffe & Leanne O’Sullivan. This is a very special occasion as it is now exactly nine years since Over The Edge was born in Galway City Library in January 2003.

Dearbhaile Houston grew up in Co. Galway. She is in her first year of New Media and English at the University of Limerick, learning the art of procrastination and strong coffee. She began attending Creative Writing classes with Susan Millar DuMars last spring and recently won the Seán Uí Riordáin prize for poetry in the Oireachtas na Gaeilge Literary Competition 2011.

Damian Cunniffe is from Abbeyknockmoy in North County Galway. In 2011 he was longlisted for the Fish Publishing International Short Story Prize, the Ink Tears Prize and was joint winner of the Lonely Voices Short Story Introductions competition run by the Irish Writers Centre. He was also runner-up in the fiction section of the 2011 Over The Edge New Writer Of The Year competition. His work has been published in Crannóg and the Cúirt Journal. Damien has had articles published in several newspapers, including the Galway Advertiser. He is currently working on a play and a collection of short stories.

Leanne O’Sullivan was born on the Beara Peninsula in west Cork in 1983, and now lives in Cork city. Her poetry collections are Waiting for My Clothes (2004) and Cailleach: The Hag of Beara (2009) both published by Bloodaxe Books. Her work has been included in various anthologies, including Selina Guinness’ The New Irish Poets and Billy Collins’s Poetry 180: A Turning Back to Poetry. In 2009 Leanne was awarded the Ireland Chair of Poetry bursary; in 2010 she won the Rooney Prize for Irish Literature; and in 2011 she received the Lawrence O’Shaughnessy Award for Poetry.

As usual there will be an open-mic after the Featured Readers have finished. New readers are always most welcome. The MC for the evening will be Susan Millar DuMars. For further details phone 087-6431748.

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

Writers At Work: A New Course With Susan Millar DuMars at Galway Arts Centre

2011-12-23T01:05:00.001Z

Have you got pages in a drawer you’ve been wanting to show someone?

This course is for writers who are at work on a project. This could be a novel, short story, collection of stories, sequence of poems, or even a play or film script.

Participants’ only homework each week will be to read two fifteen page extracts from other students’ manuscripts and be prepared for a 20-30 minute discussion on same. Providing generous and specific feedback on others’ work helps us to be inspired risk takers in our own writing. Each participant will experience at least one such session of feedback on their own work. An in-class writing exercise at the start of each class will serve to further shake off mental cobwebs, and perhaps lead us into new writing.

This is an ideal course for the hardworking but isolated writer.

The course is takes place on Tuesdays (2-4pm) starting on Tuesday February 7th and runs for six weeks. Places must be booked in advance. The cost to participants is €85 with a concession rate of €75. To register contact Galway Arts Centre, 47 Dominick Street, Galway. Telephone 091-565886. Email: victoria@galwayartscentre.ie

Facilitator Susan Millar DuMars’ debut poetry collection, Big Pink Umbrella, was published by Salmon Poetry in 2008. Her next collection, Dreams for Breakfast, appeared in 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, Lights In The Distance, with Doire Press in 2010. She has been the recipient of an Arts Council Literature Bursary for her stories. 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. Susan is currently at work on her third poetry collection, The God Thing, to be published in early 2013 by Salmon.

New Year Creative Writing Classes at Galway Technical Institute - BEGINNERS & INTERMEDIATE

2011-12-11T13:02:00.000Z

Creative Writing for Beginners with Kevin Higgins takes place one evening per week (Monday) from 7-9.30pm. (8 weeks) It commences on Monday, January 16th, 2012. 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 7-9.30pm (8 weeks) It commences on Tuesday, January 17th, 2012. 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.

Places can be booked via the G.T.I website http://www.gti.ie:5678/adulteducation/

People can also enrol at Galway Technical Institute on Monday January 9th, 6.30-8.30pm, using credit/debit card.

New Year Poetry Workshops with Kevin Higgins at Galway Arts Centre

2011-12-10T23:21:00.001Z

Starting 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’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 2010 by Salmon and his work also appears in the generation defining anthology Identity Parade –New British and Irish Poets (Ed. Roddy Lumsden, Bloodaxe, 2010). A collection of Kevin’s essays and book reviews, Mentioning The War, will be published by Salmon Poetry in the Spring of 2012. His next collection of poetry, The Ghost in The Lobby, will be published in early 2013, also by Salmon.

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, another the Cúirt New Writing Prize, and yet another the Cúirt Poetry Grand Slam, while several have published collections of their poems. Kevin is also co-organiser of the successful Over The Edge reading series which specialises in promoting new writers.

Each workshop will run for ten weeks, commencing the week of January 16th. They will take place on Tuesday evenings, 7-8.30pm (first class January 17th); on Thursday afternoons, 2-4pm (first class January 19th) and on Friday afternoons, 2-3.30pm (first class January 20th).

The Tuesday evening and Friday 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

GMIT presents Creative Writing for Beginners with Susan Millar DuMars in the New Year

2011-12-10T14:39:00.001Z

In the New Year GMIT is offering a course in Creative Writing for Beginners with Susan Millar DuMars. The course takes place at GMIT Dublin Road Campus one evening per week (Wednesday) for 7 weeks from 7–9p.m. It commences on Wednesday, February 8th, 2012.Advance booking is essential. The course fee is €95.

During the seven weeks Susan Millar DuMars will give support, instruction and feedback to students who are interested in writing either fiction (short stories, novels) or poetry. The class will work on techniques for forming ideas and getting started; engaging the reader’s senses; using figures of speech effectively; being alert to the importance of the sound of words, the rhythm of writing; how to manage the truth in a fictitious piece; the different forms of poetry; awareness of character and point of view in fiction; editing and polishing work. Whether the student seeks publication, self-expression, a rewarding hobby (or possibly all three), this course is a wonderful place to start.

For further details or to book a place contact GMIT, Dublin Road, Galway. Telephone 091 742145, email lifelonglearning@gmit.ie or see http://www.gmit.ie/lifelong-learning/lifelong-learning-programmes/humanities/creative-writing-beginners_1.html

Course Tutor:
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 published a book of short stories in 2010: Lights in the Distance, published by Doire Press. She has been the recipient of an Arts Council Literature Bursary. Her next collection of poetry, The God Thing, will be published by Salmon Poetry in early 2013. She lives in Galway, where she and her husband have run the Over the Edge readings series since 2003.

Daytime Creative Writing with Susan Millar DuMars at Galway Arts Centre in the New Year

2011-12-10T01:16:00.000Z

In January, 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 Millar DuMars writes both poetry and fiction. A collection of her stories, Lights In The Distance, was published in December 2010 by Doire Press; she has published two collection of poetry, Big Pink Umbrella (2008) and Dreams For Breakfast both with Salmon Poetry. Her next collection of poetry, The God Thing, will be published by Salmon Poetry in early 2013. 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, January 23rd.

The cost to participants is 110 Euro with a 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

Launch of 'Turning on a Sixpence' first poetry collection by Jack McCann

2011-12-09T23:29:00.000Z

~~~~~

Launch

“Turning on a Sixpence”

The first book of poetry by Jack McCann who worked as Consultant Plastic Surgeon at Galway University Hospitals from 1989 to 2010.

Tuesday, 20 December at 1.30pm

Location: Arts Corridor of University Hospital Galway

~~~~~~~~~

Please confirm attendance with Margaret Flannery, Arts Officer, Galway University Hospitals Arts Trust on 091 544979 or 087 1250461.

Jack McCann was born in Rush, County Dublin in 1949, one of three children. He was brought up in Malahide and studied Medicine in UCD. After many years of training and travelling, he settled with his family in Galway in 1989 as a Consultant Plastic Surgeon. In 2004 he visited Albania for the first time and in 2005 he and his wife co-founded the charity “Irish Friends of Albania”. He has returned twice a year since then with teams of volunteers to work in hospitals and this has inspired many of his poems. In 2009 he joined Galway University Hospital Writers Group and is now a member of KARA Writers Group. He has written four plays and is currently working on his next collection of poetry. He retired from hospital practice in 2010 and now enjoys writing, farming, sailing and family. He has three adult children and two grandchildren, and lives with his wife Moya in Oughterard, County Galway.

Turning On A Sixpence is Jack's first publication.

Tamar Yoseloff, Christopher Meehan & Maeve Mulrennan for final 'Over The Edge: Open Reading' of 2011

2011-12-09T14:48:00.000Z

Tamar Yoseloff

The December Over The Edge: Open Reading takes place in Galway City Library, St. Augustine Street, Galway on Thursday, December 15th, 6.30-8pm. The Featured Readers are Maeve Mulrennan, Christopher Meehan & Tamar Yoseloff.

Maeve Mulrennan grew up in County Kildare. She studied Arts Administration and Policy at NUI Galway is currently Visual Arts Office at Galway Arts Centre. An experience visual artist, Maeve recently began writing fiction. She attended Celeste Augé’s short fiction class at Galway Arts Centre earlier this year and in October took part in the annual Over The Edge Fiction Slam. This is Maeve’s first major public reading of her work.

Christopher Meehan is originally from Kilkee in County Clare but has been living in Kinvara, Co. Galway since 2008. Christopher holds a B.A. degree in Heritage Studies and was awarded a Master of Science degree in 2007 for research conducted on the wildfowl populations of the Western Lakes. It is this interest in nature, landscape, Irish heritage and our interaction with these elements that strongly influences his writing. He has attended creative writing classes and workshops run by Susan DuMars in Galway and has published papers based on his ornithological work.

Tamar Yoseloff was born in the U.S. in 1965, but has lived in the U.K. since 2007. Her first collection, Sweetheart (Slow Dancer Press, 1998) was a Poetry Book Society Special Commendation and the winner of the Aldeburgh Festival Prize. She received a New Writers’ Award from London Arts for her second collection, Barnard’s Star (Enitharmon Press, 2004). In 2005 she was Writer in Residence at Magdalene College, Cambridge. She divides her time between London and Suffolk, and is currently working on her first novel. Her most recent poetry collection, The City with Horns, was published in May by Salt Publishing and her work also features in the anthology Identity Parade: New British and Irish Poets (Spring 2010, Bloodaxe).

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

Over The Edge to receive increased funding from Arts Council in 2012

2011-12-01T18:34:00.000Z

We are delighted to announce that we have been informed today that Over The Edge is to receive a 14% increase in Arts Council funding for 2012.

In a joint statement Over The Edge co-organisers, Susan Millar DuMars and Kevin Higgins, said: "This is a really outstanding result, especially given the current economic context. It puts Over The Edge on an absolutely firm foundation for the coming year. We would like to thank the Arts Council for their support."

We look forward to seeing many of you at the final 'Over The Edge: Open Reading' of 2011 in Galway City Library on Thursday, December 15th, 6.30-8pm, when the Featured Readers will be Christopher Meehan, Maeve Mulrennan & Tamar Yoseloff.

North Beach Poetry Nights 2011 Grand Slam with Rita Ann Higgins

2011-11-23T13:29:00.002Z

North Beach Poetry Nights' 2011 Grand Slam

Monday 12th December

in the Crane Bar at 9 pm

with guest poet: Rita Ann Higgins

It's over 4 years since Rita Ann read for North Beach. The evening was such a roaring success that it got them thrown out of their then venue: BK's restaurant (which, as some people will have noticed, has since disappeared also!)

Rita Ann will be reading from her new poetry collection Ireland is Changing Mother, which 'chronicles the lives of the Irish dispossessed, before as well as since the demise of the Celtic tiger ...'

Eight poets have qualified for this year's Grand Slam, which will be a 2-round slam for all eight poets. The winning three poets will be published together in 2013 in the North Beach Poetry Nights' Anthology 2.

Rita Ann will be one of the panel of three judges.

Info: John Walsh @ 091-593290

Erin Buttner, Stephen Byrne & Donna Potts for November 'Over The Edge: Open Reading'

2011-11-17T10:01:00.000Z

Donna Potts

The November Over The Edge: Open Reading takes place in Galway City Library, St. Augustine Street, Galway on Thursday, November 24th, 6.30-8pm. The Featured Readers are Erin Buttner, Stephen Byrne & Donna Potts.

Erin Buttner is a writer, baker, broadcaster, and veteran living in Kinvara, Co Galway. A native New Yorker, Erin immigrated to Ireland in 2008 to take a Master's degree in Writing at NUI Galway. Her poetry has been published in Chronogram arts magazine in New York, Three Times Daily and Ropes. She is presently drafting her memoir based on the 4 years she spent serving in the US Military. She can be heard every Sunday from 3-5pm on Rascal Radio.

Stephen Byrne is from Coolock North Dublin but for last eight years has lived and sweated in a kitchen as a chef in Galway. He has participated in Kevin Higgins's poetry class at Galway Arts Centre and was chosen to participate in the poetry master class with Simon Armitage at this years Cúirt Festival. He was short-listed for in this year’s Over The Edge New Writer of The Year competition. His interests are mainly surrealist poetry and he is currently working on two collections of poems. His work has been published in Longpoem magazine and Arc Poetry Magazine in Canada.

Donna Potts grew up in Joplin, Missouri and is a professor at Kansas State University. In 1994 her book length study of the poetry of Howard Nemerov was published by University of Missouri Press. Her book on contemporary Irish poetry is forthcoming also from University of Missouri press. Her own debut collection of poetry, Waking Dreams, will be published early next year by Salmon Poetry.

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

Galway City Council Arts Grant Announcement

2011-11-16T10:02:00.001Z

Over The Edge was delighted to learn just now that we have been awarded the same amount under Galway City Council's 2011 Arts Grants as we received in 2010, 2009 & 2008.This will be a great help to us in keeping our extensive literary programme going, and indeed expanding it next year.

IRISH WRITERS' CENTRE 'PEREGRINE READINGS' TOUR COMES TO PORTUMNA

2011-10-31T00:56:00.000Z

WRITERS: Liam Carson, Henry McDonald, Ivy Bannister

Tuesday 15 November - Irish Writers’ Centre 7.30pm

Wednesday 16 November- Anam Cara Retreat, Cork 8.30pm

Thursday 17 November - Church of Ireland, Portumna,

County Galway 7.30pm

Link to more info on the writers is here: http://www.writerscentre.ie/html/events/peregrinecarson.html

North Beach Poetry Nights monthly slam plus featured readers Séamus Barra Ó Súilleabháin & Sarah Clancy

2011-10-31T00:30:00.001Z

Sarah Clancy

North Beach Poetry Nights' Slam

Monday 21st November

in the Crane Bar at 9 pm

with guests: Connacht Slam Champions

Sarah Clancy and

Séamus Barra Ó Súilleabháin

Poets wishing to enter the Slam should have 2 max. 3 minute poems.

The poem for the 2nd round must be performed without a script.

So time to get memorizing now!

Info: John@ 091-593290

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

Reading from '30 Poems to Daniela' by Sean Kavanagh at Sheridan's Wine Bar

2011-10-30T23:52:00.002Z

a reading from

30 Poems to Daniela

by Sean Kavanagh

at Sheridan's Cheesemongers Winebar

8pm Thursday 3rd November

This is a highly acclaimed book which traces the tragic passing of Sean's partner and his promise to write her 30 poems. Its only the second reading of the book.

The night will be full of honesty and humor.

The book is now on sale in Charlie Byrnes.

Further information from Seamus 086 8042418

Galway launch of 'Writing The Irish West' by Eamonn Wall

2011-10-30T23:40:00.004Z

The Centre for Irish Studies at NUI Galway

presents

Irish Studies Seminar Series

Where the Trails Converge: Writing the Contemporary Irish and American Wests

Professor Eamonn Wall

University of Missouri-St. Louis

Thursday 3 November 2011

4.00pm

Followed by book launch at 5.30pm:

Writing the Irish West:

Ecologies and Traditions

by Eamonn Wall

(University of Notre Dame Press, 2011)

at the Centre for Irish Studies NUI Galway

October ‘Over The Edge: Open Reading’ with Kevin Simmonds, Luke Morgan & Jessie Lendennie; Over The Edge Celebrates Salmon Poetry’s 30th Anniversary

2011-10-14T21:00:00.002+01:00

Kevin Simmonds

The October Over The Edge: Open Reading takes place in Galway City Library, St. Augustine Street, Galway on Thursday, October 27th, 6.30-8pm. The Featured Readers are Kevin Simmonds, Luke Morgan & Jessie Lendennie. This is one of a series of readings this Autumn which will mark Salmon Poetry’s 30th anniversary.

