The Western Writers Centre

The Western Writers’ Centre wish to thank everyone who made the 2nd Forge At Gort literature festival such a success at the weekend. It wouldn’t have been possible without you. From the marvellous evening with poet and biographer, Ulick O’Connor in Sullivan’s Royal Hotel, to the magical wire-strung harp-playing of the celebrated Early Irish harpist, Siobhán Armstrong at Gort Library on Saturday evening and the first-ever public reading by poet Clare Sawtell, it was a memorable second festival. There was, we hope, something for everyone, and Original Writing Ltd even gave a marvellous presentation of the now highly-professional art of self-publishing. Cork-poet Gerry Murphy complemented wonderfully the work of Cavan poet P.J. Kennedy, while Gabriel Fitzmaurice’s reading for children at the library went down a treat; as did the introduction by the editors of Albedo 1 to Ireland’s world of alternative and speculative fiction and the reading production at The Gallery Café of John Arden and Margaretta D’Arcy’s play, now fifty years old but socially relevant, ‘The Happy Haven’ and a great reading by novelist Juliet Bressan. Michael Gibbons illustrated lecture on the heritage of sacred pilgrimage places in Ireland was fascinating; the readings by Patricia Burke Brogan and Gerry McDonnell were delightful. One event led to another as Friday and Saturday progressed. Our sincere thanks to all who attended and especially to those who combined to create this second festival in difficult times. This was all achieved without funding from The Arts Council, who withdrew funding from The Western Writers’ Centre earlier this year. The festival is especially grateful for the assistance, advice or sponsorship of Poetry Ireland, Martina Devlin, Indymedia Ireland (who permitted us to post notices of the festival,) O’Grady’s Bar and Restaurant, Quinn’s Pharmacy (Gort), Minihan’s SuperValu (Gort), AIB (Gort), Sullivan’s Royal Hotel, Scéal Éile bookshop (Ennis), The Galway Advertiser (Kernan Andrews), The Galway Independent, Dubray Books (Galway), Galway Bay FM (Gary McMahon), The Clare Champion, The Clare People, Lyric FM, The Alcazzar Pizzeria (Gort), The Gallery Café (Gort), The Irish Times, Barney Sheehan (White House poets, Limerick), Original Writing Ltd., Mary O’Sullivan, Natalia Surina, CWN, The Irish Writers’ Union newsletter, Galway County Council, Gort Public Library (our special thanks to Eileen, who worked tirelessly to put everything in place), and to a group of other individual writers and the editors of a magazine who contributed individual funding and showed remarkable and heartening solidarity. Our thanks, of course, to Marvelle Maguire, our Administrator, and Sylvia Crawford, our Company Secretary, whose energy was unfailing on the day and to Kevin Gray for his technical assistance. There were websites which hosted notices of the event, such as the Ardilaun Hotel website in Galway, and that of Galway City Community Forum. To all of you - and to the people of Gort - our heartiest thanks. We are in your debt. See you all next year!

- recollections in tranquillity: poet and playwright Patricia Burke Brogan at The Alcazzar Pizzeria, Gort, Co. Galway. (pic (c) LitPix 2009)

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The death has occurred in Galway of writer and Board member of the Western Writers’ Centre, Mr Kevin Donnolly. Kevin was an ardent supporter of the Centre and, during his many years in Galway, had been associated also with his work in the Nora Barnacle House on Bowling Green. We extend our sincerest condolences to his family and friends. 

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Moved by the tragedy of the murder of two soldiers in Belfast recently and the dreadful portents that could usher in, French poet Paul Badin has sent this dedicated poem, which he wrote when on a visit to Galway, as a token of his sentiment for this country in its entirety. Paul Badin was born in 1943 in Angers, and is currently editor of the journal, N4728. He was also one-time co-ordinator of La Mission d’Action Culturelle du Rectorat de Nantes. He has published several collections. On behalf of the Western Writers’ Centre I thank him sincerely. 

plein fouet

rocs, fractures au ciel ouvertes

scènes avec lignes déchiquetées

landes - ire-landes - à ne plus compter l’assaut des vents

chairs burinées

grains fouettés au large

      cependant l’immense table de pierre inclinée pleine lumière et

salves souriantes ici et là sur pâturages

    regards d’embruns du vieux

   sa coque farouche requinquée pour d’autres corps à corps

   toute une prairie bêle en vert

      est-ce l’incessante girouette d’humeurs ou des jeunes baies

ouvertes, l’invitation au bien-être utile plus qu’à l’hiver étoilé des tourbes ?

       le village clos, bavard, ripoline au stout, au whisky, entre gerbes

d’efforts trapus et tournois chopes contre pintes

      rafale de ballades dans le battement des portes et la gravité des

bustes

     tout aussi resserrées, les dernières bières dans l’enclos paroissial,

croix celtiques cinglées d’éternité

    ombres et rafales mesurent ces résistances granitiques ravinées

    c’est tout ce qu’elles cèdent au temps monumental

   plus à l’abri dans les terres rompues à l’usure plein fouet, les

boutonnières de l’éden princier

    fastueux parcs, espèces rares à profusion

    parures de lacs et rivières

    leurs châteaux pour lords et livrées qu’astique en plis impeccables

    l’étiquette et son inimitable zeste de mépris

PAUL BADIN - (extrait de Aspects riants, à paraître)

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