Celine McGlynn
You can listen to Celine’s reading here.
Celine McGlynn is best known as the editor of the Finn Valley Voice, the long-established local newspaper covering the Finn Valley and neighbouring areas. She is also a successful artist with several solo exhibitions to her credit. Writing and poetry have always been central to her life. A founder member of the Errigal Writers her poetry collection Forged in the Stars was published by Summer Palace Press in November 2011. In her capacity as editor of “The Arched Window” section of the Finn Valley Voice, she has been personally responsible for introducing a wealth of new talent. She has also been responsible for reviving interest in the work of prominent local writers from the past.
McGlynn has published two previous books, The Best of William Allingham and Sarah Leech: The Ulster-Scots Poetess of Raphoe, Co. Donegal, both anthologies of work by unjustly neglected writers. She is an experienced workshop facilitator and regularly works with writing and painting groups. She is married with three grown-up children, and has spent most of her life in the Finn Valley.
Mark Granier
You can listen to Mark’s reading here.
Mark Granier, born in 1957, is a Dublin-based poet and photographer. His fourth poetry collection Haunt was published by Salmon in 2015. His previous collections are: Airborne (Salmon Poetry, 2001); The Sky Road (Salmon Poetry, 2007); and Fade Street (Salt Publishing, 2010). His photography work includes portraits of some well-known writers and performers such as Allen Ginsberg and Jo Brand. Apart from furnishing the cover photography for his four poetry collections, he has done cover work for a number of publishers, including Faber & Faber, The O’Brien Press, Salmon Poetry, Poetry Ireland Review and The Stinging Fly.
Awards include the Vincent Buckley Poetry Prize and a Patrick and Katherine Kavanagh Fellowship. He holds an MA in Poetry/Creative Writing with Lancaster University and currently teaches Creative Writing for UCD’s Adult Education programme and The Irish Writers’ Centre.
Adam Rudden
You can listen to Adam’s reading here.
Adam Rudden is a Dublin-based Irish Poet. He has been published widely in poetry periodicals, including: Poetry Ireland Review, Cyphers, Electric Acorn, Jacobyte Poetry, Agenda Broadsheet, Horizons, Earls Court, Minus 9 Squared, The Green Door, The Furrow and Shamrock Haiku Journal. His editorial work includes The New Binary Press Anthology of Poetry (Volume I), The Green Door (Issue 11) and The Weary Blues (Issue 1).
Adam has published four collections of poetry with Lapwing Publications: Fallen Eyelashes (2004), Braille lips in the Dark (2007), Stopwatch (2009) and Solar Winds and Ions (2011).
Ó Bhéal in association with Foras na Gaeilge presents
Liam Prút
You can listen to Liam’s reading here.
Born in 1940 in Co. Tipperary and educated with the Christian Brothers, Liam Prút taught at all three levels. He retired in 2002 as a senior translator, 30 years after first poetry collection Fíon as Seithí Óir appeared from An Clóchomhar Teoranta. He wrote, edited and translated some forty Gaelic books, including nine poetry collections—latest being Eineachlann Iosraelach (2013). He wrote Máirtín Ó Direáin File Tréadúil (1982) and has written about Scots-Gaelic poetry, Breandán Ó Doibhlin, the Innti movement, Seán Ó Sé and Seán Ó hÓgáin and a book on the Humanitas (1930-31) controversy. Most noteworthy was the discovery of additional poems of eighteenth century Liam Dall Ó hIfearnáin, the originator of Caitlín Ní Uallacháin, who spent much of his life in Cork. Filí le Dealramh, his latest book, deals with Seán Ó Curraoin, Bríd Dáibhís and Déaglán Collinge. Author of novels, short stories, three children’s books for Cló Mhaigh Eo about the foal, Crúibín; also Crogaillín (young crocodile) for An Gúm. The literary biography, Fear Droichid an Rísigh, of Christian Brother Seán E. Ó Cearbhaill, his most recent challenge and privilege, is now with the printers. Ó Cearbhaill spent 4 years in Cork and has been celebrated by Michael Davitt in the poem Próiseas. A religious and inspirational poet and thinker, Ó Cearbhaill discovered the spark and seed of Edmund Rice towards whom he has made himself a bridge. The literary memoir, Sna Flaithis go hArd, (Coiscéim, 2011), Prút considers his most important work, largely ignored, however, by readers of Gaelic. In it he somewhat disregards the rules and provides echoes of each person, book and historical event which have influenced its chief character. The book took nine years to write. Among his other novels are Désirée, Geineasas, An Leanbh sa Lamborghini.
