Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Cavan Fleadh Poetry Reading

Just home from Cavan Fleadh where LitLab read poetry at the stage at Farnham St. Library from 1 to 2pm. Very enjoyable session. Three of us read, Paddy, Tony and myself and we were assisted by a number of audience members who read favourite poems. Also a Cavan poet, P.J., was passing by and recited two of his own poems by heart. Very impressive.

The very energetic Cavan Arts Officer, Catriona O'Reilly was there and as well as encouraging audience participation she read some of the LitLab postcard poems (picture below).

An appreciative audience, some sat on the chairs and benches and stayed for the whole hour, others drifted in and out as they passed by, got interested and then left for work or something else. Nice to see Heather Brett, the Cavan poet, who has been associated with LitLab for some time in the audience.

I began the proceedings with The Lake Isle of Innisfree and continued with my own poems. Paddy read classic poems and finished the session with his current favourite The Owl and the Pussycat (picture above) and Tony read a number of his poems.


The set up was great - a large stage in a covered area in the open space outside the library, with benches and chairs for listeners. A very good sound system ensured that everyone passing by, walking, in cars and on the other side of the street heard something of what was going on.

A particular bonus was that fact that proceedings were being streamed live on the internet so I texted my daughter in Perth, Australia and she watched her Dad read in Cavan. Most of the session is now available here on the website of CavanTV. Check the two latest videos under the live feed. I'm the person in blue.

There is a nice cosmopolitan feel to the streets of Cavan at the moment with visitors there from many parts for the week. Next Saturday and Sunday LitLab are reading again, this time in the Arts space, Bullock Lane, just off the main street, 1 to 2 each day. I'll be there on Saturday.

More picture from today later.


1 comment:

skular said...

Excellent viewing from Australia!