Poetry Readings - Mullingar and Sligo

Two poetry readings one after another, Mullingar Scribblers on Monday evening and the Poets' Parlour, Yeats Memorial Building on Tuesday evening. I really enjoyed both and was impressed by the numbers at each and the enthusiasm shown by the participants.

Mullingar Scribbers is a writing group facilitated by Grace Brennan. I talked about my writingand the experience of having a collection published, interspersed with readings of some of my poems. We had a lot of discussion about form and themes, language and grammar, and we ended with an exercise.

I gave them as a prompt half a line from one of my poems "I remember my cat". They produced a great variety of pieces, prose and poetry,taking the prompt to unexpected places. The Scribblers meet every week and publish anthologies of their work regularly, volume 5 was published last year.

Then the Poets' Parlour in the Visitors Centre of the Yeats Memorial Building in Sligo. A very friendly setting with a fire on and fellow Doghouse poet Monica Corish present. The first half consisted of the open mic which had the usual impressive variety of theme and treatment. Almost everyone present was a writer and read on the night so it was a very knowledgeable and sympathetic audience.

Eily Kilgannon was a great host and MC and contributed to the evening by reading some of the love poetry of Shakespeare it being the week of the Bard's birthday. We also had poems by W.B.Yeats, Hilaire Belloc and Brian Patten.

I was the second half of the night and read about twelve poems mostly from the Doghouse collection. I really enjoyed reading in Sligo. I think was the first time I had read poetry in the county so it was special.This Poets' Parlour takes place once a month and will take a break during the summer. Check the website for details.

There is also a Yeats Poetry Circle which meets every Wednesday morning in the Visitors centre from 10.30am to 12.30pm which gives an opportunity for poetry lovers to socially gather, to share their favourite poetry,  poetic inspiration and recite from heart. All Welcome!

Now a rest before Dundalk on Saturday.