Launch of 'The Stony Thursday Book'

ONE of CUISLE Limerick City International Poetry Festival’s several highlights was the launch of ‘The Stony Thursday Book’ compendium on Thursday 24.

Edited by Paddy Bushed, he chose 116 poets for inclusion and at The Stony Thursday Book event in 69 O’Connell Street, at least 30 read their works, among them Robin Parmar and Justin McCathy.

Painter John Shinnors had officiated at the relaxed opening the previous evening in Jerry Flannery’s Bar. Poets who participated in the four day festival included Anthony Cronin, who along with the late Seamus Heaney, is one of only six member of Aosdana elevated to the status of Saoi.

Dominic Taylor, Barney Sheehan, Louis Mulcahy at the international festival’s opening night in Jerry Flannery’s Bar







Although the launch night appears to have been well attended, it was sad to see the very poor audience for Anthony Cronin at The Belltable, for the closing function of the festival.

Finnegans Wake

“They lived and laughed and loved and left.” 
― James Joyce, Finnegans Wake

A special place.......

Visit this unique place and collection and rekindle memories and spark your creativity
http://www.oldirishways.com

Donal Ryan: The Thing About December: Review

A review of Donal Ryan's (Tipperary,Limerick!) latest book
http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/books-arts/review-donal-ryan-the-thing-about-december-29672764.

IRISH writer Nicola White has won the 2013 Dundee International Book Prize,

IRISH writer Nicola White has won the 2013 Dundee International Book Prize, the UK's most lucrative award for debut novelists.

She receives the £10,000 (€11,720) cash prize and a publishing deal for 'In The Rosary Garden', a crime thriller inspired by a true case of infanticide in Ireland in the 1980s.

http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/books-arts/irish-writer-wins-10k-for-debut-novel-29705016.html

Desmond O'Grady : The Great Outsider of Irish Poetry

Great article about Desmond O'Grady

http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/books-arts/the-great-outsider-of-irish-poetry-26709201.html

Anthony Cronin... Connections between two Bloomsdays

Thursday, 24 October 2013

Donal, Director of Bloomsday in Bruff, with Anthony Cronin at Cuisle in Limerick on 26th October 2013.

Don't miss the wonderful video at the end of this post: scroll down!

Anthony Cronin (born 1928 in Enniscorthy, County Wexford) is an Irish poet, novelist, biographer, critic, commentator and arts activist. He received the Marten Toonder Award (1983) for his contribution to Irish literature.

He is a founding member of Aosdána, was elected Saoi of Aosdána in 2003 and is a member of its governing body, the Toscaireacht. From 1966-68, he was a visiting lecturer University of Montana and from 1968–70, Poet in Residence at Drake University. He had a weekly discourse, 'Viewpoint', in the Irish Times from 1974–80. He has written biographies of Brian O'Nolan and Samuel Beckett. Arts activist who persuaded Charles Haughey - he was cultural and artistic adviser to the former Taoiseach - to found Aosdána and support struggling writers, composers and artists with the annuity known as the Cnuas. Involved in organising the first ever Bloomsday celebration. Produced television programmes including ‘Between Two Canals’ and ‘Flann O’Brien - Man of Parts’.

Bloomsday (a term Joyce himself did not employ) was invented in 1954, on the 50th anniversary of the events in the novel, when John Ryan (artist, critic, publican and founder of Envoy magazine) and the novelist Brian O'Nolan organised what was to be a daylong pilgrimage along the Ulysses route. They were joined by Patrick Kavanagh, Anthony Cronin, Tom Joyce (a dentist who, as Joyce's cousin, represented the family interest) and AJ Leventhal (Registrar of Trinity College, Dublin). Ryan had engaged two horse drawn cabs, of the old-fashioned kind, which in Ulysses Mr. Bloom and his friends drive to poor Paddy Dignam's funeral. The party were assigned roles from the novel. They planned to travel round the city through the day, visiting in turn the scenes of the novel, ending at night in what had once been the brothel quarter of the city, the area which Joyce had called Nighttown. The pilgrimage was abandoned halfway through, when the weary pilgrims succumbed to inebriation and rancour at the Bailey pub in the city centre, which Ryan then owned, and at which, in 1967, he installed the door to No. 7 Eccles Street (Leopold Bloom’s front door), having rescued it from demolition. A Bloomsday record of 1954, informally filmed by John Ryan, follows this pilgrimage.
Watch the wonderful short film clip here