Kevin Simmonds is a San Francisco-based writer, musician and filmmaker originally from New Orleans. His writing appears in journals such as Asia Literary Review, Callaloo, jubilat, Kyoto Journal and Poetry. His edited works include Collective Brightness: LGBTIQ Poets on Faith, Religion & Spirituality and Ota Benga Under My Mother's Roof. His music and performances have been featured on BBC Radio 3, PBS and Japan's NHK Television and at London's Royal Festival Hall, Japan's Nakano Sun Plaza and the National Black Theatre Festival. feti(sh)ame, his genre-defying short film, based entirely on his poetry, has screened internationally and been hailed by Los Angeles film critic Ernest Hardy as "an elegantly profane meditation on desire". Mad for Meat - his debut collection of poetry, has just appeared from Salmon.

Luke Morgan is a poet based in Co. Galway. He began writing from a very young age and had poems published in the school magazines. At fifteen, he became the youngest ever contributor to Crannóg, the literary journal in Galway, with his poem "Moving On". Since then he has enjoyed publications in journals such as Limerick's Revival, ROPES 2011, and earlier this year, Poetry Ireland Review and the Poetry Ireland Newsletter. He won first place in the 2011 Windows Publications Student Poetry Awards. Apart from writing poetry, he loves writing plays and short stories.

Jessie Lendennie was born in Arkansas, USA. After years of travel, she settled in Ireland in 1981. Her previous publications include a book-length prose poem Daughter (1988); reprinted as Daughter and Other Poems in 2001. She compiled and edited: Salmon: A Journey in Poetry, 1981-2007; Poetry: Reading it, Writing It, Publishing It (2009) and Dogs Singing: A Tribute Anthology (2010). She is co-founder (1981) and Managing Director of Salmon Poetry. She has given numerous readings, lectures and writing courses in Ireland and abroad, including Yale University; The Irish Embassy, Washington D.C; The University of Alaska, Fairbanks and Anchorage; MIT, Boston; MN; Café Teatre, Copenhagen, Denmark; the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville; The Irish American Cultural Centre, Chicago and The Bowery Poetry Club, New York City. She is currently working on a memoir To Dance Beneath the Diamond Sky. Jessie’s second collection of poetry Walking Here is just published by Salmon Poetry; this reading will be its Galway launch.

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.

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

Mike Diskin to launch 'Killer a la Carte' by Gerry Galvin

2011-10-14T00:02:00.001+01:00

Emer Martin Featured Reader at Third Annual Over The Edge Fiction Slam

2011-10-03T13:33:00.000+01:00

Emer Martin

After the event’s huge success in the past two years, Over The Edge presents its third annual fiction slam with Featured Reader, Emer Martin, at The Kitchen @ The Museum, Spanish Arch, Galway on Friday, October 14th, 8pm.

Emer Martin is a Dubliner who has lived in Paris, London, the Middle East, and various places in the U.S. Her first novel Breakfast in Babylon won Book of the Year 1996 in her native Ireland at the prestigious Listowel Writers’ Week. Houghton Mifflin released Breakfast in Babylon in the U.S. in 1997. More Bread Or I’ll Appear, her second novel was published internationally in 1999. Emer studied painting in New York and has had a sell-out solo show of her paintings at the Origin Gallery in Harcourt St, Dublin. Her most recent book is Baby Zero, published March 07. She has just completed her third short film Unaccompanied. She produced Irvine Welsh’s directorial debut NUTS in 2007. Emer was awarded the Guggenheim Fellowship in 2000. She now lives in the jungles of Co. Meath, Ireland.

Poetry slams have grown in popularity during the past few years, but now it’s the fiction writers’ turn. The first twelve fiction writers to make it to The Kitchen @ The Museum on the evening of Friday, October 14th and register will be guaranteed a place in the slam. All participating writers should bring two pieces of their own fiction, as there are two rounds. The time limit in both rounds is five minutes. Extracts from longer stories are admissible. Stories do not have to be memorised. The Fiction Slam will be judged by a three person jury made up of two audience members and Emer Martin. Three writers will go through to the second round and the prize for the winner is a bottle of wine.

There is no entrance fee. All welcome. For further information contact 087-6431748.

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

Eimear Ryan is 2011 Over The Edge New Writer of The Year; Marybeth Rua-Larsen wins in poetry category

2011-09-29T21:00:00.005+01:00

The winners of this year's Over The Edge New Writer of The Year competition announced

at this evening's Over The Edge: Open Reading in Galway City Library

Eimear Ryan is 2011 Over The Edge New Writer of The Year

Results and Judges' Comments from Elaine Feeney

Prose

"This was an extremely strong competition with many entries on the shortlist very very capable and appealing voices. The entries ‘A Child Believes a Hand Can Be a Rose or a Tree’ by Damian Cunniffe (County Galway), ‘God’s Gift to Women’ by Evelyn Parsons (County Galway), ‘Queen of the Night’ by Natalie Ryan (Dublin) and 'New Year’s Day' by John Walsh (County Galway) are all highly commended in that order.

The winner in the fiction section is Eimear Ryan for her story ‘Livewire’.

‘Livewire’ opens with the most extraordinary brevity and immediate character development in the shape of Ogie and the first person narrator. "Ogie is not the prettiest sight; hair that makes me think of tarmac on a hot day, a scattering of freckles like a fistful of loose dirt". I quickly began to empathise with Ogie and his room mate. The story unfolds in the context of a hospital ward, St. Dymphna's. There is an innocence and distance to the characters in an effortless way. However it is seamless and you trust their development by the writer. Unforced metaphor weaves its way through the narrative. The writer also uses a modern angle often mentioning the everyday and setting the context without being overly specific or pedantic. It is a smart, cynical and satirical piece of prose, it is timely for the times we find ourselves in today. The inmates are doubting the system and the narrator becomes bitter when he finds out his roomate Ogie will be 'graduating' without him. "I'm in the lotus position in Eastern Meditation when Mentor Jack calls me into the corridor'. It becomes clear that Ogie was misdiagnosed, and while his brain has the scan of a sociopath, he was actually a genius, and this mistake can be made. This writer has come at a good time. Systems are flawed, but when writers try to write about this, it is often contrived. Here we have an excellent example of the passion of characters, while remaining simple and metaphorically brilliant."

Eimear Ryan was born in 1986 in Co Tipperary. She studied journalism in Dublin City University and has lived in Boston and New York, where she spent a year interning in publishing. Her short fiction has been published in The Sunday Tribune and The Stinging Fly, and she was the winner of the Hennessy Award for First Fiction 2008. She blogs at http://eimearryan.wordpress.com

Poetry

"Heidi Wickam (Sligo), Kerrie O’Brien (Dublin), Lauren Norton (California) & Tom Lavelle (Galway City) are highly commended in that order.

The overall winner in the poetry section is Marybeth Rua-Larsen for her poems 'Summer of Want', 'Freestyle' & 'The Dylan Boys Map Out a Route for Cinderella'.

This poet shows a flair for the aesthetic as well as unusually juxtaposed ideas. I can almost taste and smell the blueberries and the juice from the nectarines that run down the speakers' shirtfronts, while the 'summer of want' opens before them. We are left with a withering ending, a realistic account of a chase, relationship or friendship. You cannot 'preserve' the sensual abundance, it is 'unfit for freezing' and the miles cause the ripening and the beauty to rot. Clever poetic technique and beautiful sensual imagery used.

'Freestyle' unearths again the use of colour and abundance of sensual awakening, while exploring the realms of a father and daughter relationship. It is startling in its oddness and its unusual juxtaposition of the task at hand, that of fishing and yet the trust that is between the two 'a colour scheme that flips the darkest hue on top, like fish in water'. This makes me consider the gentleness of relationship as it juxtaposes the cliché of one being out of water, or out of one's depth. There is a strange sense of suspense cleverly evoked, and while there is an abundance of aesthetically wonderful language and imagery, something about the ending conjures up a sense of 'settling' or 'acceptance'.

'The Dylan Boys map out a Route for Cinderella', makes clever use of Bob Dylans' 'Desolation Row' and 'One Headlight' by Jacob Dylan of the Wallflowers. This is a powerful poem, both in its clever use of repetition and word reversals. The poem is a move away from the lyrical, slow paced and beautifully moody other two poems. In this the poet shows an ability to alter style, to move away from the stricter technique used in the other poems, while still maintaining poetic integrity. The theme is modernized and 'Cinderella is sweeping up on Desolation Row, which was always where she was headed in my opinion. The poem, extraordinarily clever in its conclusion, laments and encourages, ' I can't take the dark out of the nighttime for you Cinderella. Row away from desolation. Whatever feels like daytime is independence'. I loved these poems, strong writer, well done!"

Marybeth Rua-Larsen lives, teaches and writes in Somerset, Massachusetts. Her poems have appeared in Measure, The Raintown Review, The Barefoot Muse and Two Review, among others.

The overall winner

and 2011 Over The Edge New Writer of The Year

is Eimear Ryan.

Marybeth Rua-Larsen will receive a cash prize of €300.

Eimear Ryan will receive a cash prize of €700

and will be a Featured Reader at an Over The Edge: Open Reading during 2012.

Over The Edge warmly thanks Charlie Byrne’s Bookshop, Niall Ó’Brolcháin, McGinn’s Bar, Senator Fidelma Healy-Eames & Mike Cubbard for sponsoring this year’s competition.

Over The Edge poets visit Lorient for workshop and reading

2011-09-29T12:52:00.000+01:00

The Galway-Lorient Twinning Committee, in association with Over The Edge, is facilitating a visit this month by three local poets to Galway’s twin city, Lorient in Brittany. During their visit to Lorient the poets Nicola Griffin, Mary Madec and Susan Millar DuMars will take part in a workshop with local poet Patrick Argenté on Friday, October 14th, 6-7.30pm at the Médiatheque Francois Mitterand, Lorient.

For further details of the workshop see here http://mediatheque.lorient.fr/repons/portal/bookmark;jsessionid=7BDB2E7545F7C95CC38A518D4B336132?Global=1&WaMain=15&howManyNews=1&withDbidNews=actu-1316511925784-10.14.100.4.xml

The following afternoon, Saturday, October 15th at 3pm, Nicola Griffin, Mary Madec and Susan Millar DuMars will give a reading of their poetry, with accompanying French translations. The reading will also take place at the Médiatheque Francois Mitterand.

For further details of the reading see here
http://mediatheque.lorient.fr/repons/portal/bookmark?Global=1&WaMain=15&howManyNews=1&withDbidNews=actu-1317138541321-10.14.100.4.xml

This Galway-Lorient poetry exchange follows a visit by Lorient-based poet, Patrick Argenté, to Galway in May 2010, during which he was a Featured Reader at that month’s Over The Edge: Open Reading in Galway City Library.

Nicola Griffin was the winner in the poetry category in the 2010 Over The Edge New Writer of The Year Competition. Her first collection of poetry will be published by Salmon Poetry in 2013.

Mary Madec’s first collection of poetry, In Other Words, was published by Salmon in 2010 and has sold so well it was recently reprinted.

Susan Millar DuMars is co-organiser of Over The Edge. She has published two collections of poetry, Big Pink Umbrella (2008) and Dreams for Breakfast (2010), both with Salmon Poetry.

ART AUCTION CHARITY FUND RAISER FOR GALWAY UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS ARTS TRUST

2011-09-29T12:20:00.000+01:00

Galway University Hospitals Arts Trust is holding a charity auction in the Rowing Club on Friday October 21st to raise much needed funds to continue the arts programme with patients in Galway University Hospitals. Rod Goodall will host the auction and entertainment will be provided by the Molly Hicks and Totem Roll. The event begins at 8.30pm and tickets are €10

To continue this work the Arts Trust called on the many artists who have worked with the hospitals in recent years to help raise much needed funds. Artists taking part in the auction are; John Behan, Siobán Piercy, Mary Horan, Annie West, Elaine Byrne, Aideen Barry, Kieran Tobin, Eithna Joyce, Cliona Fox, Tony Gunning, Emmet Kierans, Charlotte Kelly, Ceara Conway, Paul Maye, Diane McCabe, Leah Beggs, Kamil Krawczak and Pam O’Connell.

The auction will be hosted by Rod Goodall. Rod currently on tour with Faith Healer is well known for his work with Footsbarn Theatre, Macnas, Blue Teapot Theatre and several independent productions. Music on the night will be provided by The Molly Hicks and Totem Roll.

Arts Officer, Margaret Flannery states: “We are very grateful to the artists who have given us both their time and a variety of wonderful artworks to raise funds to continue our arts programme.”

Galway University Hospitals Arts Trust is a charitable organisation that runs an extensive programme of activities in University Hospital Galway and Merlin Park University Hospital. Galway University Hospitals Arts Trust aims to explore the role of the arts in the promotion of healing and wellbeing through a multi-disciplinary arts programme in order to promote greater links between the hospital and the community. The Trust promotes high quality, creative programming with artists and the arts community as a means of empowering the hospital community to express themselves creatively, improve their quality of life and bring about positive changes in the hospital environment and the wellbeing of the hospital community.

A generous loan of Modern Irish Art, initiated the arts programme in Galway University Hospitals in 2003. Artworks from the loan include the lithograph and brush prints of An Táin by Louis le Brocquy, works by Alice Maher, Samuel Walsh, Michael Cullen, Michael Mulcahy, Geraldine O’Reilly and many other prominent Irish artists. The programme has expanded to include twelve temporary exhibitions each year.

Other important programmes include Poems for Patience – displayed throughout the waiting areas, Art Angel – a programme of participatory art workshops in the Paediatric and Geriatric Departments. Artists residencies including Lorraine Tuck’s The Regional, Paul Maye’s Beyond Appearance as well as commissions, the latest being a series of murals and artworks for the Paediatric Unit.

Other activities include music recitals, drama workshops and publication of the memories of patients in the Geriatric units. The programme is linked to the cultural life of Galway city through exhibitions and partnerships during Galway Arts Festival, the Tulca Festival of Visual Art and the Cúirt International Festival of Literature. Over 300 individual arts and health events have been programmed since 2003 in Galway’s public hospitals.

Tickets are available from Galway University Hospitals Arts Office and for further information please contact Arts Officer, Margaret Flannery at 091 544979 or Margaret.Flannery@hse.ie

North Beach Poetry Nights: Neil McCarthy PLUS The Connacht Heat of the All Ireland Slam 2011

2011-09-29T12:01:00.000+01:00

Neil McCarthy

Monday October 17th at 9 pm

North Beach Poetry Nights

presents

The Connacht Heat of the All Ireland Slam 2011

in The Crane Bar

with guest Poet - Neil McCarthy (straight from Vienna!)

Poets wishing to enter the October Slam should have 2 max. 3 minute poems. The poem for the 2nd round must be performed without a script. So time to get memorizing now!

Two winning poets will represent Connacht in the All Ireland Slam in Derry in November.

Info: John @ 091-593290

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

All Ireland Poetry Day to be celebrated at Galway University Hospitals on Thursday October 6th

2011-09-29T00:13:00.000+01:00

Galway University Hospitals Arts Trust will be taking part in the Arts and Health Coordinators Ireland National Poetry Project, A Moment in Time on Thursday 6 October as part of All Ireland Poetry Day 2011. Staff and patients of University Hospital and Merlin Park University Hospital will be receiving a short anthology of poems, selected by Poet Mark Roper. The anthology will be presented as a menu on the breakfast tray for patients and will be available on tables in the staff canteens and in the hospital restaurants and shops. The poems approach the topic, A Moment in Time in various ways: some focus on the awareness of a single moment, others on a moment of realisation or choice.

Patients and staff of the hospital will also be in for a lunchtime treat when local poet Michael Gorman will give a poetry reading at 1.00pm in Conference Room 1, Nurses’ Home in University Hospital Galway. Michael Gorman was born in Sligo and educated at Summerhill College and NUI, Galway. His poetry collections include Postcards from Galway, Waiting for the Sky to fall and Up She Flew. He teaches poetry on the MA in Writing at NUI Galway. Michael Gorman is a hugely charismatic reader of his work; his readings are everything a good poetry reading should be.

The aim of the Galway University Hospitals Arts Trust is to support and enhance the patient environment in University Hospital Galway and Merlin Park University Hospital. We believe that involving the arts in the healing process promotes the wellbeing of patients staff and visitors to the hospital. For further information on this project and or the arts programme in Galway University Hospitals please contact Arts Officer, Margaret Flannery at 091 544979 or Margaret.Flannery@hse.ie

September 'Over The Edge: Open Reading' with Moyra Donaldson, Aileen Armstrong & Davnet Heery PLUS the announcement of the winners of our 2011 New Writer of The Year competition.

