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Tuesday, June 05, 2012

July Over The Edge Writers’ Gathering - Doire Press Showcase PLUS writers visiting from America Mark Conway & Maura Mulligan

The Over The Edge July Writers’ Gathering presents a special showcase reading by poets and fiction writers published by Galway county based Doire Press. Jacqueline Murray Loring, Celeste Augé, Kevin O’Shea and John Walsh will read their work at Galway City Library, St. Augustine Street on Thursday, July 12th, 6.30-8pm. The evening will also include readings by   writers visiting from America Mark Conway and Maura Mulligan. All are welcome. There is no cover charge.

Jacqueline Murray Loring is a screenwriter, playright and poet. She is the retired exectutive director of the Cape Cod Writers’ Center and is the president of the Cape Cod Chapter of the National League of American Pen Women. Her poetry has appeared in a variety of publications, incuding The Boston Poet, Prime Time Magazine, Re:verse, Cape Cod Voice, Summer Home Review – volume I and II, and From Both Sides Now: The Poetry of the Vietnam War and its Aftermath. She is the winner of the 2012 International Doire Press Poetry Chapbook Competition, and her chapbook, The History of Bearing Children, will be published by Doire Press in July.

Celeste Augé is an Irish-Canadian writer who has lived in Ireland since she was twelve. When she was in her twenties, she dropped out of art college; in her thirties she completed an MA in Writing; currently she teaches creative writing to adults and university undergraduates. Her fiction and poetry have been widely published in literary journals and anthologies. Her poetry has been short-listed for a Hennessy Literary Award and Salmon Poetry have published her first full-length poetry collection, The Essential Guide to Flight. The Arts Council of Ireland awarded her a Literature Bursary. Her short story ‘The Good Boat’ won the 2011 Cúirt New Writing Prize for fiction. Fireproof and Other Stories is just published by Doire Press.
Kevin O’Shea lives on the edge of Connemara, in Moycullen, still within earshot of the old Galway-Clifden railway. Having retreated from the world of technology to timidly confront the world of imagination he was short listed for Over The Edge New Writer of the Year in both 2009 and 2010. His poetry has been published in Irish Left Review, Ropes, Pen Tales, Behind the Masks, Mosaic, THE SHOp and Northern Liberties Review. He was the winner in the poetry section of this year’s Cúirt New Writing Prize and as part of his prize Kevin read at the Cúirt Over The Edge Showcase reading. His highly anticipated debut collection of poetry, The Art of Non-Fishing , will be published by Doire Press in the Autumn.

John Walsh was born in Derry in 1950. After sixteen years teaching English in Germany, in 1989 he returned to live in Connemara. His first poetry collection Johnny tell Them was published by Guildhall Press (Derry) in October 2006. In 2007 he received a Publication Award from Galway County Council to publish his second collection Love’s Enterprise Zone (Doire Press, Connemara). In 2010 Salmon Poetry published his latest collection Chopping Wood with T.S. Eliot. His poems have been published in Ireland, the UK and Austria and the USA. He has read and performed his poems at events in Ireland, the UK, Germany, Sweden and the USA. He received a Publication Award from Galway County Council for his debut short story collection Border Lines, which was published by Doire Press in April 2012 and has been very favourably received.

Mark Conway’s previous books are Dreaming Man, Face Down which won the 2009 American Poetry Journal Book Prize and Any Holy City, short-listed for the 2007 PEN/Joyce Osterweil Award for Poetry. Individual poems have appeared in such leading international journals as The Paris Review, Slate, Ploughshares, The Kenyon Review On-line, Agni, Harvard Review and Bomb. He is currently working on a manuscript called Fuse with poems forthcoming in The American Poetry Review and The Iowa Review.

Maura Mulligan’s memoir, Call of the Lark is just published by Greenpoint Press New York. It is the story of a woman who found the courage to change her life -- several times. As a young girl in Ireland, Maura Mulligan worked as a servant in "a grand house." At seventeen, she sailed to America and became a telephone operator. Answering a higher call, she entered a Franciscan convent and became a nun. Influenced by the changes following Vatican II, she made the decision to return to the world. Call of the Lark offers a vivid portrait of the author's childhood in rural Ireland of the forties and fifties. Behind the convent door, the reader shares her nun's life, and stands with her when she closes it behind her.
http://irishecho.com/?p=71769


There is no entrance fee.

