Creative Writing for Beginners at Galway Arts Centre

Creative Writing for Beginners with Susan Millar DuMars

This September Galway Arts Centre presents a daytime class for all those beginner writers out there, facilitated by Susan Millar DuMars. Susan Millar DuMars writes both poetry and fiction. A collection of her stories, ‘American Girls’, was published by Lapwing Press in April; her first collection of poetry, ‘The Wellspring Wife’, is forthcoming in 2008 from Salmon Poetry. Susan is a renowned creative writing teacher, and with her husband Kevin Higgins co-organises the Over The Edge readings in Galway City Library.

The class runs for ten weeks, commencing on Monday September 17th, 2-3.30pm. It will be a gentle introduction to fiction, poetry and autobiographical writing. Through in-class exercises, homework assignments and work-shopping of pieces, participants will be encouraged to discover and refine their own voices and material. An atmosphere of mutual support and fun will be encouraged.

Places cost €110 and must be paid for in advance. There is a concession price. For booking please contact Vicky at reception at Galway Arts Centre, 47 Dominick Street. Phone Vicky on 091 565886 or email victoria@galwayartscentre.ie

Dates for Galway Arts Centre Poetry Slams

The dates for the autumn/winter Galway Arts Centre Poetry Slams in The Ruby Room at The Kings Head, High Street, Galway are

Tues 25 Sept

Tues 30 Oct

Tues 27 Nov

Tues 11 Dec

All 7-8pm

Each month's winner qualifies for the 2008 Cúirt Festival Poetry Grand Slam.

For further details contact Maura Kennedy at 091-565886 or call in to Galway Arts Centre, 47 Dominick Street, Galway.

The winner of this year's Cúírt Poetry Grand Slam was Micéal Kearney, the joint runners-up Gary King and Katie Lawless. Previous winners are Brendan Murphy, Steve Murray, Trish Casey & Kevin Higgins.

Upcoming Lunchtime Readings at Galway City Museum

Upcoming North Beach Poetry Nights - SLAMS

Aoife Casby to read at Westport Arts Festival

*Voices of the West*:
Poetry and short story reading
An eclectic mix of poetry and prose
read by Ger Reidy, Paddy Guthrie and Aoife Casby.
At The Westport Arts Festival 2007
In The Sea Sky Shore Gallery, Westport, Co. Mayo
On Sunday 2nd September At 6pm
Wine and cheese will be provided.
Sponsored by Andrew Carney Construction.

Perciphone Petticoat at North Beach Poetry Nights

North Beach Poetry Nights
presents
Perciphone Petticoat
Thursday 23rd August at 9pm
BK's Winebar, Spanish Parade, Galway





Perciphone Petticoat theatrical poetry performer, writer, singer songwriter, musician, is a fresh and entertaining face in the world of performance poetry and entertainment.

Perciphone uses enchanting lines, beguiling and palatable - weaving their way in and out of the cold hard truths being projected. From surrealism to social dysfunction - sexuality to empathy, fairytales to self-harm, Perciphone Petticoat often flirts on a rather risqué edge. However, pertinent subjects delivered graphically, are skillfully tempered, allowing ideas that would otherwise be unpalatable to be considered.

Her performance sites can be found at http://www.myspace.com/perciphonepetticoat2.

Her music can be found at http://www.myspace.com/perciphone.

Also The North Beach Poetry Nights' 2 - Round Slam
Poets wishing to enter the Slam are requested to bring along 2 poems, max. 3 minutes each. The winner of the Slam receives a bottle of red wine courtesy of BK's Winebar and automatically goes forward to the North Beach Poetry Nights' Grand Slam on December 22nd. The prize for the winner of the Grand Slam is publication of a collection of the winner's poetry.