2011-09-14T00:45:00.002+01:00

Moyra Donaldson

The September Over The Edge: Open Reading takes place in Galway City Library, St. Augustine Street, Galway on Thursday, September 29th, 6.30-8pm. The Featured Readers are Aileen Armstrong, Davnet Heery & Moyra Donaldson. The evening will also see the announcement of the winners of this year’s Over The Edge New Writer of the Year. The competition judge is Elaine Feeney.

Aileen Armstrong’s writing has appeared in the Stinging Fly, Three Times Daily, Some Blind Alleys, and Cuadrivio (in Spanish translation). In 2009, she graduated from the M.A. in Writing programme at NUIG, and in 2010, she received a literature bursary award from the Arts Council of Ireland. She lives in Co. Galway, and is currently working on a collection of short stories.

A long-time resident of Cois Fharraige, Connemara, Davnet Heery enjoys solitary walks along the shore and on the bog, day-dreaming. Recently graduated from the MA in Writing at NUIG she has had a giddy summer reading at literary festivals countrywide for the launch of the class anthology Bicycles with Umbrellas. Primarily a poet (she has been grant aided by Galway Co.Co. to work towards a collection Camellia) she also enjoys writing plays. Her short story The Little Girl in Pink was short-listed for The Francis Mc Manus award, 2011.

Moyra Donaldson was born and brought up in Co Down and has been described as one of the country’s most distinctive and accomplished writers: a poet whose voice is full of integrity and mystery. Her first full collection of poems Snakeskin Stilettos was published in 1998, followed by Beneath the Ice in 2001, both from Lagan Press. She has received four awards from the Arts Council NI, most recently, the Artist Career Enhancement Award. Moyra’s poems have featured on radio and television, including the Channel 4 production, Poems to Fall in Love With. Horse’s Nest, was published by Lagan Press in 2006 and described in Poetry Ireland Review as ‘one of the most enjoyable poetry books of the last few years.’ Her most recent collection, Miracle Fruit, was published by Lagan Press in November 2010.

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

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

NEWSFLASH Shortlist for 2011 Over The Edge New Writer of The Year

2011-09-12T17:19:00.000+01:00

2011 OVER THE EDGE NEW WRITER OF THE YEAR

THE SHORTLIST

Philip Abbink, Galway, Ireland

Lisa Allen, Galway, Ireland

Bernie Ashe, Galway, Ireland

Stephanie Brennan, Galway, Ireland

Stephen Byrne, Galway, Ireland

Marie Cadden, Galway, Ireland

June Caldwell, Dublin, Ireland

Kimberly Campanello, Dublin, Ireland

Jane Clarke, Wicklow, Ireland

Damian Cunniffe, Galway, Ireland

Madeleine D'Arcy, Cork, Ireland

Philippa Gibbons, Galway, Ireland

Mary Healy, Kilkenny, Ireland

Sandra Jensen, Cork, Ireland

Jean Kavanagh, Clare, Ireland

Tom Lavelle, Galway, Ireland

Barbara Leahy, Cork, Ireland

Rosaleen McDonagh, Dublin, Ireland

Danielle McLoughlin, Cork, Ireland

Sighle Meehan, Galway, Ireland

Lauren Norton, California, USA

Kerrie O’Brien, Dublin, Ireland

Noel O’Regan, Kerry, Ireland

Niall Ó’ Sioradáin, Dublin, Ireland

Evelyn Parsons, Galway, Ireland

Bridget Rowland, Mayo, Ireland

Marybeth Rua-Larsen, Massachusetts, USA

Eimear Ryan, Tipperary, Ireland

Natalie Ryan, Dublin, Ireland

Rejini Samuel, Galway, Ireland

Seamus Scanlon, New York, USA

Maresa Sheehan, Carlow, Ireland

Steve Wade, Dublin, Ireland

John Walsh, Galway, Ireland

Heidi Wickam, Sligo, Ireland

The competition is kindly sponsored by Charlie Byrne’s Bookshop, McGinn’s Bar,

Niall Ó’Brolcháin, Senator Fidelma Healy Eames

& Mike Cubbard.

The winners will be announced

at the September Over The Edge: Open Reading

in Galway City Library

on Thursday, September, 29th, 6.30-8pm

The competition judge is Elaine Feeney

Galway launch of 'Boyne Berries' magazine at Charlie Byrne's Bookshop

2011-09-12T00:05:00.001+01:00

Boyne Berries magazine was launched in spring 2007 by the Boyne Writers Group and it has been published twice yearly since. Boyne Berries includes prose and poetry from Boyne Writers Group members but also receives submissions from elsewhere in Ireland and from all over the world. It has published poems and stories from as far away as Australia, New Zealand, Nepal and India in its nine issues so far. The group is especially pleased to have given many writers their first publication opportunity.

Boyne Berries’ simple spare style and trademark covers have become well-known among Irish writers but this ten has a different look and feel. Boyne Berries 10, is a special celebratory issue in a larger format with pictures and graphics as well as the usual prose, poems and drama. The cover has a striking colour image of Trim Castle floodlit at night by Greg Hastings whose images have been featured on the previous nine covers.

The titles of some of the other pieces give some idea of the variety of subject matter in the magazine: 'Leaving Nagasaki'; 'In Times of Deep Recession'; 'An American Mother’s Day in Ireland'; 'Thirteen Superstitions'; 'Allotment Allure'.

To mark this the tenth issue there will be a special Galway launch from 6pm on Friday 30 September in Charlie Byrne’s Bookshop, Middle Street, Galway. Kevin Higgins will perform the official launch there and will read his contribution. Other contributors from the Galway area in this issue include Alan McMonagle, Liam Duffy, Rachel Coventry, Méabh McDonnell and Mari Maxwell.

The Boyne Writers Group was founded in March 2006 and meets twice monthly in the Castle Arch Hotel, Trim, Co. Meath. Its members are drawn from south Meath and surrounding counties and write poetry, prose and drama. Many have been published and have won awards in literary competitions. They have organised regular readings in Trim, a satire competition and poetry readings in connection with Trim Swift Festival and have organised events for All Ireland Poetry Day.

Creative Writing at Galway Technical Institute this Autumn- BEGINNERS & INTERMEDIATE

2011-09-10T17:19:00.000+01:00

N.B. TAKING BOOKINGS FROM THE MORNING OF TUESDAY SEPT. 13TH ONWARDS

Creative Writing for Beginners with Kevin Higgins takes place one evening per week (Monday) from 7-9.30pm. (8 weeks) It commences on Monday, September 26th, 2011. 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 7-9.30pm (8 weeks) It commences on Tuesday, September 27th, 2011. 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 info@gti.ie or see http://www.gti.ie

Poetry Workshops at Galway Arts Centre with Kevin Higgins STARTING IN SEPTEMBER

2011-09-10T17:18:00.001+01:00

Starting in September, 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 last year by Salmon and his work also appears in the generation defining anthology Identity Parade –New British and Irish Poets (Ed. Roddy Lumsden, Bloodaxe, 2010). A collection of Kevin’s essays and reviews will be published by Salmon Poetry early next year. His next collection of poetry ‘The Ghost in The Lobby’ will be published in early 2013, also by Salmon.

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, another the Cúirt New Writing Prize, and yet another the Cúirt Poetry Grand Slam, while several have published collections of their poems. Kevin is also co-organiser of the successful Over The Edge reading series which specialises in promoting new writers.

Each workshop will run for ten weeks, commencing the week of September 19th. They will take place on Tuesday evenings, 7-8.30pm (first class September 20th); on Thursday afternoons, 2-4pm (first class September 22nd) and on Friday afternoons, 2-3.30pm (first class September 23rd).

The Tuesday evening and Friday 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

GMIT presents Creative Writing for Beginners with Susan Millar DuMars

2011-09-10T17:18:00.000+01:00

This autumn GMIT is offering a course in Creative Writing for Beginners with Susan Millar DuMars. The course takes place at GMIT Dublin Road Campus one evening per week (Wednesday) for 7 weeks from 7–9p.m. It commences on Wednesday, September 28th, 2011.Advance booking is essential. The course fee is €95.

During the seven weeks Susan Millar DuMars will give support, instruction and feedback to students who are interested in writing either fiction (short stories, novels) or poetry. The class will work on techniques for forming ideas and getting started; engaging the reader’s senses; using figures of speech effectively; being alert to the importance of the sound of words, the rhythm of writing; how to manage the truth in a fictitious piece; the different forms of poetry; awareness of character and point of view in fiction; editing and polishing work. Whether the student seeks publication, self-expression, a rewarding hobby (or possibly all three), this course is a wonderful place to start.

For further details or to book a place contact GMIT, Dublin Road, Galway. Telephone 091 742145 or see http://www.gmit.ie/lifelong-learning/lifelong-learning-programmes/humanities/creative-writing-beginners_1.html

Course Tutor:
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 published a book of short stories in 2010: Lights in the Distance, published by Doire Press. She has been the recipient of an Arts Council Literature Bursary. She lives in Galway, where she and her husband have run the Over the Edge readings series since 2003.

Galway launch of 'Ireland Is Changing Mother' by Rita Ann Higgins

2011-08-27T23:59:00.001+01:00

The Galway Arts Centre would like to invite you to attend the Galway launch

of Ireland Is Changing Mother (Bloodaxe Books)

by Galway poet Rita Ann Higgins

Friday September 16th, 6pm, The Galway Arts Centre, 47 Dominick Street.

The collection will be officially launched by comedian Tommy Tiernan.

Wine reception provided, all are welcome.

Launch of 'And' the debut short story collection by Jim Mullarkey

2011-08-27T23:58:00.000+01:00

North Beach Poetry Nights Returns After The Summer Break

2011-08-27T23:55:00.001+01:00

North Beach Poetry Nights' Slam returns

on Monday 19th September

in the Crane Bar at 9 pm

with guest Poet - Séamus Fox (Belfast),

the 2009 All Ireland Slam Champion

and songs from Mark James.

Séamus Fox was born in Belfast and grew up in Craigavon, Co Armagh. By the time he was 16 or 17 he was writing his own raps. Later in his twenties he read the poetry of Plath, Bukowski, Sexton and Carver and just as with rap he thought “I could do this!” Around 2006 he began writing with a vigour he had never before known. In early 2007 he began to perform at poetry nights in Belfast where he met a wide range of artistic type people and this spurred him to write even more. He performs regularly at poetry nights and comedy nights around the city and doesn’t try to write any more. Performance is a very free and comfortable discipline for him. In October 2009 he won the All Ireland Slam title in Galway and on August 13th 2010 his first book “As Seen Through Staggered Eyes” was published by Wild Wind Books. He has been a regular performer at too many nights to mention for the last 3 or 4 years. He writes spoken word, written word, comedy, rap and short stories. He is currently working intently on his second collection of poems which should be finished in the next 2 to 3 months.

Poets wishing to enter the September Slam should have 2 max. 3 minute poems.

The poem for the 2nd round must be performed without a script.

So time to get memorizing now!

Next Month 17th October: Neil McCarthy (currently in Vienna)

Info: John@ 091-593290

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

On The Farm presents Mixed Grazing

2011-08-27T23:54:00.001+01:00

On the Farm presents,

in association with Dunnes Stores —

Mixed Grazing:

Music with Mike and Sue Fahy,

Fiction with Colm Brady,

Comedy with Eleanor Tiernan,

Poetry with Susan Lindsay

and theatre with Anthony Daly.

Saturday Oct 1st, 12pm.

Ballinderreen, Co. Galway.

Event not weather permitting

and it’s Free!

M.C Mags Treanor

Info: 087 9139698

Facebook: On the Farm

Poetry Reading at The Linenhall Arts Centre in Castlebar

2011-08-27T23:53:00.000+01:00

On Thursday, Sept 29th at 8pm, 3 poets, Terry McDonagh, (Mayo), Rab Wilson, (Scotland) and Andrew Forster, (England) read at the Linenhall Arts Centre, Castlebar, County Mayo.

September Over The Edge Writers’ Gathering with Richard Halperin, Jane Clarke, C.P. Stewart & The Skylight Poets

2011-08-27T17:56:00.001+01:00

C.P. Stewart

The September Over The Edge Writers’ Gathering presents readings by poets from Ireland, the UK and France. Visiting poets Richard Halperin, Jane Clarke and C.P. Stewart will read their work. Also reading on the night will be members of the legendary Galway-based poetry workshop, The Skylight Poets, who will showcase their exciting new anthology, Mosaic, which has already garnered praise from renowned poets Moya Cannon and Mary O’Malley. The event will take place at The Kitchen @ The Museum, Spanish Arch, Galway on Friday, September 9th, 8pm. All are welcome.

Richard W. Halperin holds a Ph.D. in English Literature from the City University of New York. Until 2005 he was chief of teacher education for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Paris, which entailed travel and work in Asia, Africa and Central and Eastern Europe. For UNESCO, he edited the downloadable book Reading and Writing Poetry: The Recommendations of Noted Poets from Many Lands on the Teaching of Poetry in Secondary Schools, available in English, French and Spanish versions. He will read from his poetry collection, Anniversary, which was published last year by Salmon Poetry.

Originally from a farm in Roscommon, Jane Clarke, now lives in Wicklow and is a member of Airfield Writers. She has had poems published in Cyphers, Crannóg, Revival, The Shop, The Stony Thursday Book, Southword and has won a number of prizes, including the Listowel Writers’ Week Prize (2007). In 2009 she was selected for the Poetry Ireland Introductions Series. She is currently studying for an MPhil in Writing with the University of Glamorgan, Wales. Jane is short-listed for this year’s Over The Edge New Writer of The Year competition.

C.P. Stewart lives with his family in North Yorkshire. Formerly singer/songwriter with the cult band Laughing Gravy, his poetry has been widely published in Canada, Australia, Ireland, England and the United States. For two years he was the Poetry Editor of Sotto Voce Arts and Literary magazine (U.S.). A chapbook of his poetry, Taking it In was published by Koo Poetry Press in 2009. His New and Selected Poems, Considering the Lilies, was published earlier this year by the Galway-based publisher Wordsonthestreet.

Skylight Poets is the collective name for an unlikely bunch of writers who have gathered on Thursday afternoons in a sparsely furnished room with four skylights at the top of Galway Arts Centre in Dominick Street Galway. Under the guidance of poet and workshop director Kevin Higgins the first anthology from this motley group Lady Gregory’s Townhouse was published in 2009. This was followed in 2010 by the highly praised Behind the Masks and this year sees the publication of the Skylight Poets’ third anthology Mosaic. Edited by Sarah Clancy, Des Kavanagh, Deirdre Kearney and Kevin O’Shea, Mosaic has already garnered praise from renowned poets Moya Cannon and Mary O'Malley.

There is no entrance fee. The Kitchen @ The Museum has a wine licence. For further information contact 087-6431748.

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

NEWSFLASH Long-list for 2011 Over The Edge New Writer of The Year

2011-08-20T21:00:00.009+01:00

Philip Abbink, Galway, Ireland
John Austin Connolly, Dublin, Ireland
Lisa Allen, Galway, Ireland
Bernie Ashe, Galway, Ireland
Meleesha Bardolia, Melbourne, Australia
Gene Barry, Cork, Ireland
Marie Bashford-Synnott, Dublin, Ireland
Batsheva Battu, Galway, Ireland
Stephanie Brennan, Galway, Ireland
Paul Bradley, Galway, Ireland
Bern Butler, Galway, Ireland
Erin Buttner, Galway, Ireland
Stephen Byrne, Galway, Ireland
Marie Cadden, Galway, Ireland
June Caldwell, Dublin, Ireland
Kimberly Campanello, Dublin, Ireland
Angela T. Carr, Dublin, Ireland
Martin Casey, Mayo, Ireland
Jane Clarke, Wicklow, Ireland
Rachel Coventry, Galway, Ireland
Bernie Crawford, Galway, Ireland
Damian Cunniffe, Galway, Ireland
Madeleine D'Arcy, Cork, Ireland
Rory Duffy, Westmeath, Ireland
Hilary Fennell, Dublin, Ireland
Stephanie Flaherty-Klapp, Galway, Ireland
Philippa Gibbons, Galway, Ireland
Pauline Gillen, Galway, Ireland
Mary Healy, Kilkenny, Ireland
Dearbhaile Houston, Galway, Ireland
Derek Hynes, Galway, Ireland
Anne Irwin, Galway, Ireland
Sandra Jensen, Cork, Ireland
Des Kavanagh, Galway, Ireland
Jean Kavanagh, Clare, Ireland
Stephen Kennedy, Dublin, Ireland
Tom Lavelle, Galway, Ireland
Barbara Leahy, Cork, Ireland
Laurie Leech, Galway, Ireland
Marie MacSweeney, Louth, Ireland
Gemma Marren, Mayo, Ireland
Connie Masterson, Galway, Ireland
Antoinette McCarthy, Kilkenny, Ireland
Rosaleen McDonagh, Dublin, Ireland
Andrew McEneff, Dublin, Ireland
Danielle McLoughlin, Cork, Ireland
Paul McMahon, Sligo, Ireland
Anne McManus, Galway, Ireland
Sighle Meehan, Galway, Ireland
Lauren Norton, California, USA
Kerrie O’Brien, Dublin, Ireland
Brian O’Connell, Galway, Ireland
David O'Dwyer, Dublin, Ireland
Noel O’Regan, Kerry, Ireland
Michael O'Siochain, Cork, Ireland
Niall Ó’ Sioradáin, Dublin, Ireland
Kevin O'Shea, Galway, Ireland
James O'Toole, Galway, Ireland
Evelyn Parsons, Galway, Ireland
Laura Peters, London, UK
Fiona Place, Galway, Ireland
Bridget Rowland, Mayo, Ireland
Marybeth Rua-Larsen, Massachusetts, USA
Breda Wall Ryan, Wicklow, Ireland
Eimear Ryan, Tipperary, Ireland
Natalie Ryan, Dublin, Ireland
Rejini Samuel, Galway, Ireland
Seamus Scanlon, New York, USA
Maresa Sheehan, Carlow, Ireland
Alan Timmons, Wicklow, Ireland
Steve Wade, Dublin, Ireland
Alice Walsh, Dublin, Ireland
John Walsh, Galway, Ireland
Nicole Walsh, Sligo, Ireland
Heidi Wickam, Sligo, Ireland

The competition is kindly sponsored by Charlie Byrne’s Bookshop, McGinn’s Bar, Niall Ó’Brolcháin, Senator Fidelma Healy Eames & Mike Cubbard.

