The Western Writers Centre

Galway-based wordsonthestreet (sic) publishers launched poet Maureen Gallagher’s fist collection, Calling The Tune, at Galway City Library this afternoon. Kicked off by writer Michael McGinley, who had travelled up from Dublin, the new collection is a juicy mix of the raunchy and satirical, sporting a large, luscious peach on the front cover. Galway County Librarian Pat McMahon opened proceedings, back by the opublisher, Tony O’Dwyer, to a packed audience which included playwright Patricia Burke Brogan, one of whose plays is currently on stage in Paris; playwright and novelist John Arden, playwright and writer Margaretta D’Arcy, poet and writer Kathleen O’Driscoll.

- I wonder can I say that? Tony O’Dwyer from Galway publisher, wordsonthestreet, ponders his speech notes while Galway County Librarian opens proceedings; left is Michael McGinley and next to him, Maureen Gallagher.

www.wordsonthestreet.com

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On a bitterly cold evening, Dublin City’s prestigious Merrion Hotel, just off Merrion Square, was the scene of writer, broadcaster and playwright Ulick O’Connor’s launching of The Kiss - New and Selected Poems and Translations, from Salmon Poetry. There was a touch of gala about the evening in the one-time home of ‘The Iron Duke,’ milling around in The Wellesley Room, with bevies of poets, reviewers, musicians, composers and a sprinkling of columnists and the flashing of cameras - and meanwhile, outside, parked by the pavement, an RTE outside broadcast van and its crew waited expectantly for a sliver of news on the pork contamination crisis emanating from Dáil Éireann and the Office of the Taoiseach across the street. So no ham sandwiches or cocktail sausages at this reception! Merlin Holland, grandson of Oscar Wilde, launched the collection, speaking movingly on the nature of poetry; and events were kicked off by a few words from Poetry Ireland’s Joseph Woods. Among those present were Dardis Clarke, poet Sheila O’Hagan, poet and playwright Gerry McDonnell, poet Joan McBreen, whose first-of-two anthologies on contemporary Irish poets comes out next year, starting with those born in 1959. Both Ulick O’Connor and Merlin Holland had boxed in earlier years and they assumed a mock-sparring stance with one another. Ulick O’Connor gave an inspired reading. The new collection includes translations of Baudelaire. Ulick O’Connor, who has read for The Western Writers’ Centre previously at Galway City Library, will read for us again at ‘The Forge at Gort’ second outing in Gort, Co. Galway, on March 27th. A review of the new collection will appear in Kiosque! shortly. (Photos Litpix (c) 2008)

- the light of other days: Merlin Holland, grandson of Oscar Wilde.

- portrait of the artist: (second photo) Ulick O’Connor reading against a backdrop of his portrait. (Below - third photo) Secretary of the Western Writers’ Centre, Sylvia Crawford, has her copy of the poems signed, with Merlin Holland (left) looking on; (Below - immediate): left to right: Ulick O’Connor, Fred Johnston, writer and Director of the Western Writers’ Centre; Joseph Woods, Director, Poetry Ireland.

Prominent UK literary magazine, Ambit, is the latest literary publication to send around letters asking for support in the face of the Arts Council cuts. Meanwhile, French magazine Comme En Poésie No 36 continues a fine tradition of discussing poetry, not merely publishing it. See ‘Kiosque!’. . . .

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