Large crowd in Galway City Library for final Over The Edge: Open Reading of 2006

Poets Medbh McGuckian, Hugh Doyle and Cate Huguelet
read to a packed house at Galway City Library

Susan & Kevin presented with Christmas hamper

After reading her poem, open-mic participant, Aideen Henry, surprised Susan Millar DuMars & Kevin Higgins by presenting them with a Christmas hamper on behalf of a group of Over The Edge regulars as a gesture of gratitude for the work Susan and Kevin have done throughout the year.

Galway launch of Johnny tell Them

Derry launch of John Walsh's debut poetry collection

Medbh McGuckian to read at December Over The Edge: Open Reading

Over The Edge in association with Poetry Ireland presents a reading by Medbh McGuckian

The final Over The Edge: Open Reading of 2006 takes place in Galway City Library, St. Augustine Street, Galway on Thursday, December 14th, 6.30-8pm.


The Featured Readers are Cate Huguelet, Hugh Doyle & Medbh McGuckian.

Cate Huguelet was raised on Chicago’s South Side and moved to Ireland in 2005. Her writing has appeared in various publications in Ireland and the US. Her collaboration with visual artist Emma Petterson featured in the 2006 Cúirt Document exhibition. After completing an MA in Writing at NUI, Galway, Cate has relocated to Cork, where she is working on a first collection of poems.

Hugh Doyle lives in Spiddal. He was a finalist in this year’s Cúirt Poetry Grand Slam and was also selected for Mark Doty's poetry master-class during the Cúirt Festival. He has read his work at the launch of the Oxfam Life Lines poetry CD during the Project 06 festival in Galway, at the Clare Island Festival and at the Newcastle Irish festival in the UK.

Medbh McGuckian was born in 1950 in Belfast. She is one of Ireland’s most critically acclaimed poets. She has been Writer-in-Residence at Queen's University, Belfast, the University of Ulster, Coleraine, and Trinity College, Dublin. Among the prizes she has won are England's National Poetry Competition, The Rooney Prize, and The Forward Prize for Best Poem. She is the author of twelve poetry collections; the most recent The Currach Requires No Harbours was published by Gallery Press earlier this year. http://www.gallerypress.com/news.html

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

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

new issue of Crannóg literary magazine

Issue no. 13 of Crannóg, the literary magazine of Galway Writers Workshop, will be launched at the Crane Bar, Sea Road, Galway on Friday, December 8th at 6.30pm.

The new issue includes poems by emerging local writers such as Jean Folan, Aideen Henry and Alan McMonagle, and much much more.

The launch will feature music by well known local poet, Gerry Hanberry, and readings by some of the contributors.

To buy a copy see http://www.crannogmagazine.com/buy%20Crannog.htm

'Slam hits you between the ears' by Dave Lordan

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.

Galway poets feature in new issue of The Shop: A Magazine Of Poetry

Emerging Galway poets, Miceál Kearney and Lorna Shaughnessy, both have poems in the new issue of The Shop: A Magazine Of Poetry.

Miceál's wry satire on poetry writing, {insert title}, is on page eighteen, while Lorna's beautifully written, Disarray, can be found on page twenty six.

Miceál was a Featured Reader at Over The Edge in September and won the inaugural Cuisle Festival Poetry Slam in Limerick in October. Lorna read at the 2006 Cúirt Festival/Over The Edge Showcase reading in April. Her first collection of poems was recently accepted for publication by Salmon Poetry.

The Shop, edited by John & Hilary Wakeman, is one of Ireland's leading poetry magazines.

Subscriptions and submissions should be sent to The Shop: A Magazine Of Poetry, Skeagh, Schull, Co. Cork, Ireland.

http://www.theshop-poetry-magazine.ie/

Chloe Poems at North Beach Nights

North Beach Poetry Nights is proud to present

Chloe Poems

Britain’s Manchester-based first gay, socialist transvestite poet
will be special guest poet
on Thursday 23rd November
in BK’s Winebar, Spanish Parade, Galway at 9pm.





Chloe Poems is performance poetry at its most daring, outrageous,
brilliant and best!
A one-person poetry revolution in gingham and pearls!

Guest MC: TRISH CASEY, Rattlebag and Cúirt Slam winner.

The North Beach Poetry Nights Slam follows the usual format.
Newcomers welcome!
Please bring 2 three minute performance pieces with you
and come early to put your name on the list.
The prize is the honour and a bottle of red wine,
generously donated by BK’S.

Amission: 4 Euro

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

Over The Edge receives increased funding from Arts Council

Over The Edge has just been informed that we are to receive increased funding from the national Arts Council to support the literary events we organise in Galway City Library and at Sheridan’s Wine Bar.




