Why I wont be entering this competition again

I received this email last week and as a result I won't be entering this particular competition again 

Dear Tommy

Congratulations!

Your entry in the Dromineer Literary Festival’s Poetry Competition

The Colony

has been selected for

SECOND  PRIZE.

The Prize giving will take place on Friday, 30^th September 2011 at 7.30 pm in the Lough Derg Yacht Club and it is very much hoped that you will be able to attend.

I did send the details requested only to get a phone call later telling me that it was a mistake and it was a Highly commended Certificate that i had won instead.     Needless to state i was disappointed

Dromineer Results

Of course I don't have the full results for the Dromineer Poetry Competition but I do know that I am among the prizewinners with at least a Highly Commended Certificate and I will also be getting a signed copy of Dermot
Healy's book. ' A Fool's Errand '  The presentations take place on Friday 30th and as I am otherwise engaged in the Navan Library I won't be able too attend and it's not looking good for my attendance at the launch of the Stony Thursday Book either on the 13th October but I'm not ruling it out yet.  Looking forward to a return visit to Castlebar soon

Sworn to Secrecy

I believe that i among the prizewinners in a poetry competition down south ( Ireland ) but I am unable to divulge the details until after the prize giving ceremony, which I won't be attending, in other words I am sworn to secrecy.
My spies tell me that I will be receiving a book of poetry as part of the prize.  If you haven't guessed the location by now well you too will be saving a few bob on petrol

Captain Ahab

Pictured here is the Royal Doulton character Jug depicting the famous Captain Ahab.  This was one of the photographs from my personal collection which i used when i was writing a weekly feature on antiques for the Irish Farmers Journal (Country Living) back in the 1980s

These jugs were first produced at Royal Doulton in 1934 and the one pictured here is dated 1960 

Poetry Reading on the Bog

Just received this image of my earlier poetry reading on the bog.  Over the years I had read in The National Concert Hall, the Westin Hotel, The Armagh City Hall, Listowel, The Imperial in Dundalk, Castleblaney,  and dozens of other venues but never anywhere half a memorable as Tullaghanston Bog

Congratulations

Congratulations to Peggy Murphy on  the launch of her new poetry collection Memories of other Days which was launched  by John Donohoe of the Meath Chronicle in Kilmessan on Thursday night last.   The book (Peggy's second) is available in all local shops at 10 euro.
Peggy is the mother of well known Poet Frank who has been successful in a number of competitions over the years and has two collections to his name

A Great Place to write Poetry

 

Relaxing between the showers in Spanish Point

Thanks

Thanks to both Orla Fay and Peter Goulding, two people who can really afford to be generous with their comments.  I'll probably see them on the 13th.  It's a long way to go to read a poem but I once went to Ballyferriter to read in a topless pub.  It rained and we all got soaked.