The shortlist will be announced

at the August Over The Edge:Open Reading

in Galway City Library

this coming Thursday, August, 25th, 6.30-8pm.

The competition judge is Elaine Feeney.

Fiction Long-list – a few words about the process by Susan Millar DuMars

(N.B. 40 of the writers on the above long-list are long-listed for fiction, the other 35 for poetry.)

There were 197 stories entered. Only 40 could be long-listed. So more than three quarters of the stories had to lose out.

Stories were read by me and three other very experienced writers with no names attached. Any entries with which I was familiar I gave to the three volunteers for their verdict.

Each entrant was allowed one story on the long-list. That way the greatest number of people could benefit from being long-listed.

The Result
Many fine writers didn’t make it this time; including many with Masters Degrees, many who have read for Over the Edge, many for whom I’d have great professional respect. This was startling to realise, and my heart broke for those who didn’t get through. At the same time, it proves the fairness of the process.
In the end, here is what we looked for:
• Stories with a strong, unusual, likeable narrative voice.
• Simple stories; those with elaborate, gimmicky plot twists generally did not make it through.
• Stories with memorable images we could not get out of our heads.
• Stories that used their 3000 words well. That is, the piece didn’t read like a vignette, an exercise or an extract but a fleshed out story with clear beginning, middle, end.
• Stories that felt true. Not that they had to be true, of course. But the author must have taken the time to walk in her characters’ shoes.

It was a very tough job; the standard of entries was very high. My sincere congratulations to the forty authors who made it to the fiction long-list.

Daytime Creative Writing with Susan Millar DuMars at Galway Arts Centre STARTING IN SEPTEMBER

2011-08-19T23:51:00.000+01:00

This September 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 Millar DuMars writes both poetry and fiction. A collection of her stories, Lights In The Distance, was published last December by Doire Press; 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 19th.

The cost to participants is 110 Euro with a 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

Launch of 'Mosaic' by the Skylight Poets at Nuns' Island Theatre

2011-08-18T10:52:00.001+01:00

On Friday September 2nd at 6.30 pm MOSAIC, the third anthology of poetry from Skylight Poets will be launched in the Nuns’ Island Theatre in Nuns’ Island Galway.

Skylight Poets is the collective name for an unlikely bunch of writers who have gathered on Thursday afternoons in a sparsely furnished room with four skylights at the top of Galway Arts Centre in Dominick Street Galway. Under the guidance of poet and director Kevin Higgins the first anthology from this motley group Lady Gregory’s Townhouse was published in 2009 to much acclaim. This was followed in 2010 by the highly praised Behind the Masks and this year sees the publication of Skylight Poets third anthology entitled Mosaic. Already it is garnering praise from renowned poets Moya Cannon and Mary O'Malley.

Each anthology is edited by a group of four different editors. The editors of Mosaic are Sarah Clancy, Des Kavanagh, Deirdre Kearney and Kevin O’Shea. The contributors vary in poetic ambition and achievement from people who have won prestigious awards in the literary world, some of whom have had their work published in journals and poetry magazines worldwide, some who have already published collections of their work to those who merely seek the company and fun of the workshops for nothing more than the pleasure of creative effort.

After the launch of Mosaic at 6.30 in Nuns’ Island Theatre on Friday September 2nd, Skylight Poets will read from their work at the Over the Edge Writers Gathering in The Kitchen at Galway Museum on September 9th and will perform again at Clifden Arts Week on September 16th.

Free parking is available at Nuns’ Island car park and a wine reception is sponsored by Thomas Woodberry’s of Middle Street Galway. All are welcome!

Gerry Hanberry's Biography of Oscar Wilde's Family Just Published by The Collins Press

2011-08-17T12:31:00.001+01:00

Gerry Hanberry's biography of Oscar Wilde's remarkable family

is just published by The Collins Press.

Dr Adrian Frazier from NUI Galway will launch the book

in Charlie Bryne's Bookshop

on Saturday 10 September at 6.00 p.m.

All Welcome.

Creative Writing with Dave Lordan @ Bray Institute of Further Education

2011-08-17T11:30:00.002+01:00

Beginners (mon) and Intermediate (wed) Creative Writing classes with Dave Lordan

Bray Institute of Further Education. Term begins monday the 26th of September.

7.30 to 9.30 PM. Cost 120 euro. Discount for unwaged. Enrol here http://www.bife.ie/Pages/Enrol.aspx 10 week courses.

Beginners will be given a gentle introduction to the art of creative writing through a variety of exercises designed to stimulate creativity and self confidence in your expressive ability.

Intermediate students will work in an atmosphere of collective mutual support and constructive criticism with the intention of completing a publishable portfolio of finished poetry or prose.

Writers of prose, poetry, fiction, non-fiction equally welcome.

Both courses will include sessions on dialogue, narration, character, description, finding your own style and voice, the discipline of being a writer...

Read more about writer and teacher Dave Lordan here http://davelordanwriter.wordpress.com/ email Dave at dlordan@hotmail.com

Ring anytime on 087-0921117.

SPECIAL RATES VIA OVER THE EDGE FOR INISHBOFIN WRITING JAUNTS

2011-08-17T10:02:00.000+01:00

The Inishbofin Jaunt

September Creative Writing Weekends On Inishbofin Island

2 - 5 and 9 -12 SEPT 2011

Tutors: Yvonne Cullen,(“Writes beautifully, and can pass on the skill” The Irish Times Sept 2009, “Best Creative Writing Teacher in Dublin” - Dubliner Magazine) Guest tutor on weekend two: Anthony Glavin. Suitable for beginner and developing writers

Classes, workshops, relaxed and fun group Readings and social nights, plus plenty of time to explore Inishbofin too!

086 1701418 Email yvonnesworkshops@gmail.com http://www.yvonnecullen.wordpress.com

THERE IS A SPECIAL 'VIA OVER THE EDGE' FEE for two Developing writers on each weekend, of €200 in place of €230, on weekend one, Developing Poetry and Personal Essay, and €240 in place of €270 on weekend two, Developing Short Fiction and Personal Essay.

CONTACT YVONNE CULLEN NOW AND TELL HER THAT YOU READ ABOUT

THE SPECIAL OFFER HERE ON THE OVER THE EDGE WEBSITE

A unique opportunity to hear four Galway fiction writers at Sheridan's Wine Bar

2011-08-17T00:59:00.001+01:00

A unique opportunity to hear four Galway fiction writers at Sheridan's Wine Bar on Monday September 5th, 8pm. The writers will read stories that have been shortlisted in the R.T.E. Francis McManus Short Story Competition. Three of the readers, Davnet Heery The Little Girl in Pink, Aideen Henry Saibh and Geraldine Mills The Street With Looking Glass Eyes were shortlisted in 2011 and the fourth reader, Jim Mullarkey Heaven was runner up in 2002. MC for the night is Kevin Higgins. All are welcome.

DAVNET HEERY
A long-time resident of Cois Fharraige, Connemara, Davnet enjoys solitary walks along the shore and on the bog, day-dreaming. Recently graduated from the MA in Writing at NUIG she has had a giddy summer reading at literary festivals countrywide for the launch of the MA class anthology Bicycles with Umbrellas. Primarily a poet (she has been grant aided by Galway Co.Co. to work towards a collection Camellia) she also enjoys writing plays.

AIDEEN HENRY
Aideen story, Saibh, was shortlisted in 2011 for the Francis McManus Short Story Award and recorded on RTE Radio. As part of the Atlantis Collective Aideen Henry’s short stories have featured in three short story anthologies launched each year at the Cúirt International Literary Festival; The Town of Fiction (2009), Faceless Monsters (2010) and Eat the Swans (2011). Her short story, Morning Surgery, was shortlisted for the Aindreas McEntee Prize (2010). Oculoterra was selected for the inaugural Lonely Voice Series at the Irish Writer’s Centre Reading in Dublin in January 2010.

JIM MULLARKEY
Jim has been shortlisted twice in the RTE Francis McManus Competition, the last time in 2005 for Mary up in Donegal. He has been long-listed for the Raymond Carver Short Story Award and the Fish Short Story Competition. He was runner-up in the 2003 Galway Cúirt Poetry Festival. Jim read at the inaugural Cúirt Festival/Over The Edge showcase reading in April 2006. In recent years Jim has facilitated creative writing workshops for adults with learning difficulties. His first collection of short stories, And, will be launched by Doire Press on September 17th in Galway Museum at 1pm.

GERALDINE MILLS is an award winning poet and short story writer and has been published nationally and internationally. She has published four collections of poetry and two of short stories ‘Lick of the Lizard’, (2005) and ‘The Weight of Feathers’, 2007 (Arlen House). She was winner of the Inaugural Penguin/ RTÉ Short Story Competition, 2010. Other awards for fiction include the Moore Medallion, The OKI Award and she has been shortlisted 6 times for the Francis MacManus Competition. Geraldine was the millennium winner of the Hennessy/Tribune New Irish Writer Award for her short story ‘Lick of the Lizard’. She teaches creative writing in Ireland and the US.

2011 Over The Edge New Writer of The Year LONG-LIST TO BE ANNOUNCED

2011-08-06T23:41:00.000+01:00

The announcement of the long-list for this year’s Over The Edge New Writer of The Year competition will take place at a special Salmon Poetry reading at Charlie Byrne’s Bookshop, Middle Street, Galway on Saturday, August 20th , STARTS 6.30 PM. Majella Cullinane will read from her just published collection ‘Guarding The Flame’ and there will also be readings by Over The Edge co-organisers Susan Millar DuMars & Kevin Higgins.

For more about Majella Cullinane see http://www.salmonpoetry.com/bookshop-search.php

THE LONG-LIST WILL BE AVAILABLE HERE ON THE OVER THE EDGE WEBSITE LATER THAT SAME EVENING

This year's competition has received a record number of entries; the competition judge is Elaine Feeney.

Record Entry for 2011 Over The Edge New Writer of The Year Competition

2011-08-06T14:41:00.000+01:00

This year's Over The Edge New Writer of The Year Competition has received a record 371 entries; 194 fiction entries and 177 poetry entries.

The long-list will be announced at a special event at Charlie Byrne's Bookshop on the afternoon of Saturday, August 20th. Further details to follow. http://overtheedgeliteraryevents.blogspot.com/2011/02/2011-over-edge-new-writer-of-year.html

Clare Pollard, Evelyn Parsons & Laurie Leech for August 'Over The Edge: Open Reading'

2011-07-22T01:30:00.000+01:00

Clare Pollard

The August Over The Edge: Open Reading takes place in Galway City Library, St. Augustine Street, Galway on Thursday, August 25th, 6.30-8pm. The Featured Readers are Laurie Leech, Evelyn Parsons & Clare Pollard. The reading is sponsored by Poetry Ireland. The evening will also see the announcement of the shortlist in this year’s Over The Edge New Writer of The Year competition.

Laurie Leech is a Galway based poet. He is MC of the Testify! nights in Róisín Dubh, showcasing poets, musicians and anything else in between. Formerly MC of Poetry Smackdown, which was featured on RTE’s Arena. He took 2nd place in the 2011 Cúirt Poetry Grand Slam and 1st place in the 2011 Drogheda Fringe Poetry Slam. He puts his words to music sometimes and shared a bill with Buck 65, also during Cúirt 2011.

Evelyn Parsons says that she “stumbled down a creative writing shaped rabbit hole in 2010, landing heart first in a fiction wonderland of classes with Kevin Higgins and Susan Millar DuMars.” She was highly commended in the 2010 Over The Edge New Writer of The Year competition and short-listed for the 2011 Fish One Page Prize. Evelyn is also an avid reader and a member of the Ballinasloe Booksuckers Club.

Clare Pollard has published four collections of poetry with Bloodaxe Books, the most recent of which, Changeling, was published in June of this year. Her play The Weather (Faber, 2004) premiered at the Royal Court Theatre and has been performed at the Munchner Kammerspiele in Munich. Clare was Assistant Director of the Clerkenwell Literary Festival from 2002-5. She has scripted and presented two documentaries for televison, and her documentary for radio, ‘My Male Muse’, was a Radio 4 Pick of the year. Her short stories have been published in The Idler and the anthology Comma (Comma Press, 2002). She recently co-edited the Bloodaxe anthology Voice Recognition: 21 poets for the 21st Century. Clare is currently teaching for The City Lit, The Poetry School and the Arvon Foundation. This is Clare’s first time reading in Ireland.

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.

Over The Edge acknowledges the ongoing generous financial support of Galway City Council and The Arts Council and the sponsorship of this reading by Poetry Ireland.

2011 Over The Edge New Writer of The Year competition to be judged by Elaine Feeney

2011-07-20T00:16:00.001+01:00

2011 Over The Edge New Writer of The Year competition

sponsored by Charlie Byrne’s Bookshop,

McGinn’s Bar,

Niall Ó Brolcháin,

Senator Fidelma Healy Eames

& Mike Cubbard

In 2011 Over The Edge is continuing its exciting annual creative writing competition. The competition is open to both poets and fiction writers. The total prize money is €1,000. The best fiction entry will win €300. The best poetry entry will win €300. One of these will then be chosen as the overall winner and will receive an additional €400, giving the overall winner total prize money of €700 and the title Over The Edge New Writer of The Year 2011. The 2011 Over The Edge New Writer of The Year will be a Featured Reader at a reading to be scheduled in Galway City Library in Winter 2011/12. Salmon Poetry will read, with no commitment to publish, a manuscript submitted to them by the winner in the poetry category.

Entries should be sent to Over The Edge, New Writer of the Year competition, 3 Carbry Road, Newcastle, Galway, Ireland with an accompanying SAE. Entries will be judged anonymously, so do not put your name on your poem(s) or story. Put your contact details on a separate sheet.

Criteria: fiction of up to three thousand words, three poems of up to forty lines, or one poem of up to one hundred lines. Multiple entries are acceptable but each must be accompanied by a fee. The fee for one entry is €10. The fee for multiple entries is €7.50 per entry e.g. two entries will cost €15, three entries €22.50 and so on. Fee payable by cheque or money order to Over The Edge. To take part you must be at least sixteen years old by September 1st 2011 and not have a book published or accepted for publication in that genre. Chapbooks excepted. Entries must not have been previously published or be currently entered in any other competition.

The closing date is Wednesday, August 3rd, 2011. A longlist will be announced in Charlie Byrne’s Bookshop on Saturday, August 20th, 2011. A shortlist will be announced at the Over The Edge: Open Reading in Galway City Library on Thursday, August 25th. The winners will be announced at the Over The Edge reading in Galway City Library on Thursday, September 29th, 2011.

