During the 30 days of April, with over 15 events and over 26 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 some of the best from the world of poetry, including local and national and international 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 such as Donal Ryan, Jon Kenny, Jim Burke, Eoin Devereux, John Liddy, Tommy Collins, Mike MacDomhnaill and D’or Seifer. Other special guest poets appearing during the month are, from the USA, Partridge Boswell with Los Lorcas also from the USA Sandy Yannone plus Anton Floyd, John W. Sexton, Gabriel Rosenstock, Arthur Broomfield, Niamh Twomey, Seamus Cashman, Tom Conaty, Daragh Bradish, Paul Bregazzi, Noel King, Matthew Geden and Ross McDonnell.
Four poetry books will also be launched by community press Revival Press from Mike MacDomhnaill, Tommy Collins, Jim Burke/John Liddy and Gabriel Rosenstock. All readings and book launches take place in The People’s Museum of Limerick, Pery Square.
The poetry kicks off on Wednesday 3rd April at the ‘First Wednesday Series’ in the Whitehouse Bar with guest poet from the USA Sandy Yannone 7.30pm.
Presented in association with Poetry Ireland the annual memorial reading honouring the late Limerick poet Desmond O’Grady will take place on Wednesday 17th April at 7.30pm in The People’s Museum of Limerick with poets Arthur Broomfield, Niamh Twomey and Matthew Geden. Arthur Broomfield 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.
Four programmed readings from Lime Square Poets will take place on-line on Zoom 4th, 11th, 18th and 25 th April. Guests are April 4-Italo Ferrante April 11-Grace O’Doherty, April 18 – Marie Studer and April 25 – Thaddeus Ó Buachalla plus open-mic after the readings.
On Sunday 14th Anton Floyd presents Depositions, an audio/visual presentation of his recent book which deals with the worldwide refugee crisis and displacement. 3.00pm at The People’s Museum of Limerick.
On Sunday 21st John W Sexton presents Scéine and the Hag of Beare Meet Saint Killian – Tensions in the Creative Imagination: an essay, with accompanying poetry sequence. The People’s Museum of Limerick. 3.00pm.
On Poetry Day Ireland Thurs 25th April the Limerick Writers’ Centre invite you to ‘What the Thunder Said’ an introduction and reading on Modernist poetry with reference to TS Eliot and The Waste Land.
The last event of the month features US poet Partridge Boswell and Los Lorcas give a concert which includes poetry and music at the People’s Museum of Limerick 3.00pm.
Again this year all events 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.
View the Festival brochure here (hover over link and click):
April Poetry Month 2024