Over The Edge will receive € 4, 000 from the Arts Council under the Small Festivals Scheme to support our 2007 programme of literary events.

In a joint statement Susan Millar DuMars and Kevin Higgins said: “The increase in our Arts Council grant is a big boost obviously. We have an exciting programme of readings by poets and fiction writers planned for 2007. In January we celebrate Over The Edge’s fourth anniversary with a reading by well known Canadian poet, Todd Swift, in Galway City Library.”

Exciting mix of poetry & fiction at November Over The Edge: Open Reading

The November Over The Edge: Open Reading takes place in Galway City Library, St. Augustine Street, Galway on Thursday, November 23th, 6.30-8pm. The Featured Readers are Adrian White, Joan McBreen & Fiona Claire.

Adrian White moved from Manchester to Galway in 1990. He has worked as abookseller, a barman, a painter and decorator, a removal man and a car park attendant. His first novel, An Accident Waiting to Happen, was published in 2004and his second, Where the Rain Gets In, came out in March 2006. Both are published by Penguin Books. Man Dog Bitch is the title of his third book.

Joan McBreen is from Sligo and now lives in Tuam. She edited The White Page - Twentieth Century Irish Women Poets (Salmon Publishing). Joan has published three collections of poetry; the most recent Winter in The Eye - New and Selected Poems, was published by Salmon in 2003. In 2004 she launched a CD, The Long Light on the Land - Selected Poems by Joan McBreen with Traditional Airs and Classical Music.

Fiona Claire is an actress and writer who lived for many years in Los Angeles, but recently moved to County Galway. She has worked in numerous television shows, including Third Rock From The Sun, Star Trek Voyager, and King of Queens, and in films such as L.A. Confidential, and Contact. She has written a collection of fables for adults, one novel and is working on a second.

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

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

Launch of Tornadoes for the Weathergirl by Celeste Augé

Tornadoes for the Weathergirl,
a chapbook of poems by
Celeste Augé,

published by The INVINCIBLE Poetry Pamphlet Press,
will be launched by
poet Mary O'Malley
at Sheridans on the Docks,
Galway,

Thursday 16th November, 6.30pm.

All welcome

Celeste Augé read at the 2006 Cúirt Literature Festival Over The Edge Showcase Reading.

The INVINCIBLE Poetry Pamphlet Press acknowledges the financial support of by Galway County Council

Gala evening of poetry at Sheridan's Wine Bar, Galway

Paul Perry, whose second poetry collection The Orchid Keeper
is just published by Dedalus Press





Over The Edge presents a reading by Paul Perry, Neil McCarthy, Alan Jude Moore & Anthony Daly at Sheridan’s Wine Bar, 14-16 Church Yard Street, Galway on Friday, November 3rd, 8pm.

Paul Perry was born in Dublin in 1972. He has won the Hennessy New Irish Writer of the Year Award and The Listowel Prize for Poetry. His work has appeared in numerous publications, including the TLS, Granta and The Best American Poetry 2000. His first book The Drowning of the Saints was published in 2003, by Salmon, to critical acclaim. The Orchid Keeper, published by Dedalus, is his much-anticipated second collection of poems.

Neil McCarthy is a Cork-born, Galway-based poet and English Teacher. His poems have appeared in numerous magazines and journals around the world. He is a hugely entertaining and engaging reader of his work. Neil recently completed a series of readings in Graz (Austria), Prague, Nuremburg and at The Dylan Thomas Centre in Wales. He has just published, Voicing the Bell, a joint poetry collection with fellow Galway-based poet Stephen Murray.

Alan Jude Moore was born in Dublin in 1973. His poetry has been widely published in Ireland, Europe and the USA, and in translation by Italian annual Pelagos. His fiction has twice been short-listed for the Hennessy Literary Award. His first collection of poetry, Black State Cars, was published by Salmon Poetry in 2004. A selection of poems from it was published earlier this year in translation by Russian literary journal, Novaya Junost.

Anthony Daly was born in Galway in 1979. He is currently studying Classics and History at N.U.I. Galway. In March 2005 he was a Featured Reader at an Over The Edge: Open Reading in Galway City Library. Anthony is also a regular and popular participant in both the North Beach Nights poetry slams and the Cuirt Festival Grand Slam. In 2003 his poetry featured in the Tribe of Scribes collection. More recently one of his poems appeared in Galway Xposed.

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

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

Eclectic trio of poets for October Over The Edge: Open Reading

The October Over The Edge: Open Reading takes place in Galway City Library, St. Augustine Street, Galway on Thursday, October 26th, 6.30-8pm. The Featured Readers are Yvonne Green, Brendan Murphy & Niamh Ní Lochlainn.

