Poetry festival to return to Limerick this April
A FESTIVAL will return to fill the streets and historic venues of the city with poetry this April.
Limerick’s annual poetry festival, 'April is Poetry Month' in Limerick, will return for 30 days, with over 15 events and over 20 performers.
In 2013, the Limerick Writers’ Centre inaugurated the festival. This coming month, the festival will showcase the best from the world of poetry, including both local and national guest readers.
Festival director, Dominic Taylor, emphasised the community aspect of the festival. “Poetry, like all genuine cultural activities, must have its roots among the “clay and soil” of its communities,” he said.
This year, the festival will include a host of local poets, such as Ciaran O’Driscoll, Eoin Devereux, Kieran Beville, Eleanor Hooker, Jim Bourke, Edward O’Dwyer and Michael Durack.
For the occasion, four poetry books will be launched by community press, Revival Press, from poets Tim Cunningham, Ron Carey, Kieran Beville and Michael Durack – all readings and book launches will take place in The People’s Museum of Limerick, on Pery Square.
On Saturday, April 1, a poetry workshop will take place with Ron Carey from 10am to 1pm. Titled ‘In Their Own Words’, the workshop will feature personal insights from several contemporary Irish poets.
On April 19, a memorial reading will honour the late Limerick poet Desmond O’Grady 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.
On April 18, The Acoustic Club songwriter open-mic will take place in the Record Room of the Commercial Bar.
On April 22, a reading of ‘Poetry in Spiritual Places That People Have Forgotten to Visit’ will take place with surrealist poet Kevin Bateman.
Programmed readings from Lime Square Poets will take place online, on Zoom on April 6, 13, 20 and 27.
In association with Limerick Writers’ Centre, Failte Ireland accredited tour guide and author Joe Coleman will lead the Limerick Literary Trail.
Full programme can via limerickwriterscentre.ie