Admission 5 Euro

Information: John Walsh @ 091-593290 or johnwa@iolfree.ie

OPEN-AIR CELEBRATIONS OF WORLD MUSIC IN GALWAY

OPEN-AIR CELEBRATIONS OF WORLD MUSIC IN GALWAY

Sean Agus Nua concerts scheduled for Galway City: August 18th and August 25th, 2007

Following the recent release of the excellent CD, Éagsúlacht!, the Sean Agus Nua initiative has now scheduled two free open-air concerts to take place in August. These events will feature prominent ethnic musicians from diverse regions of the world now based in Galway, and establishing names for themselves locally, in a rousing celebration of the city’s newfound multicultural identity.

The first of these is to take place in the courtyard of Galway City Museum on Saturday, August 18th, between 12am and 4pm. The line-up for this event is as follows:
· Os Immigrantes (Brazilian Samba)

· Night Elvs (Filipino Rock)

· Dusty Banjos (Irish trad)

· Silnamandla (South African female vocal group)

· Granam (eclectic folk combo, featuring musicians of Poland, France and elsewhere).

Then, on Saturday August 25th from 2pm, a further concert of multicultural celebration is to be held in Eyre Square. The line-up for this event is as follows:

Natty Wailer and his band (authentic Jamaican Reggae outfit fronted by former member of the legendary Bob Marley and the Wailers)

The Rye (high-octane fusion of Irish trad, blues and rock, featuring quality musicians from Germany and Ireland)

Vesuwave (Funky Latin Rock, fronted by highly-regarded Italian guitarist / vocalist, Vincenzo Donnarumma)

Cafe Minor (successful Scandinavian quartet, well-known throughout the West of Ireand, who specialise mainly in Gypsy and Klezmer).

Baslowa (very popular and long-established local Congolese Rhumba outfit)

Contact: Brian MacNamara
Mobile: 087 7954940
Email: buttermilklane@yahoo.co.uk

These events are being supported by Ireland West, Towards A City of Equals, Galway Arts Office, and local businesses.

Lunchtime with the Poetry Chicks at Galway City Museum

Friday 17th August

Lunchtime Reading in Galway City Museum
with The Poetry Chicks at 1 pm.

Contribution: 5 Euro

The Poetry Chicks:

Pamela Brown
Pamela is a published poet and creative writing facilitator who has written comedy sketches for radio. She has had two plays produced; one was performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 1993. Collaborating with photographer Jan Voster, her work has also been exhibited in Holland. Pamela helped establish The Poets' Corner, a wall in the Gasyard area of Derry displaying poems from local teenagers and primary school children. She received a commendation in Community Drama at the University of Ulster, Magee and has participated in workshops by Augusto Boal - Theatre of the Oppressed, and Barney Simon - The Market Theatre, Johannesburg. A creative writing facilitator, Pamela also practices Bio-energy, Reiki and Tai Chi.

Jenni Doherty
Donegal-born, Jenni has worked in bookshops, with local publishing houses and as an arts & book reviewer for the local press. In 2006 she directed a multi-creative discipline project called EVE... a Celebration of Creative Women, published with Guildhall Press, Derry and is about to publish another anthology, Wonderful World of Worders involving over 70 international writers. Co-author of local folklore book, That Land Beyond, she has also toured Australia with the Belfast Poets Tour Group in 2006 and was a finalist in the Queensland SLAM. She works in Waterside Library and for Guildhall Press as well as co-facilitates youth creative writing workshops and runs the monthly BBC RaW Poetry Place in Derry's Central Library.

Abby Oliveira
Abby has lived in Northern Ireland since 1994. She was the winner of the Belfast Poetry Performance Cup 2006 and Cúirt SLAM Finalist 2007. Literary Festival Facilitator for the Gasyard Féile 2005, Abby also has a strong background in the Performing Arts. She has facilitated poetry workshops in Toronto, Canada, and performs regularly with In Your Space theatre company. Abby has a BA (Hons) in Theatre Studies from the University of Ulster, Coleraine and she was awarded a First Class Honours Degree and the Dean's Prize, 2005. She also conducts art and craft workshops with groups of all ages and is a Bio-energy and Reiki practitioner.