This year’s competition judge is Elaine Feeney. Elaine was born in Galway in 1979. In 2006 she won the North Beach Nights Grand Slam and in 2008 won the Cúirt Festival's Poetry Grand Slam. Elaine has performed at many venues including The Edinburgh Fringe Festival, The Electric Picnic, The Vilenica Festival and The Cúirt International Festival of Literature. Her work has been translated into Slovene. Elaine lives in Athenry with her partner Ray, and sons, Jack and Finn. Her first full collection of poetry Where’s Katie? was published last year by Salmon poetry.

Elaine Feeney

For further details contact Over The Edge on 087-6431748,

e-mail over-the-edge-openreadings@hotmail.com

Inisbofin Writing Jaunt with Yvonne Cullen

2011-07-19T19:55:00.001+01:00

For details of this year's Inisbofin Writing Jaunts (September 2nd-5th & September 9th-12th) with renowned poet and creative writing teacher Yvonne Cullen, see here
http://yvonnecullen.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/inishbofinjaunt-brochureonline1.pdf

Summer Open-Mic at Westside Library

2011-07-10T12:30:00.000+01:00

Over The Edge in association with Westside Arts Festival presents the 2011 Over The Edge Summer Open-mic and the launch of Monday Miscellany, a collection of stories, poems and memoir by the Westside Writers and at Westside Library, Seamus Quirke Road on Tuesday, July 19th.

Monday Miscellany will be launched by Galway City Council’s Arts Officer, James Harrold, at 5.30pm.

The annual Over The Edge Summer Open-mic will follow immediately at 6.30pm. Everyone who has a poem or story to share is most welcome to take part. So, if you have some writing you’d like to read to an audience. This is your opportunity to do so.

The MCs for the evening will be Kevin Higgins & Susan Millar DuMars. All are welcome to attend.

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

SALMON POETRY RAFFLE!

2011-06-29T00:01:00.000+01:00

Salmon Poetry's fundraising raffle is now underway with a unique prize of all thirty-one of its 2011 poetry collections, signed by the authors. Have your own bookshelf of some of the finest contemporary Irish, American and British poetry!!! €5.00 for 5 tickets; €10.00 for 12 tickets. Full details about the books and how to purchase tickets at: http://www.salmonpoetry.com/raffle.php

Call for poetry, short-stories, photography and art work for Galway Artistic Atlas

2011-06-28T23:59:00.002+01:00

Poets, artists, photographers and short-story writers, with work based in or inspired by Galway, have less than one month left to submit work to The Artistic Atlas of Galway.

The Atlas which aims to highlight the artistic capital of the City and County, the people that live in it and those that pass through it. The work submitted will be compiled into chapters based on certain themes of Galway. Conceptual maps will be drawn up, influenced by the work in each chapter. These will be included in the Atlas alongside more traditional maps, allowing people to visit places and read the landscape in different ways.

Liam Duffy the organiser has been happy with the response so far: “the idea has been met with intrigue and enthusiasm, and I've been delighted to receive work from professional artists and writers and people who've just happened to catch a special glimpse of Galway with their camera or pen”.

The deadline is July 31, submissions should be sent to GalwayAtlas@gmail.com and more details can be found on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=224818917528218

The Galway Artistic Atlas is very grateful for funding from Spunout.ie

July Writers' Gathering presents Doire Press Showcase, Launch of 'The Geese at the Gates' by Drucilla Wall & a reading by Los Angeles Poet John Menaghan

2011-06-28T23:58:00.000+01:00

The Over The Edge July Writers’ Gathering presents a special showcase reading by poets and fiction writers published by Galway county based Doire Press. Gerry Galvin, Susan Lindsay, Susan Millar DuMars and Doire Press publisher John Walsh will read their work at The Kitchen @ The Museum, Spanish Arch, Galway on Thursday, July 14th, 8pm. The evening will include a reading by Los Angeles poet John Menaghan and the Galway launch of The Geese at the Gates, the exciting debut poetry collection by St. Louis based poet, Drucilla Wall, just published by Salmon Poetry. All are welcome.

Drucilla Wall was raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She teaches poetry and essay writing, and Native American literature, at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. In addition to poetry, her essays appear in journals and anthologies. She has earned awards and fellowships for her work, including the Mari Sandoz Prairie Schooner Short Story Award, the Western Literature Association Willa Pilla Prize for Humor in Writing, and University of Nebraska Fling and Larson Fellowships. She lives in St. Louis, Missouri, and has spent summers with family and friends in Wexford and Galway, Ireland, since 1985. Her debut collection of poetry, The Geese at the Gates, is just published by Salmon Poetry.

Gerry Galvin was born in Limerick in 1942 but now lives in Oughterard, Co. Galway. He is a chef and former restaurateur, author of two cookbooks, The Drimcong Food Affair (McDonald Publishing, 1992) and Everyday Gourmet (The O’Brien Press, 1997), and is a columnist for Organic Matters magazine. His poetry and short stories have been published in newspapers and magazines in both the U.K. and Ireland. His first collection of poems, No Recipe, was published by Doire Press last year. Gerry’s crime novel, Killer ála Carte, will be published soon also by Doire Press.

Susan Lindsay is originally from Dublin but now lives in Galway. She has read her work at Over the Edge literary events, Clifden Arts Week and Mythic Links, and was a member of the Faber Academy, Dubin poetry class in 2010. A social work graduate (TCD, 1975), she has been a psychotherapist, group leader, workshop facilitator and trainer for over thirty years. This year Susan was selected to take part in the 2011 Poetry Ireland Introductions series of readings. Her first book of poetry, Whispering the Secrets, was published by Doire Press in March.

Susan Millar DuMars was born in Philadelphia. She has been short-listed for the Cúirt New Writing Prize and the START chapbook prize. Her fiction was awarded a bursary from the Arts Council of Ireland in 2005 and was showcased in a mini-collection, American Girls (Lapwing Publications) in 2007. Susan has also published two volumes of poems with Salmon Poetry. Her short story collection Lights In The Distance was published by Doire Press in December 2010.

John Walsh was born in Derry. His first collection, Johnny tell Them, was published in 2006 by Guildhall Press. In 2007 he received a Publication Award from Galway County Council to publish his second collection Love's Enterprise Zone. His third collection, Chopping Wood with T.S. Eliot, was published by Salmon Poetry in 2010. His poems have been published in Ireland, the UK, Austria and the United States. He is organizer of North Beach Poetry Nights in Galway and founder of Doire Press.

John Menaghan born in New Jersey, has lived in Boston, Berkeley, Vancouver, Syracuse, London, Dublin, Belfast, Galway, Gortahork, and Dingle, & presently makes his home in Venice, CA. Winner of an Academy of American Poets Prize and other awards, he has given readings in Ireland, England, France, Hungary, and the U.S. He has also had several short plays produced in Los Angeles. John teaches at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, where he also serves as Director of both the Irish Studies and Summer in Ireland programs and runs the LMU Irish Cultural Festival. He has published three collections of poems with Salmon Poetry, the most recent of which is What Vanishes (2009).

There is no entrance fee. The Kitchen @ The Museum has a wine licence. All welcome. For further information contact 087-6431748.

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

Summer Literary Extravaganza at Over The Edge June Writers' Gathering

2011-06-06T14:16:00.003+01:00

The Over The Edge June Writers’ Gathering presents a summer literary extravaganza of readings by poets and fiction writers from Italy, Albania, the United States and Ireland at The Kitchen @ The Museum, Spanish Arch, Galway on Friday, June 24th, 8pm. The evening will include the Galway launch of new poetry collections by Joseph Lennon and Ndrek Gjini. Fiction writer Jim Mullarkey will read from his forthcoming collection of short stories. Italian poets Luca Artioli, Andrea Garbin, Fabio Barcellandi and their translator Dave Lordan will read from their recent publication Poethree-New Italian Voices (Thauma Edizioni, 2011). All are welcome.

Joseph Lennon was born in Newport, Rhode Island, and grew up in Rochester, a small town in central Illinois. He has lived in Ireland and Italy and travelled throughout India. After a decade in New York City, teaching at Manhattan College, he now lives in Philadelphia with his family and is Director of Irish Studies at Villanova University. He has published poetry and critical essays on Irish literature and postcolonial studies. His book Irish Orientalism: A Literary and Intellectual History (Syracuse UP, 2004) won the Donald J. Murphy Prize for Distinguished First Book from the American Conference for Irish Studies. Fell Hunger is Joseph’s first collection of poetry and was published in April by Salmon Poetry.

Ndrek Gjini was born in Albania in the 1960s. From 1984 to 1988 he was a student at the University of Shkoder in Albania. After graduation he worked first as a teacher and then as a journalist. During these years he published poems and many newspaper articles in the Albanian language. In 2002, Ndrek moved to the West of Ireland. In 2004, he undertook a course that led to a National Certificate in Print Journalism; at GMIT he earned a BA honours in Heritage Studies. At present, he is enrolled in the MA in Writing at NUI Galway. His poems in English have recently been published in Cyphers magazine. The Death of Night is Ndrek’s first collection of poems in the English language and is just published by EMAL.

Jim Mullarkey lives in Galway. He was a member of Galway City Council for 1993 to 1999 before turning his hand to writing. He has been short-listed for the Raymond Carver Short Story Award and the Fish Short Story Competition. His story ‘Heaven’ was runner-up in the RTE Francis McManus Award. Jim read at the inaugural Cúirt Festival/Over The Edge showcase reading in April 2006. His first collection of short stories, Murph’s Advice, will be published by Doire Press in September.

Dave Lordan's latest collection of poems is Invitation to a Sacrifice (Salmon Poetry, 2010) which was called by The Irish Times 'an act of cultural resistance, as brilliant on the page as it must surely be in performance'. Eigse Riada theatre company produced his first play, Jo Bangles, at the Mill Theatre, Dundrum in 2010. Forthcoming are Assassin for Higher from Wurm Press in Nov 2011 and his first collection of short stories Out of My Head due out from Salmon Publishing in Summer 2012. He can be contacted at dlordan@hotmail.com

Luca Artioli

Luca Artioli was born in Mantova in 1976, where he still lives.He was the creator and co-founder of the “Confraternita dell’ “Uva”, a group of writers 25 from Mantova / Modena / Como. He’s currently a member of the “Movement from the Underground”, a literary group for the union of the arts, based in Montichiari (BS). His official website is http://www.lucaartioli.it/ His books are Fragili Apparenze (Apparent fragilities) (Poems - TCM Editions, Mantova, 2005) and Suture (Sutures) (Poems - Ed. Fara, 2011);

Fabio Barcellandi

Fabio Barcellandi was born in Brescia in 1968. He is part of the group of poets and artists that quickens the literary meetings at the coffee bar Galeter in Montichiari, where he has performed on numerous occasions, from his tentative beginnings to the latest missives. He is from under the earth. What they say of him is that he walks hand in hand with death, whistling He has published two collections of poems: Parole alate (Winged words) (Cicorivolta editions, 2007) and Nero, l’inchiostro (Black Ink) (Montag editions, 2008).

Andrea Garbin

Andrea Garbin lives and works in the province of Mantova. He has published the poetry Il senso della musa (The sense of the Muse) (Aletti, 2007) and Latex (Fara, 2009) and some short-stories in the anthologies Per natale non esco (For Christmas I don’t go out) (TranseuropaLibri, 2008) and Il rumore degli occhi (The noise of the eyes) (Edizioni Creativa, 2009).

There is no entrance fee. The Kitchen @ The Museum has a wine licence. All welcome. For further information contact 087-6431748.

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

Salmon Poetry presents Galway launch of 'Witness Trees' by Lorna Shaughnessy

2011-05-29T23:27:00.001+01:00

Salmon Poetry

invites you to celebrate the publication of a new

collection of poetry

Witness Trees by LORNA SHAUGHNESSY

Launch introduction

Des Kavanagh

VENUE:

The Space Invaders Gallery, The Cornstore, Middle Street, Galway

DATE/TIME:

Saturday 25th June, 2pm

All welcome!

Visit the Salmon website for further details:

http://www.salmonpoetry.com/details.php?ID=232&a=45

Salmon Poetry, Knockeven, Cliffs of Moher, Co. Clare

Tel: 065 -7081941

email: info@salmonpoetry.com

NEWSFLASH Salmon Poetry To Publish Over The Edge Competition Winner

2011-05-26T19:30:00.012+01:00

Nicola Griffin

Nicola Griffin won the poetry section in the 2010 Over The Edge New Writer of The Year competition. Part of Nicola's prize was that Salmon Poetry would read a manuscript submitted to them by her. We are delighted to announce that Salmon Poetry has now accepted for publication Nicola's first collection of poems. The publication of her or his first book of poems is a huge moment in any poet's writing life. We are delighted that Nicola's entry into our competition has led directly to this major breakthrough for her as a poet.

Salmon Poetry will read, with no commitment to publish, a manuscript submitted to them by the winner of the poetry section in the 2011 Over The Edge New Writer of The Year competition. For details on how to enter this year's competition see http://overtheedgeliteraryevents.blogspot.com/2011/02/2011-over-edge-new-writer-of-year.html

LAUNCH of North Beach Nights Grand Slam Anthology PLUS June Poetry Slam

2011-05-25T23:59:00.002+01:00

North Beach Publications and Doire Press invites you to the launch of North Beach Nights: Anthology One, featuring Sarah Clancy, Mark James & Mikey McCrory, with a forward by Billy Ramsell.

Monday, June 20th, 7.30pm in The Crane Bar

Launch by Billy Ramsell
-----------------
After the North Beach Nights 'Anthology One' launch on Monday June 20th

North Beach Poetry Nights' Slam

with guest poet Billy Ramsell, Cork.

Billy Ramsell was born in Cork in 1977 and educated at the North Monastery and UCC. Complicated Pleasures, his first collection, was published by the Dedalus Press, Dublin, in 2007. He has been shortlisted for a Hennessy award and a Strong award. He has been invited to read his work at many festivals around the world; most recently in Shanghai and in San Francisco. He lives in Cork where he co-runs an educational publishing company

Poets wishing to enter the June Slam should have 2 max. 3 minute poems. The poem for the 2nd round must be performed without a script.

Info: John@ 091-593290

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

Galway Night of Eco Poetry

2011-05-25T23:48:00.000+01:00

You are invited to join the Galway Night of Eco Poetry - to be held at Ard Bia at Nimmos, 8 p.m. on Saturday 11th of June. There will be two featured poets, Tom Duddy and Sabine Lenore Mueller, reading a selection of their works, followed by an open mike session to share and enjoy poetry with nature at heart. Join in and let your voice be heard!

With this night of poetry we will celebrate the closing of our conference "From Ego to Eco - Imagining Ecocentrism in Literature, Film, and Philosophy" hosted by the School of Languages, Literatures and Cultures at NUIG – All are welcome!

If you are interested in taking part, please sent an email to ecopoetrygalway@hotmail.com and let us know how many/which pieces you would like to perform!

May 'Over The Edge: Open Reading' with Rita Ann Higgins, Angela Carr & 2010 Over The Edge New Writer of The Year, Seamus Scanlon

2011-05-13T21:30:00.002+01:00

The May Over The Edge: Open Reading takes place in Galway City Library, St. Augustine Street, Galway on Thursday, May 26th, 6.30-8pm. The Featured Readers are Seamus Scanlon, Angela Carr & Rita Ann Higgins. The reading is also one of series of events which will mark Galway for Japan Day. Galway for Japan Day gives the people of Galway an opportunity to express their solidarity with the victims of the recent earthquake in the Tohuku province of Japan. Yoshimi Hayakawa of The Wa Café will read a poem at the open-mic on the evening to mark the day.

Seamus Scanlon is a native of Galway and currently living in New York. He has an MFA in Creative Writing from City College New York where he won numerous awards for fiction and drama. He was a runner up in 2010 Fish Publishing One Page competition and the winner in 2011 and was short-listed for the 2009 New Irish Writing Awards. He also won a prestigious Carnegie Corporation/New York Times award for librarianship in Dec 2009 with prize money of $5,000. His first ever reading was at the Over The Edge open-mic in Galway City Library in early 2004. Last September, Seamus was chosen by competition judge, James Martyn, as 2010 Over The Edge New Writer of The Year for his story ‘The Butterfly Love Song’. This reading is part of Seamus’s prize for winning the Over The Edge competition. He also received a cash prize of €700.

Angela T Carr hails from Glasgow, via Donegal, and has lived and worked in Dublin since 1999. She began writing poetry in 2007 and since then her work has been short-listed for the Single Poem award at Listowel Writers Week 2008, published in the Fish Anthology 2009, Commended in the Francis Ledwidge International Poetry Award 2010 and Highly Commended in the Over the Edge - New Writer of the Year 2010. She is a member of the Words on the Wind poetry group, at the Irish Writers Centre in Dublin, and excerpts from her poems were published on the streets of Dublin, as part of the Upstart initiative during the General Election campaign.

