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Showing posts from June, 2010

Opening Veins: Shirley teaches a beginners poetry class in July.

The lovely Shirley McClure will also be presenting a poetry workshop for beginners in July. I love that line she uses here in her publicity material about opening a vein. I haven't been able to get it out of my head since I read it. There is info about Shirley at the end of this posting. The Poetry Vein: a writing workshop with Shirley McClure “There's nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter & open a vein”.  Walter Wellesley "Red" Smith Suitable for complete beginners as well as those who have been writing for some time, this workshops lead the participants through a series of  simple yet stimulating assignments to gently get the  creative blood flowing. Humour and audacity in writing are encouraged, alongside their cousins sobriety and introspection. The workshop aims to connect you with the imagination, the senses and the writer within. No blood will be shed. “Let go, let fly, forget, You've listened long enough, Now strike your...

Workshops presented by Shirley McClure

Poet Shirley McClure,  a prize-winner in last year's Patrick Kavanagh Awards,  and a fellow alumnus of Poetry Ireland Introductions 2009, is teaching a poetry workshop in Wicklow on July 18th (details later). She is also promoting a workshop taught by Jay Ramsay. Details here: EDGES Poetry and Renewing the Creative Process Saturday 2nd & Sunday 3rd October, 2010, 10 am-5 pm both days. The Esplanade Hotel, Strand Road, Bray, Co. Wicklow (non-residential) Acclaimed poet and teacher, Jay Ramsay, offers a series of brilliantly inspiring exercises, both for writing and to extend our receptive and imaginal awareness, celebrating our ‘edges’ creatively as well as personally, opening out new possibilities of expression. In addition to the group work (which includes speaking our work aloud) there is also time to examine critically poems you may bring. This workshop is suitable for people who have been writing for a while, whether published or not. Fee for the 2 days: €16...

Flat Lake Line-up 2010

I couldn't make it to the Flat Lake festival this year as I was to work on a project with my great friend, Tanya Harris, for the Royal College of Art in London. As it turns out (and for various reasons) I'm not able to make this gig either! So I'm now just knuckling down to final drafts of my new play, BELFAST GIRLS, an all-female piece set on a ship. Meanwhile I'm posting details of the festival here in case any of you can make it to Monaghan this weekend. 2010 PROGRAMME FRIDAY NIGHT - 4th June THE BUTTY BARN 6.00 pm - Ben Reel 7.00 pm - Pat Quinn 8.00 pm - Ana Go 9.00 pm - Marie Doyle Kennedy 10.00 pm - Nial Toner & Johnny Rowan 11.00 pm - DJ Julian Lloyd SCANBITZ STAGE 5.00 pm - Aidan Coleman 7.00 pm - TBA 8.00 pm - TBA 9.00 pm - Slowfoot 10.00 pm - Og & The Uglies 11.00 pm - Clara Rose THE GONZO THEATRE MARQUEE The Theatre Tent will be hosted all weekend by the resident band - The Gonzo Minstrels 6.30- 7.30- Gonzo Launch from T...

The Lone Ship, Rachel Corrie

I am posting this today in support of the ship carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza, the Rachel Corrie . This ship, which left from my home town (Dundalk), last week - now finds itself in the eye of the world's media. On board are people from Dundalk and from all over Ireland; there are also peace activists from Malaysia and the UK on board. Our own Taoiseach, Brian Cowen, has asked the Israeli government to allow the ship to successfully deliver its aid. The cargo has been checked - as have all the boats in the flotilla - by customs officials before the ship set sail. Here is a recent announcement from the ship: RACHEL CORRIE: MV Rachel Corrie is now the sole ship on the international freedom flotilla moving towards Gaza. The Malaysian and Irish peace and humanitarian activists aboard share their deepest grief and sense of lost with the loved ones of those killed and injured in the illegal action undertaken by Israel on Monday 31st May 2010 in the international waters of the Medit...