Limerick Writers' Centre Tuesday 5th September

Joyce and Poetry and also short story writing competitions in UK

Joyce’s first published book was Chamber Music, a collection of 36 love poems. His poetry was noticed by Ezra Pound and T.S. Eliot and included in Pound’s influentialImagist Anthology of 1914. Pound wrote of Chamber Music: “the quality and distinction of the poems in the first half … is due in part to their author’s strict musical training … the wording is Elizabethan, the metres at times suggesting Herrick.” Known as a lyric poet, Joyce based some of his poems on songs. His poems have been set to music by composers including Geoffrey Moyneux Palmer, Ross Lee Finney, Samuel Barber, and Syd Barrett of Pink Floyd, as well as the group Sonic Youth. Despite his poetic success, Joyce is better known as a novelist, and by 1932 he had stopped writing poetry altogether.

List of Writing competitions in UK
A list of short story writing competitions in UK with links and full detail

http://www.booktrust.org.uk/books/adults/short-stories/prizes/

An early Bloomsday in France!

An early Bloomsday celebration was the Déjeuner Ulysse at the appropriately named Léopold Restaurant in Les Vaux de Cernay, near Versailles. It was organised by Sylvia Beach, publisher of Ulysses, and her partner, Adrienne Monnier, in June 1929, to celebrate the first French edition of Ulysses. Among the guests were some of the most prominent figures in French literature at that time: Léon-Paul Fargue, Eduard Dujardin, Paul Valéry, Jules Romains, and Philippe Soupault. Also in attendance was Samuel Beckett, though he does not appear in the photograph.

Eden by Eugene O'Brien at Lime Tree

EUGENE O’Brien, the man who wrote  ‘Pure Mule’, really wrote this  sensitive play of a love story undone, ‘Eden’. It was staged at  The Abbey Theatre and  ‘Eden’ won Best New Play at The Irish Times Theatre Awards. For one night only this Friday 18th October

'On the Square' Music Session Thurs 17th Oct 2013, The Square Bar, John's Square, Limerick

'On the Square' Music Session Thurs 17th Oct 2013

October 9, 2013 at 9:41am

Limerick Writers' Centre Presents
'On the Square' Open Mic Music Session
8.30pm @ The Square Bar,
John's Square, Limerick
Thursday 17th  Oct 8.30pm
The ‘On the Square’ Open-Mic Music Session, upstairs in The Square Bar, St John’s Square, Limerick is situated in the heart of Limericks new artistic quarter. The session, hosted by Sean MacLeod, takes place every second Thursday at 8.30pm and welcomes musicians and singers to perform either their own original material or their favourite songs. 
We welcome a wide variety of musical styles, from folk to alternative to spoken word. So if you want to take part come along early and sign up for the open-mic.



Each session we present a special guest performer who will entertain the audience, this week, Thursday 17th October, we welcome Limerick singer/songwriter Niall Quinn, former drummer with The Hitchers.


If you wish to play contact Dominic Taylor at limerickwriterscentre@gmail.com to book a spot or turn up on the night.

All are welcome those who wish to perform or just listen. Free admission

Cuisle Limerick City International Poetry Festival Launch this evening

This year the Cuisle Limerick City International Poetry Festival will feature evening performances by Anthony Cronin, Biddy Jenkinson, Macdara Woods, Hugh Maxton, David Wheatley, Adam Wyeth, and Jo Slade.

We especially welcome poets from our partner festivals, which this year is extended to Italy. Veronika Dintinjana (Slovenia), John Davies (UK), and Marco Viscomi (Italy) will be bringing their talents to Limerick.