For more information contact John Walsh on 091-593290

Poetry Chicks at North Beach Poetry Nights

North Beach Poetry Nights presents
Abby Oliveira, Pamela Brown, Jenni Doherty



The Poetry Chicks from Derry
Thursday 16th August 9pm
BK's Winebar, Spanish Parade, Galway

also the return of the North Beach Poetry Nights' Slam

and INTRODUCING the NORTH BEACH POETRY PUBLICATION PRIZE for the Winner of the North Beach Poetry Nights' Grand Slam to be held on Saturday 22 December in the Bank of Ireland Theatre, NUIG.

The Poetry Chicks:

Pamela Brown
Pamela is a published poet and creative writing facilitator who has written comedy sketches for radio. She has had two plays produced; one was performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 1993. Collaborating with photographer Jan Voster, her work has also been exhibited in Holland. Pamela helped establish The Poets' Corner, a wall in the Gasyard area of Derry displaying poems from local teenagers and primary school children. She received a commendation in Community Drama at the University of Ulster, Magee and has participated in workshops by Augusto Boal - Theatre of the Oppressed, and Barney Simon - The Market Theatre, Johannesburg. A creative writing facilitator, Pamela also practices Bio-energy, Reiki and Tai Chi.

Jenni Doherty
Donegal-born, Jenni has worked in bookshops, with local publishing houses and as an arts & book reviewer for the local press. In 2006 she directed a multi-creative discipline project called EVE... a Celebration of Creative Women, published with Guildhall Press, Derry and is about to publish another anthology, Wonderful World of Worders involving over 70 international writers. Co-author of local folklore book, That Land Beyond, she has also toured Australia with the Belfast Poets Tour Group in 2006 and was a finalist in the Queensland SLAM. She works in Waterside Library and for Guildhall Press as well as co-facilitates youth creative writing workshops and runs the monthly BBC RaW Poetry Place in Derry's Central Library.

Abby Oliveira
Abby has lived in Northern Ireland since 1994. She was the winner of the Belfast Poetry Performance Cup 2006 and Cúirt SLAM Finalist 2007. Literary Festival Facilitator for the Gasyard Féile 2005, Abby also has a strong background in the Performing Arts. She has facilitated poetry workshops in Toronto, Canada, and performs regularly with In Your Space theatre company. Abby has a BA (Hons) in Theatre Studies from the University of Ulster, Coleraine and she was awarded a First Class Honours Degree and the Dean's Prize, 2005. She also conducts art and craft workshops with groups of all ages and is a Bio-energy and Reiki practitioner.

THE NORTH BEACH POETRY NIGHTS' GRAND SLAM and PUBLICATION PRIZE: The winner of each of the 10 North Beach Poetry Nights' Slams from August until 20 December will go through automatically to the Grand Slam on Saturday 22 December.

Another 10 entrants will be selected by submission of written and recorded material. Submission fee: 10 Euro.

The winner of the North Beach Nights' Grand Slam will be chosen by a team of experienced poetry performance judges.

The prize is publication of a collection of the winner's poetry.

Information: John Walsh 091-593290

19 readers at Westside Arts Festival/Over The Edge Summer Open-Mic

Westside Arts Festival/Over The Edge Summer Open-Mic: ALL WELCOME!

The Westside Arts Festival
presents
the 2007 Over The Edge Summer Open-Mic



Readings by Margaret Cullagh, Susan Millar DuMars & Kevin Higgins will open the Westside Arts Festival/Over The Edge Summer Open-Mike on Wednesday 25th July at 7pm. Susan Millar DuMars will MC the event. Anyone who has a poem or story they want to share is welcome to take part. Each reader will have a three minute slot; but there is no limit on the number of readers. If you come along and sign up for the open-mike, you will definitely get to read.

Venue: Westside Library, Seamus Quirke Road, Galway

Date/Time: Wednesday 25th July, 7pm

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

Friday Lunchtime Readings in Galway City Museum

Friday July 20th at 1pm.
with Poet and Performer Tamsin Kendrick from London.