Rita Ann Higgins was born in 1955 in Galway, Ireland. She divides her time between Galway City and Spiddal, County Galway. Her first five collections of poetry were published by Salmon: Goddess on the Mervue Bus (1986); Witch In The Bushes 1988); Goddess and Witch (1990); Philomena’s Revenge (1992); and, Higher Purchase (1996). Bloodaxe Books published her next three collections: Sunny Side Plucked (1996); An Awful Racket (2001); and Throw in the Vowels: New & Selected Poems in May 2005 to mark her 50th birthday. Her plays include: Face Licker Come Home (Salmon 1991); God of the Hatch Man (1992), Colie Lally Doesn't Live in a Bucket (1993); and Down All the Roundabouts (1999). In 2004, she wrote a screenplay entitled The Big Break. In 2008 she wrote a play, The Empty Frame, inspired by Hanna Greally, and in 2008 a play for radio, The Plastic Bag. Her collection Sunny Side Plucked was a Poetry Book Society Recommendation. She is a member of Aosdána. Her most recent book Hurting God – Part Essay Part Rhyme was published last year by Salmon.

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.

Over The Edge acknowledges the ongoing generous financial support of Galway City Council and The Arts Council http://overtheedgeliteraryevents.blogspot.com

May Over The Edge Writers' Gathering with Art Stringer, Ron Houchin, Jane Williams & Sarah Griffin

2011-04-27T00:06:00.001+01:00

The Over The Edge May Writers’ Gathering presents readings by poets from the United States and Australia plus the launch of a new collection of poetry by one of Irish poetry’s exciting new talents. Art Stringer, Ron Houchin & Jane Williams will read their work at The Kitchen @ The Museum, Spanish Arch, Galway on Friday, May 13th, 8pm. The evening will also see the launch by Professor Adrian Frazier of Follies, the debut poetry collection by Sarah Griffin, which has just been published by Lapwing Press. All are welcome.

A. E. Stringer is the author of two collections of poems, Channel Markers (Wesleyan University Press) and Human Costume (Salmon Poetry). His work has appeared in such journals as The Nation, Antaeus, The Ohio Review, Denver Quarterly, Prairie Schooner, Shenandoah, Poetry Northwest, and in Backcountry: Contemporary Writing in West Virginia. He has edited and introduced a new edition of Louise McNeill’s Paradox Hill, (West Virginia University Press, 2009). He has read his work in a wide range of American locales and also previously in Galway. For twenty years, he has taught writing and literature at Marshall University in West Virginia USA.

Ron Houchin lives on the banks of the Ohio River across from his hometown of Huntington, West Virginia. For thirty years, he taught public school in the Appalachian region of southernmost Ohio. He has three books published by Salmon Publishing, Death And The River (1997), Moveable Darkness (2002), and Museum Crows (2009). His other books Among Wordless Things (2004) and Birds In The Tops Of Winter Trees (2008) were published by Wind Publications of Nicholasville, Kentucky. His awards include Appalachian-Book-of-the-Year-in-Poetry, a National Society of Arts and Letters Prize, an Ohio Arts Council Fellowship, a poetry prize from Indiana University, a Writers’ Digest Award.

Jane Williams was born in England in 1964 to an Irish father and Australian mother. She has lived all her adult life in Australia where her poetry has been widely published since the early 1990’s. Awards for her poetry include the Anne Elder Award for her first book outside temple boundaries, the Bruce Dawe Poetry Prize and the D.J.O'Hearn Memorial Fellowship. She is the author of four collections of poems and lives in Tasmania. Samples of her work can be found at http://www.janewilliams.wordpress.com/

Sarah Maria Griffin is currently completing her MA in Writing at NUI Galway. Sarah won first prize at the 2010 Over the Edge Fiction Slam in Galway and has appeared on RTE Radio’s Arena speaking about and performing her poetry. She recently took part in a Culture Ireland sponsored showcase of the best of Irish performance poetry at the famous Nuyorican Poets’ Café in New York City. Follies, Sarah’s debut collection of poetry, has just been published by Lapwing Press and will be launched by Professor Adrian Frazier, Director of the MA in Writing at NUI Galway.

There is no entrance fee. The Kitchen @ The Museum has a wine licence. All welcome. For further information contact 087-6431748.

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

Irish Writers' Centre: Poetry and Short Stories Publishing Seminar

2011-04-25T18:52:00.001+01:00

On Saturday 2nd July the Irish Writers' Centre is hosting a day-long Poetry and Short Stories Publishing Seminar with leading figures across a variety of branches of the publishing industry.

Talks will be given by Ciaran Carty, Editor of New Irish Writing; Declan Meade, Editor of the Stinging Fly; Jessie Lendennie, Managing Director of Salmon Poetry; Kevin Barry, Short Story Writer and Novelist; and Kevin Higgins, Poet and Co-organiser of Over The Edge Reading Series.

From 10.30am to 4.30pm. Tickets €60 or €50 for members.
--
Irish Writers' Centre
19 Parnell Square
Dublin 1
t: +353 (0)1 872 1302
e: info@writerscentre.ie
http://www.writerscentre.ie

Poetry Workshops at Galway Arts Centre with Kevin Higgins STARTING IN MAY

2011-04-18T00:30:00.000+01:00

Starting in early May, 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 last year 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’s next collection The Ghost in The Lobby will be published next year by Salmon.

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, another the Cúirt New Writing Prize, while several have published collections of their poems. Kevin is also co-organiser of the successful Over The Edge reading series which specialises in promoting new writers.

Each workshop will run for eight weeks, commencing the week of May 2nd. They will take place on Tuesday evenings, 7-8.30pm (first class May 3rd); on Thursday afternoons, 2-4pm (first class May 5th) and on Friday afternoons, 2-3.30pm (first class May 6th).

The Tuesday evening and Friday 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 €90, with an €80 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

Daytime Creative Writing with Susan Millar DuMars at Galway Arts Centre STARTING IN MAY

2011-04-18T00:29:00.001+01:00

Starting in May, 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 Millar DuMars writes both poetry and fiction. A collection of her stories, Lights In The Distance, was published last year by Doire Press; she has published two collection of poetry, Big Pink Umbrella (2008) and Dreams For Breakfast (2010) 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 May 9th and runs for eight weeks.

The cost to participants is 90 Euro with an 80 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

Poetry Chicks at May North Beach Poetry Nights PLUS monthly slam

2011-04-17T01:23:00.003+01:00

North Beach Poetry Nights' Slam

on Monday 9th May

in the Crane Bar at 9 pm

with The Poetry Chicks from Derry.

Abby Oliveira and Pamela Brown have been performing together as The Poetry Chicks since 2006. They are based in Derry and are regular performers on the British and Irish poetry scenes, including appearances at Glastonbury, Electric Picnic, Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival and Flatlake Literary Festival. Together they perform uncompromising and original work. They are modern bards with an ancient mission - to rekindle the verve of Spoken Word in their endless search for the truth about the world and about themselves.

Reviews

‘...the best thing to happen to Irish literature since the beatniks…’ Pat McCabe (author The Butcher Boy, Breakfast on Pluto)

‘the Poetry Chicks (and Connor Kelly)…so sexy your eyes will water…are among the wonders of the modern age, or soon will be!’ Eamonn McCann (Journalist Hot Press)

‘…the wonderfully entertaining Poetry Chicks.’ Brian O’Connell (The Irish Times.com)

Abby Oliveira was born in Scotland in 1982. Since graduating with a 1st class BAHons degree in Theatre Studies in 2004 she has worked in theatre, poetry/prose/stage writing and street performance and performs regularly with groups such as In Your Space and Sole Purpose Productions, Derry. She has also facilitated writing workshops extensively throughout the country and abroad with children and adults of all ages, and her poetry has been widely published. She was the winner of the Belfast Poetry Performance Cup (2006) and a finalist in the Cúirt, Electric Picnic, Glastonbury festival (2009), and Belfast Poetry Slams (2007), as well as a semi finalist in the BBC Radio 4 slam (2009).

Pamela Brown is a published poet who has written comedy sketches for radio. She has had two plays produced; one of which was performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival (1993). Collaborating with the Dutch photographer Jan Voster, her work has been exhibited in Holland and Ireland. Working for Artists in Creative Enterprise she was a leading facilitator for Wordflight, a prose and poetry project resulting in an anthology by young writers. She was involved with the Your Space or Mine? A project run by ARTS, a research group in the Architecture department at the University of Ulster. Pamela has a commendation in Community Drama from the University of Ulster.

Poets wishing to enter the May Slam should have 2 max. 3 minute poems.

The poem for the 2nd round must be performed without a script.

Door 5/3 Euro.

Info: John@ 091-593290

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

On The Farm presents Mixed Grazing

2011-04-17T00:44:00.000+01:00

On the Farm

Presents:

Mixed Grazing

Sarah Clancy (poetry)

Tom Cussen (music)

Alan McMonagle (fiction)

Rab Fulton (storyteller)

May 21st 1pm

Ballinderreen, Co. Galway

M.C: Brendan Murphy

Event not weather permitting

Details and Directions:

087 9139698

farmreadings@yahoo.com

And it’s Free.

Sarah Clancy wins 2011 Cúirt Poetry Grand Slam

2011-04-16T19:03:00.000+01:00

Congratulations to Sarah Clancy who this afternoon won the 2011 Poetry Grand Slam at The Cúirt International Festival of Literature with her poem 'Hippy Get A Job'. Sarah will now perform at the Vilenica International Literary Festival in Slovenia in September. On Wednesday Sarah was one of the readers at this year's Cúirt / Over The Edge Showcase reading at the Druid Lane Theatre.

Congratulations also to Laurie Leech and Adam White who took second and third place respectively. Sarah, Laurie and Adam will now perform their work at the Electric Picnic Festival in August.

2011 Cúirt Over The Edge Showcase reading with Sarah Clancy, Nicola Griffin, Paul Casey PLUS Cúirt New Writing Prize Winners

2011-03-11T12:08:00.005Z

2011 Cúirt Over The Edge Showcase Reading

Wednesday, April 13th, 3.30pm

Druid Lane Theatre
All welcome

The 2011 Cúirt Over The Edge showcase reading takes place as part of this year's Cúirt International Festival of Literature at the Druid Lane Theatre, Galway on Wednesday, April 13th, 3.30pm. The writers showcased this year are Sarah Clancy, Nicola Griffin & Paul Casey. The reading will be introduced by regular Over The Edge host, Susan Millar DuMars.

This event has grown since its inception in 2006 to become one of Ireland's premier platforms for showcasing new poets and fiction writers. Participating writers have previously been Featured Readers at Ireland's most successful reading series, the Over The Edge: Open Readings in Galway City Library. This year the three winners of the Cúirt New Writing Prize 2011 (to be announced) will read with the Over The Edge writers. The Cúirt New Writing Prize is kindly sponsored by Tígh Neactain in memory of Lena Maguire. http://www.galwayartscentre.ie/cuirt/literature/118.html

Sarah Clancy is from Salthill. She is a participant in the Galway Arts Centre Poetry Workshops facilitated by Kevin Higgins. This year, in a display of what she describes as beginners luck, Sarah was shortlisted in the poetry section of the WOW awards, the Listowel Writers Week Collection of Poetry Competition and the Over The Edge New Writer of The Year competition. Her poems feature in Behind The Masks, a publication of work by participants in the advanced poetry workshop at Galway Arts Centre. A collection of her poems, Stacy and The Mechanical Bull, was published recently by Lapwing Press. Sarah was a Featured Reader at the August 2010 Over The Edge: Open Reading. http://overtheedgeliteraryevents.blogspot.com/2010/08/august-over-edge-open-reading-with.html

Nicola Griffin grew up in Cheshire in the North West of England and studied Psychology and Sociology at the University of Keele in Staffordshire. She has lived in East Clare since 1997. She writes poetry, non-fiction and fiction, is a graduate of the MA in Writing at NUIG and a participant in the Advanced Poetry Workshop at Galway Arts Centre. She has a regular column in Inland Waterways News and her poetry has recently been published in Ropes Unravelled, The Sunday Tribune, The Stinging Fly, Behind The Masks, Crannóg and Nthposition.com. Nicola won the poetry section in the 2010 Over The Edge New Writer of The Year competition. She was a Featured Reader at the September 2010 Over The Edge: Open Reading. http://overtheedgeliteraryevents.blogspot.com/2010/09/september-over-edge-open-reading-with.html

Paul Casey was born in Cork in 1968. He has lived in a number of countries in Europe and Africa working mostly in film, multimedia and teaching. Paul taught scriptwriting at the Nelson Mandela University in South Africa. He now organises the weekly Ó Bhéal poetry event in Cork city. His poetry and reviews have appeared in a number of Irish journals including THE SHOp, Revival, Cork Literary Review, Southword and Census. A chapbook of Paul’s longer poems, It’s Not All Bad, was published by Heaventree Press in May 2009. In June 2010 he completed a poetry-film, The Lammas Hireling, which has been accepted for Berlin’s biennial Zebra International Poetry-Film festival. Paul is working towards his first full collection. He was a Featured Reader at the March 2010 Over The Edge: Open Reading. http://overtheedgeliteraryevents.blogspot.com/2010/03/poet-and-fiction-writer-mary-odonnell.html

The winners of this year’s Cúirt New Writing Prize are Celeste Augé (fiction), Marie Cadden (poetry) and Hedy Gibbons (memoir).

Celeste Augé was born in Canada but came to live in Galway when she was twelve years old. She writes both fiction and poetry, and is currently working on a manuscript of short stories as well as her second poetry collection. In 2009, she was short-listed for a Hennessy Literary Award for poetry. She lives in County Galway with her husband and young son. Celeste was a Featured Reader at the February 2004 Over The Edge: Open Reading.

Marie Cadden lives in Spiddal, Co. Galway. Until 2007, she was a teacher of the deaf and children with autism. Her poems have been published in The Recorder (USA), THE SHOp, ROPES, Revival, Boyne Berries, Galway Arts Centre Advanced Poetry Workshop anthology Lady Gregory’s Townhouse, 2009, and Behind the Masks, 2010 (co-editor). She was awarded ‘Highly Commended’ in the Over the Edge New Writer of the Year 2010 and in the Francis Ledwidge Poetry Award 2009, and also shortlisted for Cuirt /Over the Edge Showcase Readings in 2010 and 2011. Marie was a Featured Reader at the February Over The Edge: Open Reading. http://overtheedgeliteraryevents.blogspot.com/2009/02/patrick-kavanagh-award-winner-for.html

A native of Cork, Hedy Gibbons has lived in Galway for thirty years. Formerly a mid-wife, latterly a counselling psychologist, now an aspiring writer, for the past twelve years she has been writing short prose and poetry. Much of her work has been broadcast on RTE’s Sunday Miscellany and Lyric FM’s Quiet Quarter, and published in their subsequent anthologies. A chapter from her memoir has been published in County Lines (New Island, 2006). Her poetry has been published in Divas! A Sense of Place (Arlen House, 2005) and Ropes – In Knots (NUIG, 2007), and has been short-listed for a number of awards. She was shortlisted for the 2009 Cúirt Over The Edge Showcase reading. Hedy was a Featured Reader at the March 2008 Over The Edge: Open Reading. http://overtheedgeliteraryevents.blogspot.com/2008/03/american-novelist-michael-strelow-at.html

Over The Edge acknowledges the ongoing support of Galway City Library, Galway City Council, The Arts Council and The Cúírt Festival of International Literature.

http://www.cuirt.ie/component/option,com_rsevents/Itemid,116/cid,14/layout,show/view,events/

Cúirt Festival Launch of Poems for Patience and The Cat's Cradle-Galway University Hospitals Arts Trust

2011-02-22T23:58:00.001Z

Galway University Hospitals Arts Trust

In association with

Cúirt International Festival of Literature

warmly invites you to the launch of

POEMS FOR PATIENCE VIII

An exhibition of poems selected and introduced by Dennis O’Driscoll

Galway University Hospitals Arts Trust invites you to come along to the launch of the eighth series of the very successful Poems for Patience initiative. Poet Dennis O’Driscoll will introduce 21 poems he has selected, including works by Poets reading at this year’s festival. The poetry is circulated throughout the waiting areas of University Hospital Galway and Merlin Park University Hospital. For the duration of the festival, the poems will be on display on the Art Corridor, University Hospital, Galway.

