Karl Parkinson
You can listen to Karl’s reading here.
Karl Parkinson‘s work has been published in many magazines and journals, including The Stinging Fly. His chapbook A sacrament Of Song was published in 2012 by Wurmpress and his first collection Litany Of The City & other Poems will be coming out in March from Wurmpress. He has been a featured reader/performer at The Electric Picnic, Glór sessions, Brown Bread Mix-tape and many more. In 2011 he was part of The Irish Rising poetry show in the Nuyorican Poets Cafe in New York city and in 2012 he performed at The March Hare Festival in Newfoundland, Canada. He won the Balcony TV award for the most entertaining video of the year in 2009.
Anne Fitzgerald
Poet Anne Fitzgerald grew up in Sandycove Co. Dublin and now lives in nearby Dún Laoghaire. She is a graduate of Trinity College, Dublin and Queen’s University, Belfast.
Her poetry collections are Swimming Lessons (Stonebridge, 2001), The Map of Everything (Fortyfoot Press, 2006) and Beyond The Sea (Salmon Poetry, 2012). Anne’s work has been anthologised in Stream and Gliding Sun (Wicklow: Wicklow County Council, 1998, Thornfield Anthology (Salmon Press, 2008), The Watchful Heart (Salmon Press, 2009), The Translatable Rhythm of Breath (Salmon Press, 2009) and The Irish Catullus (Dublin, A.& A. Farmar, 2010).
She is a recipient of the Ireland Fund of Monaco Literary Bursary at The Princess Grace Irish Library in Monaco (2007), where she was writer in residence. She has also edited, produced and designed four anthologies of young adults’ poetry: The Colour of the World (2003); The Compass (2004); Uncharted Voyage (2004); and Deep Canyons (2005). Fitzgerald also founded Loreto Abbey Dalkey Press (2004) and MET Press (2003), both school publishing houses. She teaches Creative Writing in Ireland and in North America.
Above photograph © Therese Aherne
James Lawless
You can listen to James’ reading here.
James Lawless was born in Dublin and now divides his time between County Kildare and West Cork. A collection of his poetry Rus in Urbe was published by Doghouse Books in 2012. He is the author of the well-received novels Peeling Oranges (2007), For Love of Anna (2009), The Avenue (2010), Finding Penelope (2012) and an acclaimed study of modern poetry Clearing The Tangled Wood: Poetry as a way of seeing the world (2009) for which he received an arts’ bursary.
Awards he has won include the Scintilla Welsh Open Poetry Competition, the Cecil Day Lewis Award, the Sunday Tribune/Hennessy and Willesden Herald award nominations, the WOW Award and a Biscuit International Prize for short stories. You can read more about the author at www.jameslawless.net
Niamh Boyce
You can listen to Niamh’s reading here.
Niamh Boyce is from Athy, Co Kildare. She won Hennessy XO Writer of the Year 2012 for her poem Kitty. She’s currently working on a collection of poetry inspired by myth and magic, and a novel inspired by silent movies of the 20s. Her novel The Herbalist will be published by Penguin in June 2013. She blogs at niamhboyce.blogspot.com
Cahal Dallat
You can listen to Cahal’s reading here.
C.L. Dallat, poet, musician and critic, was born in Ballycastle, County Antrim. He studied statistics and operational research at Queen’s University Belfast, and has since worked in television, publishing and information technology. He now lives in London where he reviews literature and the arts for several publications including the Times Literary Supplement and has been a regular contributor to BBC Radio 4’s Saturday Review since its inception in 1998.
His first poetry collection Morning Star was published in 1998 by Lagan Press, and he won the Strokestown International Poetry Competition in 2006. He has been published in numerous anthologies and journals and his most recent collection is The Year of Not Dancing (Blackstaff Press, 2009).
For more visit www.cahaldallat.com
Cahal will also be holding a wordshop from 7.00pm to 8.30pm at Ó Bhéal entitled The Art in the Everyday. For more details click here.
Ó Bhéal in association with Foras na Gaeilge presents a bi-lingual evening with
Joe Steve Ó Neachtain
You can listen to Joe’s reading here.
Joe Steve Ó Neachtain was born in Cré Dubh, Spiddal, Connemara – where he still lives. He has written and published numerous novels, poems, short stories, plays, dialogues, sketches and songs. He is most well known as an actor and writer who appears regularly on TG4’s Ros na Rún.
He has won many prizes for his novels, short stories, scripts and plays, including winning the Rally Awards (Duaiseanna Slógadh), Jacobs Awards (1992), the Arts Council / Connaught Tribune Award, the Pan Celtic Festival Award (1991) and Gradam an Phléaráca (Carnival Atmosphere Award) in 1997. Among his published works are Lámh Láidir and Scread Mhaidne (novels); In Ainm an Athar and Níor Mhaith Liom do Thrioblóid (plays); Salann Garbh (short stories); and his poetry collections include De Dhroim Leice (Cló Iar-Chonnacht, 1990) and An Dé Deiridh (Cló Iar-Chonnacht, 2008).
He is married to Jennifer and they have three children.