Yvonne Green lives in London, where she practised at the English Bar for 20 years before stopping to concentrate on her poetry. Her poems have appeared in leading UK poetry magazines such as Poetry Review, Magma, Modern Poetry In Translation, The London Magazine, European Judaism, The Jewish Quarterly and Arete. She has read her work at the The National Portrait Gallery, the Institute for Contemporary Arts and on BBC Radio 4.

Brendan Murphy was born in Liverpool to English parents and Irish grandparents. He is a graduate of Sheffield University, where he studied the History of Art, Film and Design. His first performance was a Saturday night slot with a friend at his local pub, with whom he developed an improvised repartee on the week’s news. Brendan has lived in Galway for the last eight years. He won the 2006 Cúirt Festival Poetry Grand Slam, and recently performed at the famous Green Mill in Chicago.

Niamh Ní Lochlainn grew up in Dublin with Irish as her first language, spending her summers in the West Kerry Gaeltacht. She has been living and teaching in Connemara for the last four years. She was a prize-winner in the 2005 Strokestown Poetry Competition and her first collection Guth ón dTobar, (A Voice from the Well) was short-listed for the Strong Award for Best First Collection by an Irish Poet at the 2006 Poetry Now Festival in Dun Laoghaire.

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

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

Young Galway poet to read at Brighton Poetry Festival after Poetry Slam Triumph

Young County Galway poet Miceál Kearney, who only started writing seriously just over a year ago, has won the inaugural Cuisle Limerick City International Poetry Festival Poetry Slam. Micéal was born in 1980. He works on the family farm in County Galway. He has recently had poems accepted for publication in both The Cork Literary Review and The Shop. In September Micéal was a Featured Reader at the Over The Edge: Open Reading in Galway City Library. His work has been described in The Galway Advertiser as “unbelievable”. Micéal’s prize for winning the Limerick Slam is a trip to read at the Brighton Poetry Festival in May 2007. He is currently taking part in a poetry workshop at Galway Arts Centre facilitated by Kevin Higgins.

http://whitehousepoets.blogspot.com/

http://www.galwayartscentre.ie

Three women for Sheridan's Wine Bar evening of poetry

London-based poet Martina Evans
reads at Sheridan's Wine Bar











Over The Edge presents a reading by Martina Evans, Marion Moynihan & Aoife Casby at Sheridan's Wine Bar, 14-16 Church Yard Street, Galway on Friday, October 13th, 8pm.

Martina Evans was born in Cork but has lived in London since 1988. She has published three novels and three collections of poetry. Her third novel No Drinking No Dancing No Doctors came out from Bloomsbury in 2000. Her third book of poetry Can Dentists be Trusted was published by Anvil in 2004. Martina teaches creative writing at the City Literary Institute and is a Royal Literary Fund Fellow at Queen Mary University of London.

Aoife Casby is a writer and visual artist living in Carraroe. Her poetry and fiction have been published in Northwords, The Cork Literary Review, Whispers and Shouts, The Divas anthology (Arlen House) and The Cuirt Annual. Aoife recently completed an MA in Writing at NUI Galway, was short-listed for the Cuirt/Over The Edge Showcase reading and was highly commended by judge Mark Roper in the 2006 Start Poetry Chapbook competition.

Marion Moynihan is originally from Kanturk, in North Cork. In 2002 she completed an MA in writing at NUI Galway. In 2005 Marion won the Galway County Firewords Award for her poetry. In 2006 she was awarded the Publication Assistance Award by Galway County Council, and was also short-listed for the Cuirt/Over The Edge showcase reading. Her first collection of poems, The Moon’s Daughter, has just been published by Doghouse Press.

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

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

Louis de Paor at North Beach Poetry Nights

NORTH BEACH POETRY NIGHTS is pleased to present LOUIS De PAOR as SPECIAL GUEST POET on Thursday October 19th at 9pm at BK's Winebar, Spanish Parade, Galway.

Louis de Paor is one of Ireland's foremost Irish language poets. Born in Cork in 1961, he emigrated to Australia in 1987, where he lectured at the University of Sydney, returning to Ireland in 1996. Louis is the author of several acclaimed collections of poetry; the most recent - Clapping in the Cemetery - was published last year by Clo Iar-Chonnachta. He is Director of the Centre for Irish Studies at NUI Galway.

The Poetry Slam follows the usual format and welcomes newcomers. Please bring along two 3 minute pieces.

Admission 4 Euro. Info: John Walsh 091-5932390

NBN gratefully acknowledges the support of Galway City Council.

Leading Australian poet to read at Over The Edge

Over The Edge in association with Poetry Ireland

The October Over The Edge: Open Reading takes place in Galway City Library, St. Augustine Street, Galway on Thursday, September, 6.30-8pm. The Featured Readers are Miceál Kearney, Robyn Rowland & John Throne.

