broad abroad

Few weeks back went to a poetry book launch for Dedalus Press, a big Irish poetry imprint. Packed house. All ages. Two books, two readers. Had the wee one in tow and by the toe, so missed a bit much. Tho' she was so good really. The only babe there. She was quiet. Nursed. Played quietly behind a partition while the reading continued.

That said, not really looking to repeat the situation too often. Do miss a lot and every nerve on edge that she might disturb the reader and make our family Dublin's Least-Likely-to-Make-Friends. So, was preoccupied. Thereforely, don't have much info on the first fella. But I do recall that bilingual (Irish and English) poet Paddy Bushe read

. In case you're interested, here's a video of him reading at a poetry series in Galway . Much of that series, the Whitehouse Poetry Series, is available on video, so if you're interested in contemporary Irish poetry, check it out!

In other news, this blogger has gotten some creative writing teaching at the Irish Writers' Centre! My first class is due to start at the end of April. I'm busy writing up a syllabus and thinking up lesson plans and looking forward to talking about writing and learning from students and am just over the moon to be teaching writing again! Also positively delirious to have a bona fide reason to ignore the heap of ironing that doth a weight.

And back to the subject of how supportive to artists is ye ol' Emerald Isle, I never did do a proper shout out for mon amour. All our friends and fam out there in blogland will be smiling to know he did get National Arts Council Bursary last winter. Yey!