We must thank the folks at Charlie Byrne’s Bookshop, Galway, for their efforts for the Colette Wittorski reading there on February 18th, and the Clare Three-Leggéd Stool Poets for their terrific work in organising her reading from ‘Northern Lights’ at Glór, Ennis, on February 20th. Brian Mooney and other poets also read and the group will read again on March 27th at ‘The Forge at Gort’ festival, and Yuki will play before her return to Japan. Books were sold there, music was played; our thanks to Yuki, Michel and Andrew, who very kindly played for us. My personal thanks to Kernan Andrews at The Galway Advertiser for running a very nice piece on Colette Wittorski, who was visiting Ireland and Galway for the very first time. Here are three links to the events, poetry and music:

The Third Forge At Gort Literary Festival takes place March 26th and 27th at Gort, Co. Clare All events are free. The festival is organised by The Western Writers’ Centre (Ionad Scríbhneoirí Chaitlín Maude) Galway and is sponsored by The Arts Council, Poetry Ireland and the generous assistance of Knute Skinner, Edna Keil and Pat O’Callaghan, Drew Logan (USA), Noel Monahan, and our thanks to The Lady Gregory Hotel, O’Grady’s Bar and Restaurant and Sullivan’s Royal Hotel, Galway County Council and the Staff of Gort Library.

♥ Details from westernwriters@eircom.net and 087.2178138 ♥

• The preliminary line-up for this festival features: John Arden, novelist, with Patrick Early, poet – Friday March 26th – 8pm – Gort Library; Marty Mulligan (performance poetry) Friday, March 26th – Gallery Café - 10.30 pm; Pete Mullineaux – Workshop (poetry) 11am - Sullivan’s Hotel - Saturday, March 27th; Rab Fulton, storyteller - 12 noon - Gort Library; Rosemarie Rowley – 1pm – O’Grady’s Restaurant – Saturday March 27th. 1pm. Kate Thompson – Saturday March 27th - 3pm Gort Library; Pádraig Ó Moráin & Paul Dooley (harp) – Saturday March 27th -7pm- Gort Library; Clare Three-Leggéd Stool Writers’ Group & Yuki Nishioka (violin) – Saturday, March 27 - 4. 30pm – O’Grady’s Restaurant; Saturday, March 27th – Stephanie Allen-Early (venue to be announced) Details Fred and Niamh at westernwriters@eircom.net
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