There is a thoughtful article by Dave Lordan in the latest issue of Socialist Worker about Ireland's growing poetry slam scene. A number of slam participants well known to Over The Edge audiences receive favourable mention.
http://www.swp.ie/socialistworker/2006/sw265/sw-265-11.htm
Dave Lordan won the 2005 Patrick Kavanagh Award for Poetry. His first collection of poems, The Boy In The Ring, will be published by Salmon Poetry.