Miceál Kearney was born in 1980. He works on the family farm in County Galway. His poems have appeared in his parish newsletter and in The Shop; his poem ‘Ink Stains’ was included in the Heritage Week photography exhibition. Miceál’s work has been described in The Galway Advertiser as “unbelievable”. A finalist in this year’s Cúirt Grand Slam, Miceál is a three times winner of the North Beach Nights poetry slam, and also recently won the monthly Baffle competition in Loughrea.

Robyn Rowland lives in Melbourne and is a leading Australian poet. Her fifth collection of poems, Silence and its Tongues, was launched recently. She has read her poetry at a glittering variety of literary festivals worldwide. Previously Professor of Social Inquiry at Deakin University, Robyn is a well-known critic of reproductive technology. She published Living Laboratories: Women and Reproductive Technology in 1992; and in the1996 Honours List was made an Officer in the Order of Australia for her contribution to women’s health and higher education.

John Throne is a writer and political activist, now living in Chicago. He was a member of the Bogside Defence Committee in Derry in 1969, and spent the next 25 years of his life as an organizer for the socialist movement internationally. John has written extensively on political issues. But The Donegal Woman is his first book. It tells the story of his grandmother, hired out as a child to a farmer who raped her and made her pregnant. The novelist Jennifer Johnston has said: “The story is relentless in its savagery…but he also has a wonderful lyrical quality to his writing.”

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


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

http://www.poetryireland.ie

Babylon Burning: 9/11 five years on

Nearly 90 poets from around the world have contributed to Babylon Burning: 9/11 five years on, an anthology of poems on the Twin Towers atrocity and its consequences. But we are aiming for more than pious hand-wringing: the anthology will be free, but there is a request to donate to the Red Cross, which works tirelessly to help people caught up in disasters and conflicts, wherever and whoever they are.

Enjoy Babylon Burning, then please give something to the Red Cross.
Please feel free to host it on your site, or email it to friends and colleagues and ask them to consider donating. Like nthposition's other anthologies, it's copyleft, so pass it on, spread the word and raise some money...

A paperback version of the anthology will also be available, with all profits going to the Red Cross.

http://www.nthposition.com

Michael D. Higgins reads at North Beach Nights poetry slam

North Beach Poetry Nights is pleased to present as Guest Poet Michael D. Higgins On Thursday September 14th at 9pm in BK's Winebar, Spanish Parade, Galway with guest MC: Dave Lordan

Michael D. Higgins is a Labour TD for Galway West and has twice been Mayor of Galway. From 1993 to 1997 he was Minister for Arts, Cultures & The Gaeltacht. He is currently Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs for The Labour Party. He has published three poetry collections, The Betrayal, published by Salmon, The Season of Fire, published by Brandon, both illustrated by Mick Mulcahy, and An Arid Season published in 2004 by New Island Books. He has read his poems on a number of radio and television programmes. He was a featured reader at Over The Edge in September 2004 and also read at the Baffle Festival last year.

Michael D has always been a strong supporter of inovation in the arts, and this reading is a first for the poetry slam movement internationally. It is the first time anywhere in the world that a former Government minister has taken part in a poetry slam.

The North Beach Nights Slam is open to everyone. Newcomers are welcome.

Please bring two max. three minute performance pieces and be there early to get your name down. The prize for the winner is the honour and a bottle of red wine generously donated by BK's Winebar.

Admission: 4 Euro C

oming events: October 19th: Guest Poet: Louis de Paor Guest MC: Neil McCarthy

November 23rd: Guest Poet: Chloe Poems Guest

MC: Trish Casey December 21st North Beach Solstice Night

And remember! The Galway Arts Centre Ruby Room Slam returns at the King's Head on Tuesday 26th September at 7pm. Don't miss it!

North Beach Nights gratefully acknowledges the support of Galway City Council. info: John 091 593290

Poetry Performance Showcase Reading

Over The Edge presents a reading to showcase some of the best performers on Galway’s poetry scene. It will take place at Sheridan’s Wine Bar (above Sheridan's Cheesemongers) 14-16 Church Yard Street, Galway on Friday, September 8th at 8pm. The poets taking part are Elaine Feeney, Stephen Murray, Trish Casey & Tim Emlyn Jones.

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

Trish Casey is a performance writer and voice/performance coach from the harbour town of Cobh in Co. Cork . She won the 2004 Cúirt Poetry Grand Slam and coached both the 2005 and 2006 winners. Her work appears in the second Divas anthology (Arlen House) and in the Leaving Cert geography textbook Today’s World. Over the past few years Trish has established herself as one of Ireland’s leading performance poets.

