Christmas Poems

Nice to see members of the Meath Writer's Circle with poems in the Chronicle.  I published my first poems in the Chronicle as far back as 1982 and I have never missed a Christmas Edition since then.  Tom Clarke from Dunboyne a former member is still being represented in the Christmas page while Tess Ryan from Baconstown and of course Frank Murphy are both well to the fore.  Having a poem or two in the Chronicle for Christmas has always been important to me as there is a huge readership and the feedback is great.  You can get published in all the literary publications during the year but come Christmas it is the Chronicle that takes pride of place

Happy Christmas

Happy Christmas to all our members both adult and junior.  We have a break now until Thursday 12th January when we will meet in the Trim Castle Hotel while the juniors will meet on Saturday 14th in the Navan Library.
2011was a year of ups and downs winning the Drogheda  Poetry Grand  Slam and losing the Poet of Fingal Cup, Getting  a Highly Commended Certificate in Dromineer and losing in The Battle of the Books, getting published in The Stony Thursday for the second year in a row and in the Moth Magazine.  Memorable readings in McHugh's Pub in Drogheda, Tullaghanstown Bog and the College Green Hotel for Poetry Ireland. and the publication of my 13th book,'Famine Trilogy'
2012? well who knows, I would hope to see my book which is with The History Press published and maybe another collection of poems and I would hope to pen a few decent poems  and this of course is the most important aspiration of all.  The Meath Writers Circle has now grown to an unwieldy 20 members  all based around a core group which includes Mick Sheils, Frank Murphy, Willie Hodgins and Paul Martin

Local Songs and Poems

Launched on Friday Evening before a crowd of about two hundred which included some of the biggest names in Meath Football this production contains poems from a number of local writers.  It is available from the usual outlets at 5 euro.  It is just the latest in a cocktail of videos and recording  launched in the past week

Newsletter

And now for a sneak preview of our new newsletter which will be coming on stream in the new year

The latest publications

Left     Just released,   The Bard of Armagh CD which features my long poem   ' On Being Politically Correct'

Right  'Meath Writers Circle DVD which features the work of sixteen members

A Serious Error

The LMFM anthology which was launched last night in Drogheda contains the work of around forty writers.  It is a well produced book but it contains a serious error big enough for me to lose some  sleep.  In the acknowledgments on the back cover there is a line which reads.   "Tommy Murray of the Boyne Writers"  What can I say except 'Father forgive them for......  How can I ever live this down.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On a lighter note  The Meath Writers Circle launched their DVD containing the work of sixteen writers  writers tonight .   The writers on the DVD include  Frank Murphy, Mick Sheils, Paul Martin,Willie Hodgins, Sean Reilly, Tess Ryan, Moyra Lawlor, Eileen Kavanagh, Pat Bennet, Sean Kane, Andy Kane, Jimmy Peppard, Carmel Murray, John Wiseman and myself.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Congratulations to Mary Jo Gibbons from Kilmessan on getting a highly Commended Certificate in the Francis Ledwidge Poetry Competition.   Mary Joe of course was a member of the Meath Writers Circle for many years.   Congratulation also to Peter Goulding who is making a name for himself in these competitions.  Peter came second.  a word of congratulations to Pat Devaney of the Lib Lab Group for his certificate.  Pat has already made a name for himself in competitions up and down the country