Over the past year, artist-poet Aoife Casby has been holding a series of bilingual evenings in Carraroe, Co. Galway.

Earlier this month and with the support of Údarás na Gaeltachta, Aoife hosted readings by Trish Casey and Micheál Ó Cuaig, who also sang sean nós (see beneath for short biographies). In a cheerful Gaeltacht style, Ceara Conway creatively eMCeed the proceedings which later included an open-mic session featuring Maire Uí Eidhin, Pádraic Harvey, Aoife Casby (reading a poem by Dan O Flatharta), Annette Lohan, Caroline Lynch and Biddy Jenkinson.

A spirited Connemara crowd filled the venue and after a most pleasurable few hours the evening ended with an impromptu sing-along. I think one enjoys poetry that much more in an inspiring setting, and gently rolling, luminescent Carraroe with its panoramic views of the Aran Islands and the cliffs of coastal Clare, proves ideal. Aoife will be hosting more readings every month or so, and can be contacted at carraroereadings@gmail.com

Sláinte Aoife. Here’s to many more.

A native of Cill Chiaráin, Micheál Ó Cuaig is currently singer in residence with the Centre of Irish Studies NUIG. He is a sean nós singer and is also the author of highly regarded collections of Irish poetry Uchtóga (1985) and Clocha Reatha (1986) which critics have applauded for their emotional delicacy and scrupulous use of language. His poetry will be featured during The Cúirt Festival 2008 in Nead an Dreoilín, a series of short films of poetry directed by James Kelly, which, using a combination of new and carefully selected archive footage, lyrically reflect the poems they accompany.

Maire Uí Eidhin

Cáirde OZONE

Fiochán focal ag Eigse an Spidéil

Pádraic Harvey

Introduction to The Snow Globe in Irish

The Snow Globe (in memory of Paddy McCole)

Dan O Flatharta

Aoife Casby reading Snachtáil, by Dan O Flatharta

Annette Lohan

Bacadh Síle Andaí

Biddy Jenkinson

Mairg an Té