Dennis O’Driscoll, born in Tipperary in 1954, he has published eight books of his poetry, a collection of his essays and reviews, a book of quotations about poetry and a collection of his interviews with Seamus Heaney. His awards include a Lannan Literary Award, the E. M. Forster Award of the American Academy of Arts and Letters, the O’Shaughnessy Award from the Center of Irish Studies in Minnesota, and the Argosy Irish Non-Fiction Book of the Year Award. He was awarded an honorary doctorate in literature by University College Dublin in 2009.

and

THE CAT’S CRADLE VI

Memoirs and Stories from patients in Units 5 & 6 edited and introduced by Kevin Higgins

Volume 6 of Cat’s Cradle – That Must Be Me! – will also be launched on the Art Corridor. Kevin Higgins; Merlin Park University Hospital Writer-in-Residence has compiled stories by patients from Units Five and Six of Merlin Park University Hospital using photographs and memorabilia.

The opening is on Friday 15th April at 11.00am on the Arts Corridor, University Hospital Galway

(The Arts Corridor is located just off the main foyer of the hospital in the direction of the Out Patients Department)

For further details contact
Margaret Flannery
Arts Officer
Galway University Hospitals Arts Trust
Galway University Hospital,
Galway
Ireland
Tel: +353 (0)91 544979
Email: margaret.flannery@hse.ie

Spring Creative Writing at GMIT with Susan Millar DuMars

2011-02-22T23:51:00.000Z

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, April 20th. 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) was the first full collection of her poetry. One of her poems was 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. Her first full collection of short stories, Lights In The Distance, is published this December by Doire Press.

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

Dave Lordan at North Beach Poetry Nights

2011-02-22T23:49:00.001Z

North Beach Poetry Nights' Slam on Monday 11th April in the Crane Bar at 9 pm with guest Poet - DAVE LORDAN (Dublin)

Dave Lordan is a powerful and provocative performer, who has carved out a niche for himself in the literary and performance world all over Ireland and abroad. Dave's collections are The Boy in The Ring (Salmon Poetry, 2007), which won the Strong Award for best first collection by an Irish writer and was shortlisted for the Irish Times Poetry Prize, and Invitation to a Sacrifice (Salmon Poetry, 2010), which the Irish Times called: 'an act of cultural resistance, as brilliant on the page as it must surely be in performance'. Éigse Riada theatre company produced his first play, Jo Bangles, at the Mill Theatre, Dundrum in 2010.

Dave Lordan is not to be missed!

Poets wishing to enter the March Slam should have 2 max. 3 minute poems. The poem for the 2nd round must be performed without a script. So time to get memorizing now!

Door 5/3 Euro.

Info: John@ 091-593290

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

The Pamphlet Project Launches Issue 1 at Testify! @ Roisín Dubh

2011-02-22T23:46:00.001Z

Each issue of The Pamphlet Project will see a poet collaborate with a visual artist. Issue 1 was designed by Clare Lymer with words by Elaine Cosgrove and will be launched at Testify! @ The Roisín Dubh on Monday, April 4th, 8pm.

Clare Lymer recently returned to her hometown Galway after successfully completing her B.A. in (Hons) Photography at University of the Arts London. Her photographic work has been selected to front and promote various projects. These include Source Photographic Review’s Graduate Photography Project 2009, the Arts Council of England’s ‘Own Art’ in 2010 – an initiative to engage and inspire new buyers of contemporary art, and by Camberwell College of Arts in a showcase for their B.A. Photography course.

In 2009, curator Johan Sjöström of The Gothenburg Museum of Art in Sweden chose Clare’s work as part of his best 6 graduating photography students from the U.K. and Ireland. She was one of selected graduate artists to exhibit in the PhotoIreland Festival 2010, Ireland’s first international festival of Photography and Image Culture. In 2010, Clare was an artist in residence at the Burren College of Art and her work on ley lines made the final longlist for the Gallery of Photography’s Artist’s Award. She has been published and exhibited in Ireland, the U.K. and Germany.

Elaine Cosgrove is 25, comes from Sligo and currently lives in Galway. She writes poetry and flash fiction and loves both almost the same. Elaine graduated from N.U.I. Galway in 2007 with a B.A. (Hons) in English, Sociology & Political Science. Elaine has participated in a creative writing seminar facilitated by Mary O’Malley, and creative writing classes facilitated by Kevin Higgins and Susan Millar DuMars.

In 2010, Elaine was shortlisted for the ‘Fish Publishing One Page Story Prize’ and also the ‘Over the Edge New Writer of the Year Competition’. Following this, she was a featured reader at the December ‘Over the Edge Reading’ in the Galway City Library. She took part in a ‘Poetry Depot’, co-organised by SpiritStore and Ink Storm, for Culture Night Limerick 2010.

Elaine has self-published two chapbooks called be still, girl, be still and Varnish. She read poems from Varnish at the ‘Over the Edge Poetry Showcase 2011’. Most recently, Elaine has been published by the online magazine wordlegs and has set-up a small chapbook publishing press called opener chapbooks.

Cúirt Festival Masterclasses

2011-02-22T23:45:00.000Z

Please note that the closing date for applications for the Poetry and Prose Masterclasses during Cúirt, is next Friday, 25th March at midnight.

Submissions are welcomed for the Fiction Masterclass with Dermot Healy on Wednesday 13th April, 11am-1pm, Hotel Meyrick, Eyre Square and the Poetry Masterclass with Simon Armitage, Thursday 14th April, 11am-1pm, Hotel Meyrick, Eyre Square.

To apply, please email your contact details to siobhan@galwayartscentre.ie along with a sample of your work (750 words max for prose and 2 poems for poetry).

The cost of each Masterclass is €20.

For more details of the festival programme see: http://www.cuirt.ie

March Poetry Slam at Galway Arts Centre

2011-02-22T23:08:00.001Z

The next Galway Arts Centre Poetry Slam with MC Pete Mullineaux will take place Tuesday March 15th at 7pm at the Galway Arts Centre, 47 Dominick Street.

Anyone can participate on the night and new comers are very welcome. To participate you need one poem/piece that will take about 3 minutes to perform. Judges on the night will select their favourite and the winner will be invited to be a guest reader at the next slam as well as qualifying for the Cúirt Grand Slam which will take place during this year's Cúirt International Festival of Literature 12-17 April 2011. In addition to this, the winner's poem will be published on the Galway Arts Centre website along with a biography of the contestant. There will also be an interactive words game on the night with a Charlie Byrne's Bookshop voucher up for grabs.

Our guest reader this month will be last month's winner, Dave Rock.

Loose Lips @ Róisin Dubh

2011-02-22T00:01:00.002Z

This Wednesday, 30th March, as usual, upstairs in the Roisin at 9pm, another fantastic Loose Lips story telling session.

Theme: SURPRISES!

Have you ever surprised someone? Ever been surprised? Or do you just want to tell us how much you love or hate surprises? Maybe the story itself will be a surprise?

And if you don't have a story, why not come along and listen, because all story tellers need listeners.

March North Beach Poetry Nights' Slam with Dave Rock at The Crane Bar

2011-02-21T23:47:00.002Z

North Beach Poetry Nights' Slam returns on Monday 21st March in the Crane Bar at 9 pm with guest Poet - DAVE ROCK

Dave Rock has been a featured performer at practically every main venue for poetry in Ireland, and soon will be at the rest! He placed third in the Cuirt Literature Festival Grand slam and fourth in the All Ireland. His performing style is highly physical and expressive, and often very joyous. He combines slam pieces with traditional poetry. He has also been a storyteller for a number of years, working with traditional and his own invented folktales. He is the co-creator of the InkStorm workshops in creative writing and performing, which have had a ream of very successful events across Ireland and England. He has taught and facilitated both writing, storytelling and performing with children, teens and adults. He's currently designing a new breed of workshops. He's been published in a number of journals, and will be published in the rest! His chapbook, A Single Unstruck Match, was published in 2008. He's also an art photographer, with a number of successful exhibitions.

At the moment Dave in partnership with the SpiritStore Limerick to create a series of public events, with teams of poets offering to help members of the public reimagine their futures, writing poems on the spot based on the feelings, ideas, and experiences shared with them, or creating work on any subject the public choose. These events will lead to a series of publications, public meetings/readings and an ongoing web project. He's also in the final year of a PhD in Sociology and Political Science. North Beach Nights was where he first cut his teeth with performance poetry, having been encouraged to come along by All Ireland Champ Brendan Murphy, and he's very excited to feature there four years later.

Poets wishing to enter the March Slam should have 2 max. 3 minute poems. The poem for the 2nd round must be performed without a script. So time to get memorizing now!

Door 5/3 Euro. Info: John@ 091-593290

North Beach Poetry Nights acknowledges the financial support of Galway City Council

Over The Edge March Writers' Gathering with Nick Hayes, Lorna Shaughnessy, Anna Snyder, Alan Jude Moore, John W. Sexton & Alex Hijmans

2011-02-14T20:30:00.000Z

The Over The Edge March Writers’ Gathering presents readings by poets and fiction writers from Ireland, The Netherlands and the United States. Nick Hayes, Alex Hijmans, Lorna Shaughnessy, Anna Snyder, John W. Sexton & Alan Jude Moore will read their work at The Café 8 @ The Museum, Spanish Arch, Galway on Friday, March 11th, 8pm.

Nick Hayes is a frequent guest on radio and television in the United States; he also publishes widely in newspapers, magazines, and journals. He has been the recepient of awards from the Ford Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Fulbright Program. He won an Emmy in 1991 for his work on the documentary "Television and Democracy in Russia." Nick is a professor of history and holds the university chair in critical thinking at Saint John’s University in Minnesota. His memoir And One Fine Morning Memoires of My Father (Nodin Press) was published in 2010.

Alex Hijmans was born in The Netherlands. He moved to Galway in 1995, learned Irish, worked as a journalist and ran a coffeehouse, Café Bananaphoblacht. In 2007 he moved to Brazil, where he works as an international correspondent. Aiséirí is his first novel. A book of his non-fiction, Favela, was published, also by Cois Life, in 2009. Alex’ short stories have appeared in Comhar, Crannóg Magazine and Irish Pages. His website is http://www.alexhijmans.com/

Lorna Shaughnessy was born in Belfast and lives in County Galway. She lectures in the Department of Spanish, NUI Galway. She has published two translations of contemporary Mexican poetry, Mother Tongue: Selected Poems by Pura López Colomé and If We Have Lost our Oldest Tales by MarÃa Baranda, both with Arlen House (2006). Her first collection of poetry, Torching the Brown River, was published by Salmon in 2008. Her second collection, Witness Trees, will be published later this year also by Salmon.

Anna Snyder is a student in the Masters of Writing program at NUI Galway, and though she sees herself as primarily a prose-writer, she has undergone a poetic renaissance while living in Galway. Her greatest loves are writing, travelling, and playing the guitar badly. Once her Masters is completed, she hopes to somehow find a job in Dublin so she can stay in Ireland for as long as she wants.

John W. Sexton was born in 1958 is the author of the poetry collections: The Prince’s Brief Career (Cairn Mountain Press, 1995), Shadows Bloom / Scáthanna Faoi Bhláth, a book of haiku with translations into Irish by Gabriel Rosenstock, and Vortex (Doghouse, 2005). Under the ironic pseudonym of Sex W. Johnston he has recorded an album with legendary Stranglers frontman, Hugh Cornwell, entitled Sons of Shiva, which has been released on Track Records. In 2007 he was awarded a Patrick and Katherine Kavanagh Fellowship in Poetry. His fourth collection, Petit Mal, was published recently by Revival Press.

Alan Jude Moore is the author of three collections of poetry, Black State Cars (Salmon Poetry, 2004), Lost Republics (Salmon Poetry, 2008) and Strasbourg (Salmon Poetry, 2010). He is widely published, in Ireland and abroad, and his fiction has been twice short-listed for the Hennessy Literary Award for New Irish Writing. Translations of his work have been published in Italy, Russia and Turkey. He lives in Dublin.

There is no entrance fee. The Café @ The Museum has a wine licence. All welcome. For further information contact 087-6431748.

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

March 'Over The Edge: Open Reading' with Miriam Gamble, James Lawless & Anne McManus

2011-02-13T15:12:00.000Z

Miriam Gamble

Over The Edge in association with Poetry Ireland presents the March Over The Edge: Open Reading. The reading takes place in Galway City Library, St. Augustine Street, Galway on Thursday, March 31st, 6.30-8pm. The Featured Readers are Miriam Gamble, James Lawless & Anne McManus.

Miriam Gamble was born in Brussels in 1980 and grew up in Belfast. She studied at Oxford and at Queen’s University Belfast, where she completed a PhD in contemporary British and Irish poetry. She writes poems, reviews and critical essays and is a part-time tutor in creative writing at Queen’s University. She won an Eric Gregory Award in 2007, and her pamphlet, This Man's Town, was published by tall-lighthouse in 2007. A selection of her poems appears in the Bloodaxe anthology Voice Recognition: 21 poets for the 21st century (2009). Her first book-length collection, The Squirrels Are Dead, was published by Bloodaxe last year. Miriam lives and works in Belfast.

James Lawless was born in Dublin. His novels are Peeling Oranges (Mullingar, Killynon House Books, 2007); For Love of Anna (New Generation, 2009); and The Avenue (Galway, Wordsonthestreet, 2010). His story Jolt was shortlisted for the Willenden Prize and appeared in New Short Stories 1, edited Zadie Smith (London/ New York, Willesden Herald, 2007). His other awards the Cecil Day Lewis Play Award 2005 for What Are Neighbours For? and a Hennessy Award nomination in 2010. He divides his time between County Kildare and West Cork.

Anne McManus was born and grew up in Sligo town. She trained as a Home Economics teacher in St Angela’s College, Sligo. Anne came to writing unexpectedly when in 1999 NUIG, through its Continuing Education Programme, provided Salthill Active Retirement Association with a tutor, Maire Holmes, to enable older people to take up writing. Anne has previously read her work at Galway Arts Centre’s Nuns Island Studio and at the Over The Edge open-mic. She is currently a participant in the S.A.R.A writers’ group which is facilitated by Kevin Higgins. Anne writes both poetry and fiction.

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.
Over The Edge acknowledges the ongoing generous financial support of Galway City Council and The Arts Council and the sponsorship of this reading by Poetry Ireland.

February Over The Edge: Open Reading with Claire Kilroy, Susan Kelly & Bríd Buckley

2011-02-12T03:38:00.000Z

Claire Kilroy

The February Over The Edge: Open Reading takes place in Galway City Library, St. Augustine Street, Galway on Thursday, February 24th, 6.30-8pm. The Featured Readers are Claire Kilroy, Susan Kelly & Bríd Buckley

Bríd Buckley is a blow-in poetry and fiction writer from Cork who doesn't really know what to say about herself. She writes pretty much whatever comes into her head. She moved to Galway in 2009 to do the MA in writing in NUIG. Before this she studied English and Psychology and subsequently Film. She has read at and mceed the Ó Bhéal poetry nights in The Long Valley in Cork and has also read her work at the Tuam Arts Festival and the Whitehouse Bar Limerick.

Susan Kelly is from Westport, Co Mayo where she writes about what she knows and makes up the rest. She started writing poetry just over three years ago and since then her work has appeared in Cyphers, Crannóg, Revival, Abridged, and on wordlegs.com and is currently short listed for the Writing Spirit Award. She is a member of Westport Writer’s Group and has co-edited its annual publication, The Broadsheet.

Claire Kilroy is the author of three novels which loosely form a trilogy about the obsessions and exhilarations of art. Her debut, All Summer, a literary thriller about a stolen painting, was awarded the 2004 Rooney Prize for Irish Literature. Her second novel, Tenderwire, a love story between a violinist and a masterpiece violin, was published to great acclaim in 2006, and was shortlisted for the 2007 Irish Novel of the Year as well as the Kerry Group Irish Fiction Award. Her latest novel, All Names Have Been Changed, set in 1980s Dublin and centring around a great Irish writer and his Trinity writing class, was published this May. Educated at Trinity College, she lives in Dublin.

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.

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

Launch of Susan Lindsay's debut collection of poetry at Galway City Museum

2011-02-11T00:37:00.001Z

Susan Lindsay's debut collection of poems, Whispering The Secrets, published by Doire Press, will be launched by Kevin Higgins at Galway City Museum on Saturday, March 26th, 1pm. All welcome.

Susan Lindsay was born in Dublin but now lives in Galway. She has attended poetry classes at Galway Arts Centre, and read her poems at the Over the Edge: Open Readings, the Baffle Festival, the Cuirt Poetry Slam and North Beach Poetry Nights. In December 2005 Susan won the RTE Carol of Our Times competition, and her work was put to music by the RTE Concert Orchestra. She was shortlisted for the Valentines Day Sonnet Competition sponsored by Tig Neactains’. Her poems have also appeared in Lady Gregory's Town House and Behind The Masks. Susan was recently a participant in the Faber Academy.

