April is Poetry Month in Limerick

The Limerick Writers’ Centre Presents April is Poetry Month in Limerick 2023.

During the 30 days of April, with over 15 events and over 20 performers, Limerick’s annual poetry festival April is Poetry Month in Limerick returns. Once again poetry will fill the streets and intimate venues of this historic city of Limerick. Long associated with poetry and literature the Limerick Writers’ Centre inaugurated the festival in 2013. For the month of April Limerick will showcase the best from the world of poetry, including local and national guest readers!

Dominic Taylor, director of the festival, emphasises the community aspect of the festival he said ‘poetry, like all genuine cultural activities, must have its roots among the “clay and soil” of its communities’.

Limerick’s poetry scene will be celebrated at this year’s festival with readings and pairings of poets including a host of locally residing poets including Ciaran O’Driscoll , Kieran Beville, Eleanor Hooker, Jim Bourke, Eoin Devereux, Edward O’Dwyer and Michael Durack. Other special guest poets appearing during the month are Jamie O’Halloran, Frances Browner, Imelda Maguire, Anne Donnellan, Anton Floyd and John Liddy.

Four poetry books will also be launched by community press Revival Press from Tim Cunningham, Ron Carey, Kieran Beville and Michael Durack. All readings and book launches take place in The People’s Museum of Limerick, Pery Square.

On Sat 15th April – A Poetry Workshop with Ron Carey. 10am to 1pm will take place at The People’s Museum of Limerick, Pery Sq., called ‘In Their Own Words’ contemporary Irish poets, Jane Clarke, Brian Kirk, Catherine Phil MacCarthy and Michael Farry will provide personal insights into one of their favourite poems directly to the workshop, in writing and by video. After an in-depth analysis, the participants will use these poems to help ignite their imagination and, with the help of the facilitator, meet the challenge of writing their own inspired poem on the day.

The annual memorial reading honouring the late Limerick poet Desmond O’Grady will take place on Wednesday 19^th April at 7.30pm in The People’s Museum of Limerick with poets Eleanor Hooker, Ciaran O’Driscoll and Jamie O’Halloran. Eleanor Hooker is also the judge of the Desmond O’Grady International Poetry Competition for this year and she will announce the winner of this year’s competition after the reading.

On Tues 18^th April The Acoustic Club songwriter open-mic takes place in the Record Room of The Commercial Bar, Catherine Street. Songwriters and wordsmiths are invited to come and perform or just come and listen.

And on Saturday 22^nd April there is a special reading of Poetry in Spiritual Places That People Have Forgotten to Visit with surrealist poet Kevin Bateman. Location/time to be announced.

Four programmed readings from Lime Square Poets will take place on-line on Zoom 6^th, 13^th, 20^st and 27^th April. Guests are Mary McColley, Simon Lewis, Threa Almontaser and Jimmy O’Connell plus open-mic after the readings.

Failte Ireland accredited tour guide and author Joe Coleman, in association with Limerick Writers’ Centre, will again lead the Limerick Literary Trail. The tour will take place on two dates during the month Thurs 6^th and Thurs 20th April. It is free to join the tour but booking is advisable. Start point Bedford Row at Richard Harris statue. 2.30pm.

On Poetry Day Ireland Thurs 27^th April the Limerick Writers’ Centre invite you to explore the Ashling/Vision poem tradition with John W. Sexton. 7.30pm. The People’s Museum of Limerick, Pery Sq., Limerick.

Also on Thurs 27^th The University of Limerick as part of Poetry Day offer a Poetry Reading featuring Anton Floyd, Students from the MA in Creative Writing at UL, Meskell UL-Fifty Poet in Residence, Emily Cullen and Eoin Devereux1pm to 2.15pm Atrium Area, University Concert Hall, UL

Again this year all events (except workshops) are free and open to the public.

So come and join the fun, we are looking forward to welcoming you!

See inside the festival brochure for further details or check out their Facebook page www.facebook.com/aprilispoetrymonthinlimerick

NOTE: Enquiries about April is Poetry Month in Limerick contact: Dominic Taylor at limerickwriterscentre.com or 087 2996409.