Stephen Murray was born in Dublin in 1974. He was educated in Richmond, Surrey and was three times award winner in the WH Smith and Observer Young Writer of the Year Award. In April 2005, he won the Cúirt International Festival of Literature Poetry Grand Slam. In October Stephen embarks on a European tour during which he will perform in Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic.

Tim Emlyn Jones is a Welsh artist and writer. His early poetry originated within performance art and he has appeared in several anthologies, including Grandchildren of Albion, and Routes Through English, the latter being a reader for the GCSE secondary school examination in the UK. Tim is now an art professor who runs the Burren College of Art in Co Clare. His interest in art education began as a student revolutionary at the Hornsey College of Art sit-in in 1968.

All welcome. For further details contact 087-6431748.


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

Louis de Paor to read at first Over The Edge: Open Reading on new season

Louis de Paor
to launch
Over The Edge
Irish language initiative







The Over The Edge: Open Reading series returns to Galway City Library after the summer break on Thursday, August 31st, 6.30-8pm. The Featured Readers are Dolores Stewart, Colm Brady & Louis de Paor.

Dolores Stewart writes poetry in both English and Irish. Her English language collections are In Out of the Rain (1999) and Presence of Mind (2006), both published by Dedalus Press. Her Irish language collections are Sé Sin Le Rá (2001) and An Cosán Dearg (2003), both published by Coiscéim. With their lightness of touch and wry wit Dolores Stewart’s poems manage the rare double of being both profound and entertaining.

Colm Brady writes fiction. His story ‘Britney’ recently appeared on the Virtual Writer website. He is originally from Longford, but now lives in Galway City, where he has been a serial student in several creative writing classes. Colm says he has “now graduated from being an accountant who writes to a writer who works at anything.” At Cuirt 2006 he took part in the Fiction Masterclass with Booker Prize winner DBC Pierre.

Louis de Paor is one of Ireland’s foremost Irish language poets. Born in Cork in 1961, he emigrated to Australia in 1987, where he lectured at the University of Sydney, returning to Ireland in 1996. Louis is the author of several acclaimed collections of poetry; the most recent Clapping in the Cemetery was published last year by Clo Iar-Chonnachta. He is Director of the Centre for Irish Studies at NUI Galway.

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

Cuirt Grand Slam Winner, Brendan Murphy, at North Beach Nights Poetry Slam

North Beach Nights Poetry Slam continues on Thursday August 24th at 9pm in BK's Winebar, Spanish Parade, Galway with special guest performer: Brendan Murphy and guest MC: Mags Treanor

Admission: 4 Euro

Brendan Murphy is 2006 Cúirt Grand Slam Winner (and winner of the July North Beach Nights Slam.) Brendan is gearing up for his perfomance trip to the Green Mill in Chicago and other U.S. venues. This will be our opportunity to get him live before he takes off for the States and to give him our full encouragement and support.

The Slam follows the usual format and is open to everyone. Please bring two max. three minute performance pieces and be there early to get your name down. The prize for the winner is the honour and a bottle of red wine generously donated by BK's Winebar.

Coming events:

September 21: Guest Poet Michael D. Higgins Guest MC Dave Lordan

October 19: Guest Poet Louis De Paor Guest MC Niall McCarthy

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

info: john 091 593290

Over The Edge Irish language initiative

Cuirfidh Over the Edge, sraith imeachtaí liteartha a bhfuil cáil uirthi i nGaillimh agus tóir dá réir, tús le sraith ar leith imeachtaí liteartha Gaeilge, ag tosú ag Over the Edge 31 Lúnasa. Léifidh an file Louis de Paor saothar dá chuid an lá sin. Tugtar cuireadh do scríbhneoirí a scríobhann i nGaeilge agus ar mhaith leo léamh ag ceann d'imeachtaí Over the Edge a saothar a chur faoi bhráid Over the Edge. Toisc gurb í aidhm Over the Edge spreagadh a thabhairt do scríbhneoirí atá ag tosú amach, tá Kevin Higgins agus Susan Millar DuMars, an lucht eagraithe, ag súil le teagmháil a dhéanamh le scríbhneoirí Gaeilge nár foilsíodh saothar leo fós.

Is é an t-iriseoir agus an scríbhneoir Alex Hijmans a dhéanfas comhordnú ar shraith Gaeilge Over the Edge. Ba cheart do scríbhneoirí ar suim leo a gcuid próis nó a gcuid filíochta a léamh ag an tsraith seo a saothar a chur faoi bhráid Over the Edge ag 3 Bóthar Cairbre, An Caisleán Nua, Gaillimh. Beidh an chéad cheann de na léamhanna Gaeilge mar chuid de shraith imeachtaí Over the Edge i Leabharlann Chathrach na Gaillimhe, ar Shráid Aibhistín, Déardaoin an 31 Lúnasa, ag 6.30. Beidh an file Dolores Stewart agus an scríbhneoir próis Colm Brady ag léamh i gcuideachta Louis de Paor.

