Tributes to Trees

I've just heard tonight that I've had one of my poems 'Winter's Trees' included in Forestry England's 100 years of forestry celebration. You can read the poem here https://tributestotreesgallery.shortstack.com/tx0c6j/p1BLd?w=73829318&e=211329674

There are some beautiful pieces included in this year long celebration. You can read them and pay your own tree tribute here....https://www.forestryengland.uk/100

“Come with me to the vintage fair,” she said

I was thrilled to hear today that I've had my poem 'The Vintage Fair' selected for inclusion in the Community Arts Partnership's 2018/19 Poetry in Motion anthology. All entries in the anthology are considered for the 2019 Seamus Heaney Award for New Writing.

Judges for this are Damian Smyth, Maria McManus, Stephen Sexton and Conor Shields.
I'm looking forward to the launch next month at the Seamus Heaney centre.

When writing can be dangerous....

 

I never imagined my writing could cause a road traffic accident, but yesterday it almost did...

It was quite a writing day! It was always going to be a busy day with a writing workshop in the morning and an awards event in the afternoon. And a busy day, requires energy, so writing fuel in the guise of white chocolate and banana muffins was required to kickstart the day.

This was all that remained at the end of yesterday... and they have all disappeared now.
So with muffins baked, writing bag packed for Coney island, I set off, tuning in to BBC Radio Ulster on the journey as I'd noticed on social media there was going to be a feature on the 'Your Place and Mine' programme about the event I was attending in the afternoon at W5 in Belfast. I knew my short story entry had been shortlisted so I was looking forward to hearing all the winning stories and poems. I listened to the Lagan Navigation Trust's http://www.lagannavigationtrust.org/  Chief Officer and this year's storymaking festival writing workshop facilitator, Olive Broderick https://lettersfromladyn.wordpress.com/ . I could hardly believe my ears when Olive read out my poem 'Riverdance' the winner of the poetry category in last year's competition. Hence, there was almost a road traffic accident! You can listen to the entire programme here (the clip is in the last five minutes) https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0002915

So with a singing heart, I ventured on to Coney Island for a very enjoyable morning with my writing friends (including the muffins).

The afternoon was equally enjoyable. The Waterways Storymaking festival celebrates all sorts of storytelling - in stitches, words, music and in song. 

 

These are just a selection of some of the fabulous tapestries created for the festival by community groups around the Lagan valley. The detail included is amazing - I particularly love the swan's feathers.

During the celebration we were entertained by Donal Kearney - his traditional singing is mesmerising https://www.donalkearney.com/folklore.html

A beautiful piece of music had been written for the event by Brigid O'Neill https://www.brigidoneill.com/ The mesmerising 'Lagan Flight of Locks' was performed by Colin Reid.

The Creative Writing element of the festival included poetry and stories. This year's theme was 'Linen on the Lagan'.

 

I was delighted to see my story, 'A breath of fresh air' on display at the event. 

But even more delighted to be runner up in this year's competition.

 
 

 

You can read my story here or catch it in the forthcoming exhibition which is going on tour over the next few months to a number of venues on the Lagan's banks