Tamsin made a brief appearance at Over the Edge in November '06 and then went on to blow every one away at The Voice and Verse evening in the Crane. This is your chance to catch up with her and see for yourself.

With your support we aim to make this another special Galway poetry event, with a magic of its own.

Contribution: 5 Euro
Info: John Walsh @ 593290

Tamsin will also be the guest poet at
North Beach Poetry Nights in BK's Winebar, Spanish Parade on Wednesday 18th July at 9pm.

"One of the hot new stars of the London poetry scene, intelligent, fierce, honest and delivered with a unique stage presence." Shortfuse

Tamsin Kendrick at North Beach Poetry Nights

Tamsin Kendrick returns to Galway
at the invitation of North Beach Poetry Nights
on Wednesday 18th July at 9pm

Also: Last Open-Mic before the Slam returns in August!

BK's Winebar, Spanish Parade, Galway

Admission: 5 Euro

Poet and Performer Tamsin Kendrick from London made a brief appearance at Over the Edge in November '06 and then went on to blow every one away at The Voice and Verse evening in the Crane. This is your chance to catch up with her and see for yourself.

Tamsin will also be the guest poet at
Friday Lunchtime Readings in Galway City Museum
on Friday 20th July at 1pm.

Info: John Walsh @091-593290

About Tamsin:

Tamsin Kendrick is a vivid veteran of the London poetry scene and has performed internationally in places such as Ireland, New Zealand and New York. She uses intelligent, streetwise poetry (Saltmargins) with a dose of humour to talk about anything from the apocalypse to navigating south London estates. "Sometimes," she says of them, "they feel like the same thing". Tamsin is a freelance writer, editor and chancer.In 2000 Tamsin Kendrick lost her poetry virginity through a loudspeaker on Clapham Common to a homeless man and his dog. She has been performing in some of the most prestigious poetry nights and venues ever since. Whilst studying Philosophy and Theology at Oxford she hosted an open-mike night called Poetry Unhinged on The High.Tamsin has performed at many places including Shortfuse's Poetry Idol, the Latitude Festival, New Blood, Heartbeats (Liverpool), Voice & Verse (Galway Ireland), The Cellar, The Bricklane Festival, Elephest, Fruitstock and at Dodo modern poets. She has also done a mini New York tour where she featured at the Bowery Poetry Club and the Nuyorican Poets Cafe.She has also been published in various poetry/magazines such the Wolf, the Delinquent, The Fix and Rising. She is currently working on her first collection.

People say things like:

"Just your average, giggly girl about town with an Oxford degree in philosophy. Muses on faith and the emotional grime of London life, the only poet I know of to be young yet experienced enough to feature in both eras of New Blood!" Niall O'Sullivan, host of New Blood and The Cellar

"One of the hot new stars of the London poetry scene, intelligent, fierce, honest and delivered with a unique stage presence." Shortfuse

Paddy Henry

Paddy Henry retired to Galway in 1998 having been a soft drinks manufacture in Charlestown, Co. Mayo. He continued his life long interest in drama through his involvement with Knocknacarra Amateur Theatre Society. He was a member of the Knocknaccarra Active Retirement Writers Group.


In May of this year he was a Featured Reader at the final Over The Edge: Open Reading before the Summer Break.

He passed away yesterday at UCHG. Our sympathy goes out to his wife, family and all who knew him. He will be missed.

Summer poetry extravaganza at Sheridan's Wine Bar

Over The Edge presents a reading by Eamonn Wall (left), Celeste Auge & Michael O’Loughlin, plus the Galway launch of Trio, a collection showcasing Limerick poets, Noel Harrington, Ger Sheehy and Edward O’Dwyer at Sheridan’s Wine Bar, 14-16 Church Yard Street, Galway on Friday, July 13th, 8pm.

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.

Celeste Auge was born in Canada, but moved to Ireland when she was twelve years old. She now lives in County Galway. Her poems have appeared in a wide variety of literary journals in Ireland and internationally. She has read her work at Poetry Ireland Introductions and also read at the inaugural Cuirt Festival/Over The Edge showcase reading in April 2006. In 2006 she was awarded the Assistance Towards Publication Grant by Galway County Council. Tornadoes For The Weathergirl, a chapbook of her poems, was published in November 2006. Celeste has new poems forthcoming in Poetry Ireland Review.