Eamonn Wall, Moya Cannon, Michael Heffernan & Catherine Hunter: four poets at Sheridan's Wine Bar

Eamonn Wall with fellow Salmon poet, John Meneghan who read at Sheridan's Wine Bar in May




Over The Edge in association with Poetry Ireland presents a reading by Eamonn Wall, Moya Cannon, Michael Heffernan & Catherine Hunter at Sheridan's Wine Bar, 14-16 Church Yard Street, Galway on Friday, July 7th 9pm.

Eamonn Wall, born and raised in Co. Wexford, has lived in the US since 1982 and is now settled in Missouri. His poetry collections are Dyckman--200th Street (1994), Iron Mountain Road (1997), The Crosses (2000), and Refuge at Desoto Bend (2004) all published by Salmon. From the Sin-é Café to the Black Hills (2000), a volume of essays on the Irish Diaspora, received the Michael J. Durkan Prize from the American Conference for Irish Studies for excellence in scholarship. Eamonn Wall teaches at the University of Missouri-St. Louis.

Moya Cannon was born in Dunfanaghy, Co. Donegal in 1956 and now lives in Galway. She has published two collections of poems, Oar, (Salmon Press, Galway,1990; Poolbeg Press, Dublin, 1994; Gallery Press, Meath, 2000) and The Parchment Boat (Gallery Press, 1997). A third collection, Carying the Songs will be published by Carcanet Press in 2007. She has been an editor of Poetry Ireland Review and writer-in-residence at Trent University, Ontario and at the Centre Culturel Irlandais, Paris. A recipient of the Brendan Behan Award and of the Lawrence O Shaughnessy Award, she was elected to Aosdana in 2004.

Michael Heffernan lives in Fayetteville, Arkansas, where he teaches poetry at the University of Arkansas. His seven books include The Back Road to Arcadia and Another Part of the Island from Salmon Publishing, and The Night Breeze Off the Ocean, published last year by Eastern Washington University Press. He has received three grants in poetry from the National Endowment for the Arts (US). His long acquaintance with Galway involved several years of association with NUIG’s International Writers Course, which he founded in 1989.

Catherine Hunter is a poet and novelist who teaches English and Creative Writing at the University of Winnipeg in Canada. Her books include the thriller The Dead of Midnight and the poetry collection Latent Heat, which won the "book of the year" award in her home province of Manitoba.This will be her first visit to Ireland.

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

Salmon poetry in association with Over The Edge

Salmon Poetry

in associaton with

Over The Edge







Over The Edge in association with Salmon Poetry presents a reading by Ron Houchin, Susan Millar DuMars & A.E. Stringer at Sheridan's Wine Bar, 14-16 Church Yard Street, Galway on Friday, June 23rd 9pm.

Ron Houchin has taught literature and creative writing in public schools and colleges in the US for the past 30 years. Ron has read his poetry in Ireland on many occasions, most recently at the 2001 Dublin Writers' Festival. His first collection ‘Death and the River’ was published by Salmon in 1996. His latest collection, ‘Moveable Feast’, was published by Salmon in 2002.

Susan Millar DuMars is originally from Philadelphia, but has lived in Galway for some years now. Her collection of poetry, ‘Everyone Loves Me’, was published by Lapwing in 2005. In 2005 she also received an Arts Council Bursary for her collection of short-stories ‘Stupid Slim-neck Audrey Hepburn Dreams’.

Art Stringer is the author of 'Channel Markers' and has published poems in many journals in the U.S. including The Nation, Antaeus, Shenandoah, Denver Quarterly, Ohio Review, Poetry Northwest, and others. He teaches writing at Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia.

All welcome. For further information contact 087-6431748.

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

Sara Berkeley reads at Sheridan's Wine Bar

Sara Berkeley
reads at
Sheridan's Wine Bar








Over The Edge in association with Poetry Ireland presents a reading by Sandra Bunting, Sara Berkeley and Patricia Burke Brogan at Sheridan's Wine Bar, 14-16 Church Yard Street, Galway on Friday, June 2nd, 9pm.

Sandra Bunting is originally from Canada, but has lived in Galway for many years. She is a member of the Galway Writers Workshop and on the editorial board of Crannóg magazine. She recently published two collections of poetry: Lake of Phantoms was published by Mercutio Press, Canada; while Identified in Trees was published by Marram Press, Galway.