After the reading we will be retiring for refreshments to the House Hotel.

For further information contact 087-6431748.

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

Monday, June 04, 2012

LEMON

The documentary film LEMON, Directed and Produced by Beth Levison, is playing as part of Galway Film Fleadh this Wednesday, July 11 at 14:30. Galway Film Fleadh is offering a 10% discount to arts, writing, and community groups of 10 or more that choose to see the film.

"Lemon" is a portrait of Lemon Andersen, a three-time felon turned poet who savored a brief moment of glory in winning a Tony Award for Russell Simmons Def Poetry Jam on Broadway. But Lemon has landed back in the projects, living with thirteen family members in a close-fit Puerto Rican community, and is desperate for a way out. We followed Lemon's last-ditch effort to get out of poverty through his autobiographical one man-show, "County of Kings." Ultimately, our film is a story about artistic struggle and creative triumph. The film is executive produced by Russell Simmons and Impact Partners (The Cove, To Hell and Back, An Inconvenient Truth), features Spike Lee, and includes an incredible score with Hip-hop phenoms Kanye West, Mos Def, Talib Kweli, and Aloe Blacc

Lemon won the Special Jury Prize at the DOC NYC Festival, an Honorable Mention at the Zurich International Film Festival, and most recently, a Special Mention at the Documentary Edge Festival in New Zealand.

The film is showing on Wednesday, July 11 at 14:30 at the Omni 8. It's the one and only screening!

For tickets, please visit the Galway Film Fleadh website. http://www.galwayfilmfleadh.com/programme.php?fest=6&ct=feature-documentary&cid=7&t=lemon&id=444

COLM KEEGAN at NORTH BEACH POETRY NIGHTS

COLM KEEGAN at NORTH BEACH POETRY NIGHTS

Monday 9th July,2012
in The Crane Bar, Sea Road, Galway
at the new time: 6.30 pm

Poets wishing to enter the Slam on the night need 2 max. three minutes poems.
The prize for the winner is a bottle of wine and entry
to the North Beach Grand Slam in December.

Door: 5/3 Euro

Win a FREE PLACE on the INISHBOFIN JAUNT writing holiday

chance of a FREE PLACE on the INISHBOFIN JAUNT writing holiday
at value of tuition fee of €280.

It's a lightning strike of a competition, IE, won't happen again for a long time, on this course, and secondly, it will all be over by Thursday lunchtime! If you think you have a minute to put it out to your constituency via the blog, that would be fantastic.


ENTER THE COMPETITION ON FACEBOOK


COMPETITION ENTRY FOR NON-FACEBOOK MEMBERS:

A BLOG POST FROM YVONNE CULLEN ON ACCOMMODATION AND TRAVEL COSTS OF GETTING TO THE INISHBOFIN JAUNT.

If you need anything else from me, let me know. I'm pasting in the full facebook status update below here, in case you just want to use a bit of that.

Winner will be announced Thursday lunchtime.

WRITING TRAIN GIVEAWAY! One place at NO TUITION COST on July 19 – 24 Inishbofin Jaunt Writing Holiday lead by writing teacher Yvonne Cullen (that's me!)

Just pay your travel, food and accommodation costs! Tuition worth €280 is on offer as the prize in this competition! Full entry details at end of this post!

A small number of places still remain on the Inishbofin Jaunt Creative Writing Holiday for July 19 -24, at beginner and developing writer levels. Booking cut-off date is 6th July. The Creative Writing Jaunt for September 13 – 18 is now booking also. BOOKING DEADLINE FOR SEPTEMBER JAUNT IS 31 JULY. More info, testimonials and slideshow of recent Jaunts can be viewed at

http://www.yvonnecullen.com , under Inishbofin Jaunt tab.