Michael O’Loughlin was born in Dublin in 1958. His poetry collections are Stalingrad: The Street Dictionary (1980); Atlantic Blues (1982); The Diary of a Silence (1985); and Another Nation, New & Selected Poems (New Island Books, 1994/UK Arc Publications, 1996). He published a collection of short stories, The Inside Story (Raven Arts Press, 1999). Michael is also a screenwriter, his most recent feature film is Snapshots (2002).He has lived for many years in continental Europe, mostly Amsterdam but recently returned to Ireland. He is Galway City Council’s Writer In Residence. He is currently completing a new collection of poems.

This reading will be preceded by the Galway-launch of the Revival 'Trio', a collection by Limerick-based poets Noel Harrington, Edward O’Dwyer and Gerard Sheehy
recently published by Revival Press, Limerick

Noel Harrington is from Tuamgraney in Co Clare. In his 20s he did the customary living abroad thing (Copenhagen, Munich, New York etc) and has washed more than his fair share of dishes. In his final year studying for a BA at Maynooth, he won the University's top award for literature, the Barbara Hayley Memorial Prize. Has had work published in Revival and will be appearing in a future issue of The Stinging Fly.

Gerard Sheehy was born in Limerick and has lived there for most of his life. He is a regular reader at the White House Poetry Revival nights. Previous work has been published in the Microphone On anthology and Revival.

Edward O Dwyer is 22 and from Limerick. He's been writing seriously since June 2006, which incidentally is the time he began going to the White House in Limerick. He holds a first class honours degree in English and Media & Communications (U.L.) and in September begins a H.Dip in secondary school teaching (N.U.I Cork). He has been previously published in Revival.

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.

Poetry Workshop Participants Take First & Second Place

Aine Egan receives her prize from poet Ger Reidy





Two participants in Galway Arts Centre's current round of poetry workshops have taken first and second place in The 2007 Raftery International Poetry Competition.

Áine Egan's poem, The Tree Ceremony, won first place, while Moycullen-based poet Mary Madec came in second. Áine Egan is also a member of Mayo Writers Block; while Mary Madec was a featured reader at an Over The Edge: Open Reading in November 2005. She also recently read at an Over The Edge event at Sheridan's Wine Bar.

Lunchtime readings at City Museum

North Beach Poetry Nights Introduces the New Series of Friday Lunchtime Readings in Galway City Museum at 1.30pm on Friday 22 June with Award winning Poet and Fiction-Writer Geraldine Mills.

Geraldine will read poetry and her prize-winning short story: "The Weight of Feathers" With your support we want to make this another special Galway literary event. Admission 5 Euro

Geraldine Mills, a native of Galway, began her writing career in Dublin where she lived for twenty years before returning with her family to settle in Rosscahill Co. Galway in 1995. She has been published widely in both poetry and fiction. Bradshaw Books Cork has published her two collections of poetry, Unearthing your Own(2001) and Toil the Dark Harvest (2004) She was the Millennium winner of the Hennessy/Tribune Emerging Fiction Award and the overall winner of the New Irish Writer Award for her story ‘Lick of the Lizard’. She has been short listed four times for the Francis McManus Short Story Award taking 2nd prize in 2004 and 2006. Her first short story collection titled The Lick of the Lizard was published by Arlen House in 2005 and her second collection The Weight of Feathers for which she received an Arts Council Bursary and Galway County Council Publication Assistance Award is forthcoming from Arlen House. Her Monologue ‘This is From the Woman who Does’ was premiered at the Provincetown Theatre Playwrights Festival, Cape Cod Mass. USA in October 2004. She is a regular contributor to RTÉ’s Living Word and Lyric FM’s Quiet Quarter. She tutors with the Galway Arts Centre.


