Clare Three Legged Stool Poets February Gathering

Concentrated Listening

 I was delighted to receive  an invitation to be a guest at the monthly gathering of the Three Legged Poets Society at Glor on Saturday 20th February.  The guest poet was Paddy Bushe now living in Kerry .  It was a lively afternoon with more than a dozen or so poets reading from their work and many listeners  including Davy Arthur who was in town for a gig in Glór that evening.

I opened the procedings with a pait of planxties by Carolan . Paddy Bushe read from his several collections, most memorably, a love poem featuring a walk in Nepal.  I played  a slow air, Amhran na Leabhar which has connections to Paddy Bushe's home place and the poet filled us in on the background to this song by Tomás Rua

The afternoon had a Valentine flavour with many of the poems featuring love as a theme. Arthur Watson's poems as usual were full of humour. Mary Fean was one of only two women's voices, her poem focussing on an annual anti war protest at Shannon Airport . Willie Clancy was recalled in Brian Mooney's work . A visiting poet from Drogheda impressed with his strong direct delivery .  I closed the musical procedings with a couple of tunes prompted by the tenor of the poems read during the afternnon , My Love is Like a Red Red Rose for Jenny's poem and La Vie en Rose by Piaf , a favourite love song . A very interesting and enjoyable  afternoon was ably compered by Rob Hopkins . The gathering wound down in a leisurely fashion with poets and attendees lingering to chat after the formal procedings were done .

Clare Poets Take a Haiku



Yuki performs Cherry Blossom



Yuki explains her Haiku

I spent the afternnon at The Clare Three Legged Stool Poets monthly meeting at Glor.. There was quite a lot of business to conduct with the launching of the group's Haiku competition for schools.  The afternoon was ably compered by Rob Hopkins and there were many contributers today.  Fred Johnston  spoke about the technical aspects of composing a Haiku.- which is a short 17 syllable poem and not to be confused with a well known ritual tribal dance  ; teachers from Clare schools spoke about the positive impact the inititaive is having  in their schools. Yuki Nishioka spoke about the genre and demonstrated one of her own.  A multi faceted performer she sang and played some traditional Japaneese melodies    It was good to hear a young voice at the gathering and Mark James performed his rap influenced rhymes with and without guitar .


Pat MacNamara of Knockanean NS School





Fred lays down the ground rules



There was good variety in the open mic session. Ilsa Thielen opened with a poem about a horse (a common theme lately), Noel Mulqueen followed with some Yeats and MC Rob read from his own work . Peter Kay was I believe a new voice to the group and remembered the late  and sadly missed Brendan O Beirne.  Arthur Watson's work  always makes me smile and today's offerings about lawn mowers, rural  health centres and acronyms was no exception.  Brian Mooney spoke about forthcoming events and Pat MacNamara disproving the old adage,  (those who can, do and those who can't ....)closed the written word offerings with a powerful war poem of his own.



Mark Jame Poetry Slam Winner

Mary Fean of RINS Fm Shannonside Radio Station was there to conduct an interview with the main movers and shakers in the group. Unfortunately Glór, strangely enough, closed up at 5.15 pm and we had to leave - which  effectively curtailed the informal exchange that is very much part of such an occasion. Next meeting is on Saturday 19th February and features Paddy Bushe from Kerry.  Put in your diary!  http://www.clarepoets.com/

Peter Kay