Participant feedback on the JAUNTS to INISHBOFIN and on my teaching style:
“What an inspiring place, and what an inspiring teacher!” Katie Martin, Inishbofin Jaunt, August 2010.
“Best creative writing teacher in Dublin” – Dubliner Magazine.
“Writes beautifully and can pass on the skill” – Grace Garvey, The Irish Times, Sept 2009.
“If you are thinking of going, just go!” Debbie Gilbert, May 2012 Jaunt.
“Deep listening that makes the sayer say it better!” Kevin Conroy, May 2012 Jaunt.
“Life-changing!” Breda Cashe, August Jaunt 2010.

Other courses coming up soon at WRITING TRAIN: Literary Café writing classes and workshops at the NATIONAL LIBRARY CAFÉ (9 weeks) start on Saturday July 7th (small number of spaces remaining). START TO WRITE TUESDAY NIGHTS (8 weeks) kick off on July 17th at United Arts Club. MONDAY NIGHT DEVELOPING WRITERS (8 weeks) starts July 16th CityArts, D1. Wednesday daytime Writing Train writing workshop starts south city centre Sept 5th. Thursday Night Advanced Writing Train starts autumn term on October 12th. NLI Saturdays, Monday and Tuesday evening classes restart early October also. All are bookable immediately.

I love what I do, in Writing Train workshops and with the Inishbofin writing holidays. I want to reach as wide as possible an audience with it. I would also be delighted to be talking to a larger group on facebook, when I write about what we’re learning in these creative writing classrooms and events. I’ve put together this competition to aid me in reaching that wider audience.


TO ENTER THIS COMPETITION:
(1)SHARE this particular post with your full network of friends on facebook.
(2) LIKE Yvonne Cullen’s Writing Train if you haven’t already done so.
(3)Email me at writingtrain@gmail.com with (A) the headline of one recent post on my wordpress blog-site.www.yvonnecullen.wordpress.com (B) 40 words or less on why you’d like to come on the Writing Train Inishbofin Jaunt. Please do mention also whether you are a beginner or a developing writer. Add a daytime contact phone number, landline and mobile.

I will email the winner by mid-morning on THURSDAY 5th July. I’ll follow up with a call so we can sort out your accommodation.

This competition is run subject to ongoing availability of accommodation on Bofin for our events dates of 18 – 24 on the competition results date of 5th July, and to your being available to firm up a booking for same, with my help, between this date and Friday 6th July. Details of accommodation options plus costings on the trip in re travel, food and lodgings can be found in a new post on www.yvonnecullen.wordpress .com. A place won on the July Inishbofin Jaunt cannot be transferred to another Writing Train course or trip, unless the Jaunt is cancelled due to bad weather. If this happens you will be entitled to a place in next or later Inishbofin Jaunt of your choice.

Saturday, June 02, 2012

2012 Galway Kavanagh Day

The Kavanagh Day is an annual event which was inaugurated in 2004, as part of the Patrick Kavanagh Centenary Celebrations.
 The objective is to expand Kavanagh’s reputation, both nationally and internationally through a public celebration of his work
at a waterside location.

In recent years Galway has consistently honoured Patrick Kavanagh in mid-July and the Galway Kavanagh Day festival has gone from strength-to-strength since its establishment in 2008. It acknowledges the special place Kavanagh holds in the hearts of Irish people.

The festival is a mixed-media event and is an open platform for artists, Kavanagh enthusiasts and members of the public to give voice to his words. The structure has expanded in recent years to incorporate readings, music recitals, theatre re-enactments, multi-media presentations, short-film and storytelling in order to enhance the overall experience. The participatory aspect of the Kavanagh Day makes it unique in terms of audience engagement.

The 2012 event takes place at the waterside venue of the Galway Rowing Club, Woodquay on Sunday 1st July, 2pm and reruns in the Columbian Hall on Sat. 21st July as part of the Galway Fringe Festival.  For more details see http://kavanaghdaygalway.wordpress.com/

Friday, June 01, 2012

June 'Over The Edge Writers' Gathering' with Eleanor Hooker, Eamonn Wall, Donna Potts, Deirdre Kearney & Dave Rock

Eleanor Hooker

The June Over The Edge Writers’ Gathering presents readings by Wexford-born poet Eamonn Wall, Tipperary-based poet Eleanor Hooker, visiting American poet Donna Potts, local poets Deirdre Kearney, Dave Rock and much more. The evening will include the Galway Launch of Donna Potts’ debut poetry collection Waking Dreams (Salmon Poetry) and Eamonn Wall's latest poetry collection, Sailing Lake Mareotis (Salmon Poetry).  The event will take place at Galway City Library, Augustine Street, Galway on Thursday, June 28th, 6.30-8pm. All are welcome. There is no cover charge.


