Kildare poet to launch collection spanning 20 years

“It’s really a diary of your life, all your major moments, things that meant something to you, so you sat down and went to the effort of recording them in a heightened way that translates into poetry,” explained Newbridge poet, Darren Donohoe, as he described his eagerly awaited debut poetry collection titled Secret Poets.

Featuring his best work spanning the last 20 years, the award winning poet and playwright is launching his book on Saturday, April 23, at the Riverbank Arts Centre in Newbridge. Lockdown provided him the opportunity to sit down and leaf through his hundreds of poems and transform fragmented pieces of work into a cohesive collection.

Secret Poets is published by Turas Press and supported by Poetry Ireland, Kildare County Council and Kilkenny County Council.

Darren was awarded the Dennis O’Driscoll Award 2020 from Kildare County Council and also achieved a Poetry Town Bursary from Poetry Ireland to support the development of this collection. The accomplished playwright also had recent productions in London and Milan and has upcoming work being presented in Washington DC.

Secret Poets charts the poet’s journey through illness and his determination to uncover the sublime hiding within the every day.

Having been diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease in 2010, he explores his battle with the disease. He explained there is also allot of wit and comedy in his poems.

Darren’s poetry is widely published in journals and magazines including Poetry Ireland Review, Irish Times, Irish Independent, Cyphers, Banshee, and Dedalus Press.

This event will be hosted by the Kildare poet and academic, Dr Derek Coyle while editor of Turas Press , Elisabeth McSkeane will also give her insights followed by readings from Darren. The book can be purchased on the night or at www.turaspress.ie/shop.

For more information on the event, go to www.riverbank.ie.