The May Over The Edge Writers’ Gathering
presents an exciting variety of poetry including the Galway launch of Christine
Valters Paintner’s debut poetry collection, Dreaming of Stones (Paraclete Poetry)
with guest speaker Dara Molloy. There will also be readings by Patrick Chapman,
Raine Geoghegan, Colm Keegan, and Anita Ouellette. The event will take place at
The Kitchen @ The Museum, Spanish Arch, Galway on Friday, May 10th, 8pm. All
are welcome. There is no cover charge.
Christine Valters Paintner is
the online Abbess of Abbey of the Arts, a virtual monastery and global,
ecumenical community integrating contemplative practice and creative
expression. She is a Benedictine oblate living on the west coast of Ireland
with her husband John. Together they lead pilgrimages and retreats in Ireland,
Scotland, Germany, and Austria. Christine is the author of twelve books on
spirituality, monastic wisdom, creativity, and the arts including The
Artist’s Rule and The Soul’s Slow Ripening. Her
poems have been published in journals in the U.S., Canada, Ireland, and the UK.
She has participated in poetry workshops at Galway Arts Centre and online. Dreaming of Stones is Christine’s debut
poetry collection.
Patrick
Chapman
was born in 1968 and lives in Dublin. He has published eight poetry collections
since 1991, as well as a novel and three volumes of stories. His other works
include a short film, television for children, and audio dramas for Doctor
Who and Dan Dare. He produced B7’s dramatisation of Ray
Bradbury’s The Martian Chronicles for BBC Radio 4. His most
recent poetry collection Open Season on the
Moon is just published by Salmon Poetry.
Anita Ouellette is a
poet living in Massachusetts. She was runner-up in the 2013 Over The Edge New
Writer of the Year competition and is a regular participant in Kevin Higgins’
online poetry workshop. Anita is currently on holiday in Ireland and will share
a couple of her poems.
Colm Keegan is
from Dublin. Elaine Feeney said this of his most recent poetry collection, Randomer (Salmon, 2018): “Delving into themes of mid-life, fatherhood,
love, belonging and family, with solid observations and self-surrendering
language, here is a poet now ready to watch and listen. Keegan is loyal to his
trade, never hiding truth, or shirking responsibility. Randomer catapults
Keegan into the anti-hero role of his own tales. The Dublin that created him,
he bravely recreates, through lines that are gritty yet gorgeous. Keegan
continues to write politically, honouring the list poem, watching Ireland with
a satirical eye and sharp wit, while questioning the poet’s place in
everything: the home, the city, even his place in poetry and its lure, for
better or worse. Randomer is a fascinating read. It finds edgy beauty in
the banality of human struggle, in a world that’s off-kilter. These poems are
gut-wrenchingly raw and beautiful. You will return to this book again and
again. Keegan is a romantic with nerve and bravery. We find solace in his
path.”
Raine Geoghegan, MA is a poet and prose writer of Romany,
Irish and Welsh descent living in the UK. Recent publications include Poetry Ireland Review; The Curlew; Travellers' Times; Ofi Press
and Under the Radar. She is a
Pushcart Prize and Best of the Net 2018 nominee. Her pamphlet, Apple Water: Povel Panni was launched in
December 2018.