Eleanor Hooker lives in North Tipperary. She has an MPhil in Creative Writing (Distinction) from Trinity College, Dublin. She is a founding member and Vice-Chairperson of the Dromineer Literary Festival. She is a helm and Press Officer for the Lough Derg RNLI Lifeboat. In 2011: she was selected for the Poetry Ireland Introductions Series. In February 2012, her debut collection of poetry, The Shadow Owner’s Companion was launched by The Dedalus Press.


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, is just published by Salmon Poetry. This is the book’s Galway launch.


A native of Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford, Eamonn Wall lives in Missouri, where he teaches at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. His poetry has been included in anthologies in Ireland and the United States including The Book of Irish-American Poetry from the 18th Century to the Present & Irish Writing in the Twentieth Century: a Reader. Eamonn’s essays, articles, and reviews in The Irish Times, New Hibernia Review, The Washington Post & Chicago Tribune. Through his involvement in the Launchpad and Scallta Media initiatives, which he helped set up to encourage the development of young writers and artists in Co. Wexford, he has continued to play a role in the artistic life of Co. Wexford. Sailing Lake Mareotis, Eamonn’s fifth collection of poems, was published by Salmon Poetry last November.


Deirdre Kearney is originally from Omagh, Co Tyrone and has lived in Galway since 1983. Her grandfather Felix Kearney, a well-known poet and songsmith, was the author of the Hills above Drumquin. She is a cousin of the world-renowned guitarist Arty McGlynn. Her poetry has been published in: The Shop, ROPES, Cúirt New Writing, The Ulster Herald, Crannóg, and Treóir - the magazine of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann. Her work was included in Dogs Singing published by Salmon, and various collections published by Skylight Poets group of poets in Galway. Her first collection of poetry Spiddal Pier was published in 2009 by Lapwing Press. She is currently working on her next collection.


Dave Rock is a Galway based poet. His work has been published in a number of major journals. He has placed in the top three or four in several major poetry slams. He teaches creative writing, storytelling, and Beautiful Free Speech in Ireland and the UK. Last year he quit a PhD in social theory in order to pursue a life full time in poetry. So far it seems to be working out well. Dave is the director of the InkStorm Poetry Depot, a project which sees both established and up-and-coming poets sitting down one to one with members of the public to create poetry from their lives. The Poetry Depot has of late been a successful feature of literary and culture festivals across Ireland, most recently at Cúirt. Dave’s poetry is often weighted between praising and puzzling over life, with perhaps slightly more praise.

Sextet is an anthology of six poets with Limerick connections published by Revival Press in 2010. The six poets are Louis Mulcahy, John Pinschmidt, Sheila Fitzpatrick O’ Donnell, Bridget Wallace, Joe Healy and Evelyn Casey. Three of them - Sheila Fitzpatrick O’ Donnell, Bridget Wallace & Joe Healy – will each read one of their poems from Sextet, which will be on sale at the reading.

Yvonne T Madden won various awards for speech, debate and story telling in her early years. Yvonne's most compelling memory of her late grandmother is of listening to stories of the elders of their Indian tribe. In 1996 Yvonne was the youngest receiver of the Martin Luther King Jr "I have a Dream" story contest. In 1998 she won the Bank Street Memorial Baptist Church "Imagination" contest for Christian poetry. In 2000 she picked up the award of which she is proudest award, for her short shory "In the dim of Night", from young readers of America. Yvonne has just published her first novel Because of You and will read a short extract from it on it.

There is no entrance fee.

After the reading we will be retiring for refreshements to the House Hotel.

For further information 087-6431748.

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