Weekly poetry readings make welcome return to Limerick - but they go underground!

WEEKLY poetry readings are back in Limerick city - but they've gone underground!

The Commercial at Catherine Street in the city centre is the new home for the open mic sessions, every Wednesday from 9.30pm until close.

Space in the venue’s Record Room in the basement has been made available to historian Tony Browne and writer Tom McCarthy who have introduced the event.

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They believe it is a continuation of the weekly poetry sessions that the late Barney Sheehan ran in the White House Pub so successfully between 2003 and 2016.

That in itself was a revival of regular poetry readings from the 20th century.

Starting in 1954, another late wordsmith, Desmond O’Grady founded The Poetry Circle, who regularly held open mic evenings of poetry.

Tony, who lives at South Circular Road, says all are welcome to come and recite a poem, sing a song, or just listen in.
He says he is hoping to secure funding to bring well-known poets to Limerick.

And he praised The Commercial, saying: “It’s an excellent venue. We are in the basement, and it’s a fine space for poetry”.

Some 14 people attended the first weekly poetry reading, but Tony is hoping to grow this.

He will keep the times of the event under review, based on the feedback of those who attend.

Tony described Barney, who died in 2018, as being “witty”.

“But he did not suffer fools gladly. I'll remember that very much!”.