During the 30 days of April, with over 13 events and over 20 performers, Limerick’s annual poetry festival April is Poetry Month in Limerick returns. Once again poetry will echo in 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 some of the best from the world of poetry, including local, 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 poets such as Ron Carey, John Liddy. Other special guest poets appearing during the month are, from the Scotland Hugh McMillan and Julie McNeill, John W. Sexton, Dominic Taylor, Cora Peters, Kieran Beville, Tim Cunningham, Bob Shakeshaft, Helen Dempsey, Deirdre DeValley, Ger Duffy, Frank Farrelly and Catherine Ronan.

Four poetry books will also be launched by community press Revival Press from Dominic Taylor, Kieran Beville, Tim Cunningham and Cora Peters. All readings and book launches take place in The People’s Museum of Limerick, Pery Square and begin at 7.30pm.

The poetry kicks off on Wednesday 2nd April at the ‘First Wednesday Series’ in the Whitehouse Bar with guest poet from Scotland Hugh McMillan and Julie McNeill 7.30pm. Plus Open-Mic.

Presented in association with Poetry Ireland the annual memorial reading honouring the late Limerick poet Desmond O’Grady will take place on Wednesday 16th April at 7.30pm in The People’s Museum of Limerick with poets Ron Carey, John Liddy and Anne Fitzgerald. Anne Fitzgerald 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 3rd, 10th, 17th and 24 th of April. Guests are April 3 –Courtney darby, April 10 –Alvy Carraghe, April 17 – Vinny Glynn Steed and April 24 – Michael Schmidt plus open-mic after the readings.

On Monday 21st April 7.30pm we pay tribute to one of the stalwarts of Limerick Poetry Tom McCarthy. Tom McCarthy has been a regular feature of the poetry scent in Limerick and at one stage he was the MC of The White House poetry Revival in the White House. Join us for a night of music and craic.

On Sunday 27th John W Sexton presents “The Well of Annihilation: Poetry Magic and Pagan Reconstructionism for Our Turbulent Times”—A performative essay and poetry sequence. 3.00pm The People’s Museum of Limerick, 2 Pery Square, Limerick.

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

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