Rugadh Liam Prút, Tiobraid Árannach, sa bhliain 1940. Oileadh leis na Bráithre Críostaí é agus chaith blianta fada mar mhúinteoir ar na trí leibhéal. É ina aistritheoir sinsearach i Rannóg an Aistriúcháin ar dhul ar pinsean dó sa bhliain 2002, tríocha bliain tar éis fhoilsiú a chéad chnuasach Fíon as Seithí Óir. Breis agus dhá scór leabhar scríofa, cóirithe nó tiontaithe go Gaeilge aige—naoi gcnuasach filíochta ina measc. Eineachlann Iosraelach (Coiscéim, 2013) is déanaí. Scríobh Máirtín Ó Direáin File Tréadúil (1982) agus mórán léirmheastóireachta: ar fhilí Gaeilge na hAlban, Breandán Ó Doibhlin, gluaiseacht Innti, Seán Ó Sé, Seán Ó hÓgáin; scríobh leabhar faoi chonspóid Humanitas (1930-31). Is tábhachtach leis an taighde trínar aimsíodh dánta ‘nua’ le Liam Dall Ó hIfearnáin a chaith cuid dá shaol i gCorcaigh. Scríobh sé Filí le Dealramh (Coiscéim, 2014) faoi Sheán Ó Curraoin, Bríd Dáibhís, Déaglán Collinge. Scríobh scata gearrscéalta agus na húrscéalta Désirée, Geineasas, An Leanbh sa Lamborghini. Scríobh trí leabhar do pháistí faoin gcapaillín Crúibín (Cló Mhaigh Eo) agus Crogaillín (An Gúm). Is é Fear Droichid an Rísigh, beathaisnéis liteartha an Bhráthar Seán E. Ó Cearbhaill, an dúshlán agus an phribhléid is déanaí aige. File é Ó Cearbhaill a chaith ceithre bliana geala i gCorcaigh agus tá comóradh déanta ag Michael Davitt air. Tá an bheathaisnéis sin faoi bhráid na gclódóirí. File inspioráideach agus fear creidimh é Seán a d’aimsigh síol agus spréach an Rísigh agus a dhein ear droichid de féin chuige. Chaith Prút naoi mbliana dá shaol i mbun an chín lae liteartha, Sna Flaithis go hArd, (Coiscéim, 2011) an saothar is tábhachtaí leis, bíodh nár tugadh puinn airde air. Déantar neamhaird ann ar fhormhór na rialacha agus tá macallaí le brath ann de na daoine, na leabhair agus na himeachtaí stairiúla a chuaigh i bhfeidhm ar a phríomhcharachtar.
Mary O’Donnell
You can listen to Mary’s reading here.
Mary O’Donnell’s seventh collection of poems, Those April Fevers (Arc Poetry, UK), was published this year. Other collections include September Elegies (Lapwing Press, Belfast 2003) and her selected poems, The Place of Miracles (New Island, 2006), followed by an anthology of Galician poetry in translation – To the Winds Our Sails: Irish Poets Translate Galician Poetry – which she co-edited with Dr. Manuela Palacios. Her Selected Poems were published in Hungarian in 2011 and she was co-winner of the Irodälmi Jelen translation prize. She has written four novels and two collections of short fiction, including her latest novel Where They Lie (New Island, Dublin 2014), described by critic Maureen Boyle as “a darkly passionate tribute to the lost, and most particularly, to those who are left behind. It is a com-pelling, compassionate and astonishing read.”
Awards include a Listowel Poetry Prize, a Listowel Fiction Prize, a V.S.Pritchett Short Story prize, the Fish International Short Story Prize, prize-winner in the Cardiff International Poetry Competition, & the James Joyce Ireland-Australia Prize. She has held residencies in Ireland, Australia and at the Princess Grace Irish Library, Monaco. She has judged the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award, the Hennessy Literary Award, the Strokestown International Poetry Competition and in 2013 the Irish Times/Mountains to Sea Poetry Prize. Currently on the board of the Irish Writers’ Centre, she is also a member of Aosdana.
For more about Mary, visit: www.maryodonnell.com
Munster Slam Championships
and Munster heat of the 2015 All-Ireland Slam Championships
(final to be held in Ulster)
From 9.30pm sharp … Fourteen poets competed over two rounds. Congratulations to winner Cormac Lally and runner-up Seán MacNamara!
followed with a performance by
Tina Pisco
You can listen to Tina’s reading here.
Tina Pisco has worked as a professional writer for over thirty years, writing for every medium except radio, but including internet drama and comic books. Before moving to Ireland in 1992, she was a freelance journalist, and television writer/producer in Brussels. Since moving to West Cork she has continued to write freelance for local, national and international publications and audio-visual projects (video, broadcast television, internet drama).