Ar an gCrí Dhubh sa Spidéal a rugadh Joe Steve Ó Neachtain sa mbliain 1942, agus is ann atá cónaí air fós. Thóg sé suas a pheann sa mbliain 1969 agus níor scaoil sé uaidh ó shín é. Tá úrscéalta, dánta, gearrscéalta, drámaí, agallaimh bheirte, sceitseanna agus amhráin scríofa agus foilsithe aige. Is mar aisteoir agus mar scríbhneoir is mó atá aithne air agus bíonn sé le feiceáil go rialta ar ‘Ros na Rún’ ar TG4.
Tá mórchuid duaiseanna Oireachtais buaite aige ar úrscéalta, ar ghearrscéalta agus ar scripteanna agus ar dhrámaí. I measc na nduaiseanna eile atá buaite aige tá Duaiseanna Slógadh, Jacobs Award ar ‘Bhaile an Droichid’ (1992), Duaiseanna ón gComhairle Ealaíon/Connaught Tribune, Féile Pan Ceilteach (1991) agus Gradam an Phléaráca (1997). I measc an tsaothair atá foilsithe aige tá Lámh Láidir agus Scread Mhaidne (úrscéalta); In Ainm an Athar agus Níor Mhaith Liom do Thrioblóid (drámaí); Salann Garbh (gearrscéalta), De Dhroim Leice (filíocht – Cló Iar-Chonnacht, 1990) agus An Dé Deiridh (filíocht – Cló Iar-Chonnacht, 2008).
Tá sé pósta le Máirín agus tá triúr clainne orthu.
Maurice Devitt and Orla Fay
You can listen to Maurice’s reading here and to Orla’s reading here.
A graduate of the Poetry Studies MA at Mater Dei, Maurice Devitt has just been nominated for a Pushcart Prize and was runner-up in the Cork Literary Review Manuscript Competition. Earlier in 2012 he was short-listed for the Listowel Writers’ Week Poetry Collection Competition, placed third in The Joy of Sex competition and long-listed for the Doire Press Chapbook Competition. During 2011 he was short-listed for both the Fish Poetry prize and the Cork Literary Review Manuscript Competition, and was also runner-up in the Phizzfest poetry competition.
Over the past twelve months he has had poems accepted by Orbis, Abridged, Moloch, Revival, Boyneberries, Paraxis, Weary Blues, thefirstcut, Spinoza Blue, The Galway Review, Other Words: Merida, Stony Thursday, Ofi Press, Bluepepper, The Weekenders and Smiths Knoll and is looking to publish a first collection.
Orla Fay is the vice chairperson of Boyne Writers’ Group. She has served on the editorial board of Boyne Berries Magazine and she helped to co-ordinate the Boyne Readings and Open Mic of Summer 2012. Her work has been published in Ireland, The UK and The United States, appearing in Boyne Berries, Revival, Riposte, Crannog, The Sharp Review, Wordlegs, The Linnet’s Wings, The Stony Thursday Book, Silver Blade Magazine, Shot Glass Journal, Ropes 2010, New Poems of Oriel, Shamrock Haiku Journal, The Meath Chronicle, Outburst, Census 3, Carillon and Orbis.
In 2008 Orla was a finalist in the Meath County Library Eist Poetry Competition. She had poems commended in The Francis Ledwidge International Poetry Award of 2009 and The Windows Publications/Cavan Crystal Poetry Award of 2010. She won The Meath Chronicle/Bookwise Short Story Competiton judged by the author Jennifer Johnston with her story The Magician. Her short story Safa was selected for The Lonely Voice Short Story Introductions in The Irish Writers’ Centre in 2011. She published her poetry chapbook Drawn to the Light with the Boyne Writers’ Group in June 2012.
Ann Joyce
Ann Joyce, a native of Co. Mayo, lives in Rosses Point, Co. Sligo, a small maritime village at the edge of the Atlantic. Her poetry collection Watching for Signs was published by Dedalus Press in 2005. Her interest in Celtic mythology and in particular Queen Meadbh of Connacht led to a collaboration with traditional musician and composer John Carty. Meadbh – The Crimson Path had its debut performance at Boyle Arts Festival 2008 and in 2011 a CD of the work which comprises poetry, narration, music and song was released.
One of her poems – My Mother is Arranging Everything, has been set to music by Crazy Dog Audio Theatre and is included in The Bee-Loud Glade anthology, published by Dedalus Press in 2011. Ann also collaborated with artist Bridget O’Connell – Poetry and Art. Exhibitions were held in Co. Roscommon and Co. Sligo 2006. Ann participates in the Writers in Schools Scheme in conjunction with Poetry Ireland and Dept. of Education and facilitates workshops involving storytelling and creative interaction with young students under the auspices of the Library service.
Her poetry has been published in literary journals in Ireland, England and USA, including Poetry Ireland, The Shop, Cyphers, Force 10, Stand, Orbis, Agenda, Atlanta Review & Scripsit. Her poetry has also been broadcast on RTE1, Shannonside, Ocean FM and Midwest Radio. She has organized the literary event during Rosses Point Shanty Festival 2012, 2011, 2010.
