Poetry in motion for the month of April in Limerick

LIMERICK’s annual poetry festival will return this April with over 15 events.

April is Poetry Month in Limerick will return, presenting a total of 26 performances.

Long associated with poetry and literature, the Limerick Writers’ Centre inaugurated the festival in 2013.

Throughout the whole month, Limerick will showcase some of the best from the world of poetry, including local, national and international guest readers!

Dominic Taylor, director of the festival, emphasises 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.

Limerick’s poetry scene will be celebrated at this year’s festival with readings and pairings of poets including a host of locally residing poets such as Donal Ryan, Jon Kenny, Jim Burke, Eoin Devereux, John Liddy, Tommy Collins, Mike MacDomhnaill and D’or Seifer.

Other special guest poets appearing during the month are, from the USA, Partridge Boswell with Los Lorcas also from the USA Sandy Yannone plus Anton Floyd, John W. Sexton, Gabriel Rosenstock, Arthur Broomfield, Niamh Twomey, Seamus Cashman, Tom Conaty, Daragh Bradish, Paul Bregazzi, Noel King, Matthew Geden and Ross McDonnell.

Four poetry books will also be launched by community press Revival Press from Mike MacDomhnaill, Tommy Collins, Jim Burke/John Liddy and Gabriel Rosenstock. All readings and book launches take place in The People’s Museum of Limerick, Pery Square.

The festival will kick off on Wednesday, April 3 at the 'First Wednesday Series' in the White House Bar with guest poet Sandy Yannone at 7.30pm.

The annual memorial reading honouring the late Limerick poet Desmond O’Grady will take place on Wednesday, April 17 at 7.30pm in The People’s Museum of Limerick.

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Four programmed readings from Lime Square Poets will take place online from April 4 to 25.

On Poetry Day Ireland, April 25, the Limerick Writers’ Centre will invite the public to ‘What the Thunder Said’ an introduction to and reading of Modernist poetry with reference to TS Eliot and The Waste Land.

The last event of the month features US poet Partridge Boswell and Los Lorcas give a concert which includes poetry and music at the People’s Museum of Limerick at 3pm.

Visit limerickwriterscentre.com for the full programme of events.