First Bloomsday Celebration: Bloomsday(a term Joyce himself did not employ) was invented in 1954, the 50th anniversary, when John Ryan and the novelist Flann O'Brien organised what was to be a daylong pilgrimage along the Ulysses route. They were joined by Patrick Kavanagh, Anthony Cronin, Tom Joyce (Joyce’s cousin and the only family representative that Ryan could find) and AJ Leventhal (Registrar of Trinity College, Dublin). A Bloomsday record of 1954, informally filmed by John Ryan, follows this pilgrimage.

for full detailsof Cuisle Festival click here

Limerick City of Culture 2014 funding

Limerick City of Culture 2014 funding to the tune of €6 million in Budget.

Finance minister Michael Noonan said he was “very pleased to announce that €6 million funding has been provided to the Limerick City of Culture 2014 project”.

“Limerick city was chosen as Ireland’s first ever City of Culture and I am sure that the project will be a resounding success,” he explained.

“The Limerick City of Culture 2014, together with my decision to reduce VAT to 9% in the tourism and hospitality sector and to reduce the air travel tax to €0 will attract thousands of new visitors to the city.

“I would like to wish all involved with the City of Culture project every success over the next year and I look forward to attending many of the events in 2014.”

The announcement draws to a close months of speculation about funding for the project, which was announced by arts minister Jimmy Deenihan in July 2012.

Click here to read full article in Limerick Leader

Man Booker Prize

• Man Booker gets youngest winner NEW

  New Zealand author Eleanor Catton becomes the youngest ever winner of the £50,000 Man Booker Prize for her novel The Luminaries, which is also the longest to win in the prize's history.

Arthur Griffiths and James Joyce

Historian and biographer Anthony Jordan, delivered a talk entitled ‘James Joyce and Arthur Griffith’ at the James Joyce Centre on Monday 14 October .

Anthony is the author of fourteen books of which many are first biographies of important Irish historical figures such as: Major John MacBride, Sean MacBride, Conor Cruise O’Brien, Christy Brown, WT Cosgrave, Eamon de Valera, and John A Costello. He also written two books on the relationship between WB Yeats, Maud Gonne and John MacBride, and published an autobiography The Good Samaritans – Memoir of a Biographer. His latest book is called Arthur Griffith with James Joyce & WB Yeats: Liberating Ireland.  He has also written pieces for publications such as the Irish Times.

He lives in Dublin but is a native of Mayo and holds an All Ireland Football Colleges medal. He also organises an annual celebration of WB Yeats in Sandymount.

What Happened Bridgie Cleary

What Happened Bridgie Cleary
Another superb production from Bottom Dog Theatre! Do not miss your chance to see this atmospheric production. Innovative location for drama, superb production, great sound and lighting and great performances from Myles Breen, Pius McGrath and particularly Joanne Ryan as Bridgie  Cleary


http://www.limerickpost.ie/2013/10/04/what-happened-bridgie-cleary/

Bloomsday in Bruff 

13th to 16th June 2014 

Put it in your Diary

Joyce and Trieste

http://youtu.be/2uDYidKsnrY
Joyce and Trieste

Write like Joyce

Write in Joyce's own handwriting! Download this wonderful font by following link below

https://twitter.com/dftwaterfall/status/387374682347151361

Joycean ‏@dftwaterfall5h

http://www.classicreader.com/book/353/1/ . Ivy Day October 6 is the anniversary of the death of Charles Stewart Parnell (1846-1891), Irish statesman. Ivy Day

Ivy Day (Irish: Lá an Eidhneáin) was formerly observed on October 6 in Ireland, in memory of the prominent nationalist politician Charles Stewart Parnell (June 27, 1846 – October 6, 1891). James Joyce's short story, "Ivy Day in the Committee Room", features several Irish politicians who fail to live up to Parnell's memory. A small ceremony still takes place at Parnell's graveside in Glasnevin Cemetery on the Sunday nearest 6 October. It is attended by a small number of devotees of Parnell and a brief oration is delivered in his honour (at midday. The day to read from Dubliners....

Committee Day in the Ivy Room

Writing in the sand at Dollymount Strand

What would you write.... Follow link

On the Nail by Limerick Writers Centre

Great evening on Tuesday. Some intense and personal prose and poetry contributions. If you want to go to a friendly Open Mike event you should try a visit. On first Tuesday of each month at The Locke Venue, upstairs at the Locke Bar, George's Quay Limerick. You can check out guest speakers on Limerick  Writers website.Limerick Writers' Centre