Once again poetry in Limerick is set to get a higher profile this April as The Limerick Writers’ Centre and Quay Books in Arthurs Quay Shopping Centre celebrate ‘April is Poetry Month’ in the city.
A host of activities are planned throughout the month including:
The ‘On the Nail’ Literary Gathering in The Loft Venue on April 5th, with two guests poets Gerry Hanberry and Darren Bradish plus continuing throughout the month the White House Poetry Night takes place every Wednesday in April.
The Stanza Collective have their monthly reading on April 22nd 7.00pm in Hook and Ladder Cafe, Sarsfield St. With guests Meabh Ann McCrossan and Same D4Ence. Also on in April is Eighse Michaer Hartnett in Newcastle West from Thursday 14th to Saturday 16th.
This year also sees the start of a Limerick City Poetry Trail with thirty poems displayed in thirty locations around the city, poets are invited to submit their work for inclusion.
This all culminates with a special celebration of World Book Day on Sat April 23rd in Arthurs Quay Shopping Centre where Pat McMahon of Quay books will be distributing roses with every book bought on the day. A special reading will take place from 12.00 to 1.30pm in the Centre with local poets reading and reciting their favourite poems.
Plus a special The Limerick Spring: Festival of Politics and Ideas 'Words on the Street' poetry event takes place Saturday April 23rd, 3pm Lucky Lane, Catherine St. With guests Denise Chaila, Shane Davis, Jared Nadin, Mel White, Sarah Clancy and Paul McNamara.
There is also a lunchtime poetry reading in The Hunt Museum on April 28th National Poetry Day.
World Book Day is marked in over 100 countries and the idea originated in Catalonia where it has been traditional since the medieval era - on April 23rd (St. Jordi's Day) - for men to give roses to their lovers and for the women to give a book in exchange. The idea is to have a touch of inspiration from Catalonia right outside the Quay Books bookstand in the Arthur's Quay Shopping Centre on Thursday April 28th... celebrating World Book Day with books and roses. As it’s a Catalonian tradition special place has been reserved for Catalans or Spanish people who want to read from the vast array of poetry from the Iberian peninsula.
UNESCO has celebrated World Book on 23rd April for 18 years now. UNESCO Member States around the world celebrate the power of books to bring us together and transmit the culture of peoples and their dreams of a better future.
A list of activities that people can engage in to celebrate ‘April is Poetry Month’ will be posted up on the Facebook pages of Quay Books and The Limerick Writers’ Centre each day for the month of April. Pat McMahon would like to stress that all the activities such as Poem in Your Pocket, Memorise A Poem, Revisit A Poem, Bring a Poem to Your Place of Work, Attend A Poetry Reading etc are all simple and easily engaged with, but the combined effect of many people taking part in these activities will enhance the lives of so many. “Poetry is like bread;” wrote the Chilean poet Pablo Neruda, “it should be shared by all, by scholars and by peasants, by all our vast, incredible, extraordinary family of humanity.”
This April you can partake in this feast of poetry, a continuing resource of hope, passion and peace which shines light on our glorious, but troubled world.
Ticket: Free
Phone: +353 87 0523242 Pat McMahon or Dominic Taylor at +353 87 2996409
Web: www.facebook.com/quaybooks or www.facebook.com/limerickwriterscentre