Sara Berkeley grew up in Dublin and graduated from Trinity College in 1989. She now lives in a village northwest of San Francisco with her husband and daughter. She has published four collections of poetry: her most recent being Strawberry Thief (Gallery, 2005). She has also a published a collection of short stories The Swimmer in the Deep Blue Dream (Raven/Thistledown, 1992) and a novel Shadowing Hannah (New Island Books, 1999).

Patricia Burke Brogan is a painter, poet and playwright. Her poetry collection, Above The Waves Calligraphy, and her acclaimed play, Eclipsed, were both published by Salmon Publishing in 1994. To date there have been sixty-one productions of Eclipsed on three continents. Her most recent play, Requiem of Love, had its debut at the Town Hall Theatre last November, and its script was published and launched at this year’s Cuirt Festival by Wordsonthestreet. All welcome.

For further details phone 087-6431748

Over The Edge to receive Arts Council funding

Over The Edge has just been informed that we are to receive funding from the national Arts Council to support the literary events we organise in Galway City Library and at Sheridan’s Wine Bar.



In a joint statement Over The Edge organisers Susan Millar DuMars and Kevin Higgins said: “It’s great to have the Arts Council acknowledge the work we do. We’d like to thank everyone who has participated in, or in any way supported Over The Edge during these past three years. There is a really vibrant literary scene in Galway right now, by far the best in the country. The Arts Council’s decision to support Over The Edge will help us make it even better. We’re delighted.”

Novelist Mike McCormack at May Over The Edge: Open Reading

Mike McCormack

After the huge success of the Over The Edge showcase reading at the Cuirt Festival in April, the May ‘Over The Edge: Open Reading’ will take place on Thursday, May 25th, 6.30-8pm in Galway City Library. This month’s Featured Readers – Mike McCormack, Jan Schlegel & Mags Treanor - are all fiction writers.

Mike McCormack is a Mayo-man and was born in 1965. He studied English and philosophy at UCG, as it was then, and has published three books, Getting it in the Head, 1996 - a collection of short stories – and two novels Crowe's Requiem, 1998 and Notes from a Coma, 2005. For the last three years he has been writer in residence at NUI Galway and is currently finishing a book of short stories.

Jan Schlegel grew up in the north of Germany. She currently lives in Galway City, where she works as a translator. She writes short-stories and is a regular contributor to the monthly Fiction Clinic, facilitated by Susan Millar DuMars. A chapbook of Jan’s short-stories, One to Five, was published last year by Over The Edge. Her work has also been published in Stories From The Half-Lit Hours – the Fiction Clinic Chapbook.

Mags Treanor writes prose, short stories and slam poetry. She is currently working on an autobiographical novel, Girl Racer. Her work has been published in The Cuirt Annual, anthologised by New Island Press, and broadcast on RTE Radio. In her spare time Mags works as a business consultant, single-handedly parents three young children and takes leisurely strolls on the Prom.

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 welcome. The MC for the evening will be Susan Millar DuMars. For further details contact 087-6431748.

Over The Edge acknowledges the financial support of Galway City Council

John Menaghan & John Walsh at Sheridan's

On Friday, May 5th, 9pm, there will be a poetry reading by American poet John Menaghan and Derry-born, Galway-based poet John Walsh at Sheridan’s Wine Bar, Galway.

John Menaghan was born in New Jersey to Irish-American parents. He teaches literature and creative writing 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 annual Irish Cultural Festival. His most recent collection of poems, ‘She Alone’ - a book-length poetic sequence, which traces the life of an imaginary woman from birth to death and beyond – is published by Salmon Poetry.

John Walsh was born in Derry. He lived in Germany for many years, but has now settled in Galway. He is an accomplished singer-songwriter, and MC and organiser of the hugely successful North Beach Nights poetry slam. His poems have been published in the Black Mountain Review, Flaming Arrows and Crannog magazine. His first collection of poems, ‘Between Morning and the Noon-Day Tide’, is forthcoming from Marram Press.

Brendan Murphy, who won the Cuirt Festival Poetry Grand Slam on Saturday has agreed to come along and read his winning poem during the half-time break.

All welcome. For further details phone 087-6431748.

Cúirt Debut presents the Over the Edge showcase reading

Cúirt International Festival of Literature, Galway

Cúirt Debut presents the Over the Edge showcase reading

Featuring Celeste Auge, Edward Boyne, Jim Mullarkey, Sheila Phelan and Lorna Shaughnessy

Town Hall Theatre, Galway Date: 27 April 2006

Time: 11.30am

Venue: Town Hall Theatre, Courthouse Square, Galway
Phone: +353 91 569777

Celeste Auge was born in Canada, but moved to Ireland when she was twelve years old. Her poems have appeared in various Irish literary journals. She now lives in County Galway. Celeste was an ‘Over The Edge’ featured reader in February 2005.