For further information contace John Walsh on 091- 593290

North Beach Poetry Nights with Michael O'Loughlin & Johnny Duhan

BK's Winebar, Spanish Parade,

Thursday 21 June at 9pm

North Beach Poetry Nights presents

Poet Michael O'Loughlin, Galway City Writer in Residence

and Singer-songwriter, Folk-poet Johnny Duhan

and Open Mic, for all of YOU who wish to read your own poem.

Admission 5 Euro

Los Angeles poet at Sheridan's Wine Bar

Los Angeles poet joins Galway writers at Sheridan’s Wine Bar
Over The Edge presents a reading by John Menaghan, Mary Madec, Gary King & Mags Treanor at Sheridan’s Wine Bar, 14-16 Church Yard Street, Galway on Friday, June 15th, 8pm.







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 – was published last year by Salmon Poetry. It has been described by the prestigous Hudson Review as “one of the best books of 2006.”

Mary Madec is from Mayo but has lived in Philadelphia, Dublin and now Galway. She started writing seriously in 2004. Since then her poems have appeared in Crannog, West 47, The Cuirt Annual and The Shop. She was a Featured Reader at the November 2005 Over The Edge: Open Reading in Galway City Library. Mary was shortlisted for the Cuirt Festival/Over The Edge showcase reading in both 2006 & 2007. She was chosen to take part in this year’s Poetry Ireland Introductions readings.

Gary King was the joint runner-up in this year’s Cuirt Festival Poetry Grand Slam. He has read his poems at the popular White House reading series in Limerick, and was a Featured Reader at an Over The Edge: Open Reading in February 2003. He was short-listed for the 2006 Cuirt Festival/Over The Edge showcase reading. Gary’s poems have been published widely in magazines such as Poetry Nottingham, Criterion, West 47 & The Burning Bush. A chapbook of his poems, Ambiguous Lights, was published by Over The Edge in 2004.

Mags Treanor was born in Dublin in 1965. She now lives in Galway where she writes both fiction and poetry. She is currently working on her novel, ‘Girl Racer’. Her work has been anthologised by New Island Press, West47 online, the Harrington Lesbian Fiction Quarterly, the Cuirt Annual and also broadcast on RTE Radio One. She was a Featured Reader at the May 2006 Over The Edge: Open Reading and was shortlisted for the 2007 Cuirt Festival/Over The Edge showcase reading. Maverick Press recently published her collection of poems and short-stories, ‘Two Night Stand’.

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.

Final 'Over The Edge: Open Reading' before Summer break

After the success of the Over The Edge showcase reading at the Cúirt Festival in April, the May ‘Over The Edge: Open Reading’ will take place on Thursday, May 31st, 6.30-8pm in Galway City Library. This month’s Featured Readers are Maria McManus,
Paddy Henry & Fergal McNally.





Maria McManus is a poet and playwright from Strangford near Belfast. Her collection ‘Reading the Dog’ was published in 2006 and was runner for this year’s Strong Award. In 2005 she was awarded the Bedell Scholarship of Literature by the Aspen Writers Foundation, Colorado. Her plays include His n‘Hers, The Black Out Show and Nowhere Harder. She is currently writer-on-attachment to Tinderbox Theatre Company.

Paddy Henry writes both fiction and non-fiction. He retired to Galway in 1998 having been a soft drinks manufacture in Charlestown, Co. Mayo. He continues his life long interest in drama through his involvement with Knocknacarra Amateur Theatre Society. He is a member of the Knocknaccarra Active Retirement Writers Group facilitated by Susan Millar DuMars.

Fergal McNally moved to Galway in 2003 to study Arts. He is currently enrolled on the M.A. in Writing program at N.U.I.G. He has had poetry published in Ropes magazine and Writers Seeking Lovers, a collection put out by the M.A. in writing poetry workshop. His one act play Spilt Milk won best production at this year’s Muscailt arts festival.

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 contact 087-6431748.

The first Over The Edge: Open Reading after the Summer break will take place at Galway City Library on Thursday, August 30th.

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