Culture in Dublin – Summer 2012: 1 of 3: Poetry

Dun Laoghaire

Gallery Goes To DLR – July 2012

Curated by Chris Binchy (Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown Writer In Residence 2012).

I was late for the poets in Dun Laoghaire Town hall.

My humblest apologies to Frank McGuinness, I missed his gravelly voiced recital. But I heard Eiléan Ní Chuilleanáin and Conor O’Callaghan both recite examples of their work.

I don’t know the names of the poems they chose but I will tell you briefly of the emotions which they stirred.

Eiléan Ní Chuilleanáin reminded me of my own Mum (who is not a poet) but they both accept and tolerate our generation and in their own way allow us to become frustrated with them without giving in to us. I took all this from her while she recited her poem about taking off her shoes on the Skelligs.

Conor O’Callaghan wrote a poem about Information technology.  It made me think about rewriting anICT blog, as his poem drew him on an adventure into the ‘Server’ room of a University I applauded silently any poet who used the beauty of the written word to convert electricity and technology into art.

Conor also tweets couplets under the account @thepearlworks check them out!!

Both poet’s serious subjects are tinged with the Irish propensity for dry humour as well as highlighting the divide between middle and older age.

There is something quite different listening as a poet recites their own work. It doesn’t feel like a poem anymore but more like an intimate glimpse into a part of their mind previously closed off from the world. Like a finely written play you feel you are alone in their company.

After these two poets had finished their solo pieces I again apologised silently to Frank McGuinness. So I looked up a poem of his on line which made me even more irritated with myself.

Have a read of Fists.

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