Edward Boyne lives in Galway, and has published poetry and fiction in a number of journals. He has been short-listed for the Francis McManus Award and the The Hennessy Award for both poetry and fiction. Ed was an ‘Over The Edge’ featured reader in September 2005.

Jim Mullarkey lives in Galway. 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 2002 RTE Francis McManus Award. Jim was a featured reader in January 2003.

Sheila Phelan was born in Dublin in 1971, but has lived in Galway since 2000. She has been short-listed for the Hennessy Award and the Fingal Scribe Award. She received an Arts Council Literature Bursary in 2002, and was runner up in the Patrick Kavanagh competition in 2005. Sheila was an ‘Over The Edge’ featured reader in January 2005.

Lorna Shaughnessy was born in Belfast and lectures in the Spanish Department of NUI, Galway. Her poetry has appeared in many Irish poetry magazines and anthologies. In June 2005, Song of the Forgotten Shulamite, a pamphlet of her poems was published by Lapwing Press. Lorna was an ‘Over The Edge’ featured reader in December 2003.

The Over the Edge: Open Reading series began in January 2003. Each month, Over the Edge puts the spotlight on emerging poets and fiction writers - sessions end with an open mic, where anyone can get in on the act. Co-organisers Kevin Higgins and Susan Millar DuMars (host) are grateful for the continued support of Galway's City Council and the city's artistic community - and to the many, many talented writers who have gone Over the Edge with us so far. For further details about Over The Edge phone 087-6431748 or write to 3, Carbry Road, Newcastle, Galway.
Related Link: http://www.galwayartscentre.ie/

North Beach Nights Cúirt Mega-Slam

North Beach Nights proudly presents

Trish Casey (Cúirt Grand Slam Winner 2004)
Kevin Higgins (Cúirt Grand Slam Winner 2003)
Stephen Murray (Cúirt Grand Slam Winner 2005)
and Sponsored by Poetry Ireland John W. Sexton.

The Grand Slam Winners will perform their winning Poem and new material.

Special Guest Reader John W. Sexton: Poet, short story writer, dramatist, children's novelist, radio scriptwriter, broadcaster and performer. He is the author of three collections of poetry, The Prince's Brief Career, Foreword by Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill, (Cairn Mountain Press, 1995), Shadows Bloom / Scáthanna Faoi Bhláth, a book of haiku with translations into Irish by Gabriel Rosenstock, and most recently Vortex (Doghouse, 2005). He also created and wrote The Ivory Tower for RTE radio, which ran to over one hundred half-hour episodes. His novels based on this series, The Johnny Coffin Diaries & Johnny Coffin School-Dazed are both published by The O'Brien Press, and have been translated into Italian and Serbian. 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. His ballad the streets beneath the ocean was recorded by Cannery Row and appears on their cd No Homes under the title Underwater Girl. He has also appeared live on stage with The Frames.

PLUS North Beach Nights Mega-Slam We are happy to give all the entrants for the Cúirt Grand Slam on Saturday 29th this opportunity to test their nerves, their performance and what we are up against. Two poems max. 3 minutes each. The winner on the night could be the next Cúirt Grand Slammer winner on the way to Slampappi in Chicago!! So be there on Thursday 27th April BK's Winebar Spanish Parade, Galway at 9.30 pm

North Beach Nights appreciates and acknowledges the support of Galway City Council and Poetry Ireland

Three poets go Over The Edge

The next Over The Edge: Open Reading will take place on Thursday, March 30th, 6.30-8pm in Galway City Library. This month’s Featured Readers are Tom Duddy, Susan Lindsay & Jarlath Fahy.

Tom Duddy was born in Ramolin in Co. Mayo, but has lived in Galway since the early 1970s. He teaches philosophy at NUI Galway. His book A History of Irish Thought was published in 2002. In recent years Tom returned to writing poetry after “writing like mad” in his youth. His poems have appeared in The Irish Times, Magma, Poetry Ireland Review & The Shop.

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-mic, the Baffle Festival, the Cuirt Poetry Slam and North Beach Nights. In December Susan won the RTE Carol of Our Times competition, and her depiction of Christmas was put to music by the RTE Concert Orchestra.

Jarlath Fahy is a native of Tuam. He is a member of Galway Writers Workshop and the editorial board of Crannog magazine. His poems have been published in Criterion and Crannog. Jarlath is a highly entertaining reader of his work, and has read his poems at Galway Arts Centre’s Nuns Island Studio and the Voices from the Tower readings in summer 2005.

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 welcome. The MC for the evening will be Susan Millar DuMars. For further details contact 087-6431748.


Over The Edge acknowledges the financial support of Galway City Council