Tina has published two best-selling novels that were translated into five different languages: Only a Paper Moon (Poolbeg 1998), and Catch the Magpie (Poolbeg 1999). Her short stories and flash fiction have been published in the Fish Anthology, Spolia magazine, Colony, among other journals. Her first collection of short stories will be published in 2016. Tina took up the post of Writer-in-Residence at Tigh Fili, Civic Trust House in September 2009. During her residency she worked on her first poetry collection, She be, which was published by Bradshaw Books in November 2010. She was awarded an ECEA translation grant to translate a young Andalusian poet from Spanish to English. Adolescence2:hormonised poems was published by Bradshaw Books in October 2011. She is founder of the performance poetry groups Catch the Magpie, Gifted Eccentric and The Bogman’s Cannon Performance Roadshow.
Carmel Macdonald Grahame
You can listen to Carmel’s reading here.
For more than two decades Carmel Macdonald Grahame’s short fiction, poetry, critical essays and reviews have appeared in literary journals and anthologies in Australia and Canada, most recently in Now You Shall Know: Newcastle Poetry Prize Anthology 2013, and Fire: A Collection of Stories, Poems and Visual Images, Delys Bird, ed. Margaret River Press. Her novel, Personal Effects published with University of Western Australia Publishing in 2014, is set in the contemporary context of the oil industry and concerns the domestic complexities of expatriate journeys: “Personal Effects explores the ambiguities of life, and the decisions we make in the hope that change will be for the better.”
Among her many prizes and awards, Carmel is the 2014 winner of the Melbourne Poets Union Prize and 2013 co-winner of the Patricia Hackett Prize in Western Australia, again for her poetry. After several years living and writing in Canada, England and South Korea, she has settled in Victoria where she writes full time. Carmel has spent many years as a teacher of literature and creative writing at secondary and tertiary institutions in her home state of Western Australia, including the University of Western Australia, Murdoch University and Edith Cowan University. She holds a PhD in Australian Women’s literature.
Ó Bhéal in association with Cork City Council presents
a special Friday edition of Ó Bhéal for
Cork Culture Night 2015
Abby Oliveira
You can listen to Abby’s performance here.
Abby Oliveira is a performance poet/writer/performer based in Derry. She has performed poetry throughout the UK and Ireland since 2006, and has been a solo performer since 2012. She has performed at countless events and festivals, including at Lingo festival, Glastonbury, Electric Picnic, Dublin Book festival. She recently won the inaugural Lingo fest poetry slam which saw her go on to support Damien Dempsey at the London Irish Centre in 2014, she has also supported artists such as Scroobius Pip and Polar Bear. She is currently working on her first collection of poetry, which will be produced alongside a live show.
Brendan Constantine
You can listen to Brendan’s reading here.
The RTE Poetry Programme aired a six-minute segment about the evening, which is here.
Brendan Constantine‘s work has appeared in FIELD, Ploughshares, Virginia Quarterly Review, Zyzzyva, Ninth Letter and many other journals. His first book, Letters To Guns (2009 Red Hen Press) is now taught extensively in schools across America. His most recent collections are Birthday Girl With Possum (Write Bloody Publishing, 2011) and Calamity Joe (Red Hen Press, 2012). His work has inspired artists in a variety of other mediums, from the canvas to the concert hall. Most recently composer Andrew McIntosh released his first album, Hyenas in the Temples of Pleasure (Populist Records) which draws its themes (and title) from Constantine’s work. A new collection, Dementia, My Darling is due out in 2016.
Mr. Constantine has received grants and commissions from the Getty Museum, James Irvine Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Arts. A popular performer, Brendan has presented his work to audiences throughout the U.S. and Europe, also appearing on NPR’s All Things Considered, KPFK’s Inspiration House, in numerous podcasts and on YouTube. In 2014 he headlined at the Dodge Poetry Festival with many of the nation’s most celebrated authors. He currently teaches poetry at the Windward School in Los Angeles, California. In addition, he regularly conducts workshops for hospitals, foster homes, & with the Alzheimer’s Poetry Project.
To find out more about Brendan, visit brendanconstantine.com
Matt Mooney
You can listen to Matt’s reading here.
Matt Mooney was born in Kilchreest, Co. Galway. He has lived in Listowel since 1966. His first book of poetry Droving was published in 2003 and this was followed in 2010 by Falling Apples. Earth to Earth is the title of his latest collection, from Galway Academic Press, 2015. His poems have appeared in Feasta, West 47, First Cut, The Applicant, The Kerryman, The Connaught Tribune, The Galway Review online, Galway Review 3 and The Galway Advertiser (Peann agus Pár). He has read at The Baffle Poetry Festival in Loughrea, The West Cork Literary Festival, The White House Pub, Limerick and The Forge at Gort Literary Festival.