For more see the Doire Press website http://www.doirepress.com/site/HOME.html

Spring Creative Writing at Galway Technical Institute - BEGINNERS & INTERMEDIATE

2011-02-01T17:22:00.001Z

TAKING BOOKINGS NOW

Creative Writing for Beginners with Kevin Higgins takes place one evening per week (Wednesday) from 7-9.30pm. (8 weeks) It commences on Wednesday, March 2nd, 2011. 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 (Thursday) from 7-9.30pm (8 weeks) It commences on Thursday, March 3rd, 2011. 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 info@gti.ie or see http://www.gti.ie

Side-Show Productions presents 'Dreams Of Love' at The Town Hall Theatre

2011-02-01T00:05:00.002Z

Side-Show Productions

Presents

Dreams Of Love

February 24th-26th

Town Hall Studio

Tickets: €10/€8

It’s all been real.

Dreams of Love is an original show co-created by the company. Three actors; one girl and two guys, are locked in a revolving love triangle. The spectacle turns through various guises from Romeo and Juliet’s amateur dramatics through to a melodrama on Youtube and on to a scene where a King demands a sandwich. It will all happen once upon a night, for three nights in February at the Town Hall Studio Galway.

Devised and performed by Zita Monaghan, Richard Walsh and Martin Sharry. Sound design by Keith Grainger.

Side-Show Productions aims to stage spectacles that will engage and provoke an audience. Our process attends to the problem of narrative and the associated complications that affect agency. In the treatment of our subject we reflect the many modes of modern culture consumption. We’re open to hybridization and seek to collaborate with other artists working in different art forms. The company is delighted to be presenting their first show at the Town Hall Studio.

Martin Sharry is a graduate of the M.A. in Theatre and Drama Studies, NUIG (2008). He has been a member of the Galway based ensemble WATERDONKEY Theatre. The first Side-Show Production was an ambulatory performance during the Ennis Street Theatre Festival 2010. Martin offered free walking history tours mixing improvisation with neglected biographical fact.

Zita Monahan holds an MA in Drama and Theatre Studies from NUI Galway. She is also an ensemble member of Galway based companies Mephisto Theatre and WATERDONKEY Theatre and recently performed in The Theatre Machine TurnsYou On in the Project Arts Centre Dublin The Very Best of John Lennon. Zita is also Drama Coach at StageCoach Theatre Arts School, Galway and Clare.

Richard Walsh completed a masters in film in 2008 in NUI Galway and has been working with film in Galway since then. His final film as a student won the MAMA award and the Radharc award for student media. He has a keen interest in the overlap between theatre and film and has worked with a number of theatre groups. Originally trained as an architect, Richard has a keen interest in spaciality and its impact in a theatrical format.

February Poetry Slam at Galway Arts Centre

2011-01-30T13:26:00.001Z

The next Poetry Slam with MC Pete Mullineaux will take place Tuesday February 15th at 7pm at the Galway Arts Centre, 47 Dominick Street.

Anyone can participate on the night and new comers are very welcome. To participate you need one poem/piece that will take about 3 minutes to perform. Judges on the night will select their favorite and the winner will be invited to be a guest reader at the next slam as well as qualifying for the Cúirt Grand Slam which will take place during next year’s Cúirt International Festival of Literature 12-17 April 2011. In addition to this, the winner’s poem will be published on the Galway Arts Centre website along with a biography of the contestant. There will also be an interactive words game on the night with a Charlie Byrne’s Bookshop voucher up for grabs. Our January slam winner Laurie Leech will be the guest reader this month.

(*Only one more slam before the Cúirt Grand Slam so come early to put your name down*.)

The evening is free and all are welcome.

February North Beach Poetry Nights Slam @ The Crane Bar

2011-01-30T01:13:00.001Z

The North Beach Poetry Nights' Slam
returns on Monday 21st February
in the Crane Bar at 9 pm

with guest Poets - the 2010 Grand Slam winners:
Mikey Groty
Sarah Clancy
and Mark James.

Poets wishing to enter the February Slam should have 2 max. 3 minute poems. The poem for the 2nd round must be performed without a script. So time to get memorizing now!

Door 5/3 Euro.

Info: John@ 091-593290

February 'Loose Lips' @ Róisín Dubh, Galway

2011-01-22T23:53:00.002Z

Next Wednesday evening, 23 February is another great night of Loose Lips. The theme for this month is: Excuses.

So whether you've heard some good ones, made a few up, been caught out or even didn't have a good one, if you think you could tell a true and unscripted story on the theme, not longer than about five minutes, we want to hear it!

And of course for those who don't have stories, we need listeners.

2011 Over The Edge Poetry Book Showcase Reading at Café 8 @ The Museum

2011-01-22T00:59:00.003Z

The 2011 Over The Edge Poetry Book Showcase featuring Mary Mullen, Aideen Henry, Tom Duddy, Brendan Murphy, Mary Madec, Louis de Paor, Colette NicAodha, Sarah Clancy, Breid Sibley, Elaine Cosgrove, Geraldine Mitchell, Edward Boyne, Johnny B. Broderick, Sean Lysaght, Gerry Galvin, Geraldine Mills, Kevin Higgins, Elaine Feeney & Susan Millar DuMars will take place at Café 8 @ The Museum, Spanish Arch, Galway on Friday, February, 11th at 8pm.

In this annual retrospective of the year just past, every Galway-based poet who published a new collection of poems during 2010 is invited to read three poems from the collection in question. There will also be short readings from the anthologies Dogs Singing (Salmon Poetry), Behind The Masks (Galway Arts Centre Advanced Poetry Workshop) and Three Times Daily (NUI Galway MA in Writing class of 2009)

All welcome. There is no cover charge. For further details phone 087-6431748.

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

McGinn's Bar sponsors 2011 Over The Edge New Writer of The Year competition

2011-01-21T23:58:00.001Z

Over The Edge would like to thank McGinn's for sponsoring the 2011 Over The Edge New Writer of The Year competition. The judge for this year's competition is poet Elaine Feeney; the closing date Wednesday August 3rd. Further details very soon. http://www.facebook.com/?ref=logo#!/profile.php?id=1843939712

Senator Fidelma Healy Eames sponsors 2011 Over The Edge New Writer of The Year competition

2011-01-21T23:49:00.000Z

Over The Edge would like to thank Senator Fidelma Healy Eames for sponsoring the 2011 Over The Edge New Writer of The Year competition. The judge for this year's competition is poet Elaine Feeney; the closing date Wednesday August 3rd. Further details very soon. http://fidelmahealyeames.ie/

Galway West General Election Candidate Mike Cubbard Sponsors 2011 Over The Edge New Writer Of The Year Competition

2011-01-21T23:30:00.000Z

Over The Edge would like to thank Galway West general election candidate, Mike Cubbard, for sponsoring the 2011 Over The Edge New Writer of The Year competition. The judge for this year's competition is poet Elaine Feeney; the closing date Wednesday August 3rd. Further details very soon. http://www.facebook.com/people/Mike-Cupboard/613573490#!/profile.php?id=675928311

Senator Niall Ó Brolcháin sponsors 2011 Over The New Writer of The Year competition

2011-01-21T23:22:00.001Z

Over The Edge would like to thank Niall Ó Brolcháin for sponsoring the 2011 Over The Edge New Writer of The Year competition. The judge for this year's competition is poet Elaine Feeney; the closing date Wednesday August 3rd. Further details very soon. http://www.niallobrolchain.ie/main/

Charlie Byrne's Bookshop Sponsors 2011 Over The Edge New Writer Of The Year Competition

2011-01-21T23:04:00.001Z

Over The Edge would like to thank Charlie Byrne's Bookshop for sponsoring the 2011 Over The Edge New Writer of The Year competition. The judge for this year's competition is poet Elaine Feeney; the closing date Wednesday August 3rd. Further details very soon. http://www.charliebyrne.com/

Salmon Poetry presents Dublin Launch Reading To Celebrate Publication of 'In Other Words' by Mary Madec

2011-01-21T00:41:00.002Z

Salmon Poetry invites you to a Poetry Reading / Launch to celebrate the publication of
In Other Words
Poems by
MARY MADEC
WITH LAUNCH INTRODUCTION BY MICHAEL D. HIGGINS

MARY MADEC was born and raised in the west of Ireland. She received her early education at NUI, Galway, obtaining her B.A. in French and English, and her M.A in Old English; in 2002 she received her doctorate in Linguistics from the University of Pennsylvania, USA. She has taught courses for NUI, Galway, UPenn, and Open University and is currently Director of the Villanova Study Abroad Program in Galway. She has received awards and accolades for her work in the Raftery Competition 2007, the WINDOWS Showcase and Anthology 2007 and the Maria Edgeworth Competition 2008. In April 2008 she was also the recipient of the Hennessy XO Award for Emerging Poetry. With her husband Claude Madec of the LIFE programme (Brothers of Charity Services) she started up a community-writing project, Away with Words, now in its third year. In Other Words is her debut collection.

Venue: The Centre for Creative Practices, 15 Lwr Pembroke Street, Dublin

Date/Time: Tuesday 1st February, 2011 - 6.30 pm. Admission Free.

Visit the Salmon Poetry website for further details: http://www.salmonpoetry.com/

Salmon Poetry, Knockeven, Cliffs of Moher, Co. Clare Tel: 065 - 7081941

Email: info@salmonpoetry.com

Salmon30 Celebrating 30 Years of Literary Publishing

First 'Loose Lips' of 2011

2011-01-20T01:02:00.002Z

LOOSE LIPS STORY SLAM

This months theme: Good Intentions! Please come along and help kick start the first Loose Lips of the Year.

When: Wed, 26 January, 9pm – 11pm GMT+00:00
Where: Upstairs at the Roisin Dubh, Dominick Street, Galway

S.A.R.A Writers' Group Welcomes New Members

2011-01-20T00:05:00.000Z

S.A.R.A Writers’ Group would welcome new members.

When? Thursdays 10.30---12.30. a.m

Where? Meeting Room Salthill Church.

More Information: Call Anne at 086-0517356

Creative Writing with Dave Lordan STARTING VERY SOON

2011-01-19T09:18:00.001Z

Beginners' and intermediate creative writing with DAVE LORDAN in Bray Tue 25th and Wed the 26th of January respectively. Ten week classes cost €120. You can enrol at 01 286 6111. Memoir and Autobiography, kicking off in Craobh Abhann in Kilcoole on Mon Jan 31st. It costs €95 for ten weeks and you can enrol at 01 2870198. Dave also offer individual tuition and mansuscript editing and appraisal. dlordan@hotmail.com 087092111.

Over The Edge celebrates its eighth birthday with readings by Michael Coady, Sarah Griffin & Dani Gill

2010-12-21T14:26:00.002Z

Michael Coady

The first ‘Over The Edge: Open Reading’ of 2011 takes place in Galway City Library on Thursday, January 20th, 6.30-8.00pm. The Featured Readers are Sarah Griffin, Dani Gill & Michael Coady. This is a very special occasion as it is now exactly eight years since Over The Edge was born in Galway City Library in January 2003.

Sarah Maria Griffin is 22 years old and hails from the north side suburbs of Dublin. She is a student on the M.A in Writing at NUI Galway. She has only been performing in spoken word circles since late 2009, but since then has performed at many events such as The Glor Sessions, Exchange Words & The BrownBread Mixtape. She is also the co-founder of the diary-reading event in Dublin, Scarleh Fer Yer Ma Fer Havin Ya. Sarah writes both poetry and fiction and last October won the annual Over The Edge fiction slam.

Dani Gill is originally from Longford. For the past number of years she has worked in the Arts in Galway and has a background in theatre and Arts journalism. In October 2010 she was appointed Literature Officer for the Galway Arts Centre and Programme Director of Cúirt International Festival of Literature. She began creative writing classes with the lovely Susan Millar DuMars in early 2009 and was long listed in the 2010 Over The Edge New Writer of The Year competition. This will be Dani’s first public reading.

Michael Coady was born in 1939 in Carrick-on-Suir, County Tipperary, where he has worked as a teacher, musician and writer. Winner of the Patrick Kavanagh Award for Poetry in 1979 and also of Listowel Writers’ Week and RTE Francis McManus short story awards, he has published five collections with The Gallery Press: Two for a Woman, Three for a Man (1980), Oven Lane (1987), All Souls (1997), One Another (2003) and Going by Water (2009). In 2004 he received the eighth annual Lawrence O'Shaughnessy Award for Poetry from the University of St Thomas Centre for Irish Studies, St Paul, Minnesota. Michael was Heimbold Professor of Irish Studies at Villanova University in 2005. He is a member of Aosdána.

As usual there will be an open-mic after the Featured Readers have finished. New readers are always most welcome. The MC for the evening will be Susan Millar DuMars. For further details phone 087-6431748.

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

GMIT presents Creative Writing for Beginners with Susan Millar DuMars in the New Year

2010-12-21T01:13:00.000Z

TAKING BOOKINGS NOW

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, February 9th. 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/lifelong-learning/lifelong-learning-programmes/general-interest/artistic-creative/creative-writing-beginners.html

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) was 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. Her first full collection of short stories, Lights In The Distance, is published this December by Doire Press.

Charlie Byrne's Bookshop Hosts Launch of New Poetry Collection by Anne-Marie Fyfe

2010-12-20T12:01:00.001Z

Seren Books

invite you to a launch to celebrate

the publication of

UNDERSTUDIES: NEW & SELECTED POEMS

Anne-Marie Fyfe

6.30 pm

Friday 21st January

Charlie Byrne’s Bookshop

Cornstore Mall

Middle Street

Galway

REFRESHMENTS

http://www.annemariefyfe.com

http://www.serenbooks.com

http://www.charliebyrne.com

January Poetry Slam at Galway Arts Centre

2010-12-20T00:17:00.001Z

The next Poetry Slam with MC Pete Mullineaux will take place Tuesday January 18th at 7pm at the Galway Arts Centre.

Anyone can participate on the night and new comers are very welcome. To participate you need one poem/piece that will take about 3 minutes to perform. Judges on the night will select their favorite and the winner will be invited to be a guest reader at the next slam as well as qualifying for the Cúirt Grand Slam which will take place during next year’s Cúirt International Festival of Literature 12-17 April 2011.

In addition to this, the winner’s poem will be published on the Galway Arts Centre website along with a biography of the contestant. There will also be an interactive words game on the night with a Charlie Byrne’s Bookshop voucher up for grabs. Kevin Higgins will be the guest reader this month.The evening is free and all are welcome.

Modern Ireland has Nothing to Inspire Modern Writing

2010-12-20T00:05:00.001Z

On Wednesday 2nd February the Irish Writers' Centre presents an open panel discussion on how the current economic climate is affecting modern writing in Ireland. Panellists from many areas across the Arts Sector will join together under one roof to discuss the impending budget and its possible effect on modern and aspiring writers as well as the dwindling number of arts organisations across the country.

The discussion will be chaired by poet Michael O' Loughlin, co-founder of Raven Arts Press. O’ Loughlin will be joined by The Sunday Business Post’s Books and Arts Editor Nadine O’Regan, Sean Love, co-founder of Fighting Words and former Amnesty Ireland director, author Claire Kilroy and Gerry Smyth, Managing Editor of the Irish Times and celebrated poet.

The discussion will begin at 7pm and is open to the general public.

The Irish Writers’ Centre is a non-profit organisation run by volunteers that promotes contemporary Irish literature. Since its foundation in 1991, the Centre has welcomed many award-winning writers through its doors, including Nobel, Costa, Man Booker, IMPAC, and Pulitzer Prize winners. It has also served as an important platform for breakthrough talent, with many young writers giving their first public readings here.
--
Irish Writers' Centre
19 Parnell Square
Dublin 1
t: +353 (0)1 872 1302
e: info@writerscentre.ie
w: http://www.writerscentre.ie

Ballybane Library presents Slovenian poetry in translation with Yvonne Cullen

2010-12-20T00:02:00.001Z

Meta Kušar

On Wednesday 19th January the poet Yvonne Cullen will be in Ballybane Library at 2.30 pm to present some Slovenian poetry in translation.

The Slovenian poet Meta Kušar has written: “I hear a soul crying poignantly outside the door, wanting to come in.”

What world is it that the poetry of Meta Kušar and other Slovenian poets communicates? Meta Kušar writes about the self-regenerating power of life.

Yvonne Cullen promises a very interesting 40 minutes of the poetry of Slovenia.
Please join us!