The pSoken Wrod & James Joyce

Join us outside Clonakilty Post Office

Tuesday June 16th 11.45 a.m.

Enjoy a leisurely stroll to De Barra's

For a Joycean Breakfast

Together with Excerpts from Ulysses

Readings from Ulysses will be scattered amongst traditional liver, kidneys, cheese.
Thanks to de Barra's and O'Neill's Butchers for sponsoring breakfast.

The pSoken Wrod....June, 2015

Lots On.......

June is only just on the ori zon, the longest day, et al, and already the month is blooming in literary activity with.....

June 2nd....Ian Wild....

....At The pSoken Wrod at de Barra's, Clonakilty, a little after 8.30 p.m.

Our guest speaker is very well known throughout West Cork...and far beyond...for his abilities as a writer, poet, composer, stage director - a man for all seasons.

His work includes numerous plays and short stories for RTE Radio One. He was workshop leader at the Munster Literature Centre and has taught creative writing at the Triskell Arts Centre, Kinsale College of Further Education and Tig Filí, Cork. He has published several works of short stories and poetry and staged musicals, not forgetting "Mrs Shakespeare". She was even taken to Stratford-on-Avon. The Bard may well have turned in his proverbial. Ian's work carries a flair of unique imagination - it is taken as given that the evening will be similarly creative and unpredictable.

There is no cover charge to the events but there is a passing copper pot for donations to keep The Wrod afloat. Follow on Facebook -  Psoken Wrod, Twitter -  @Psoken Wrod
e-mail: psokenwrod@gmail.com

June 16th....Bloomsday!...

Brendan McCormack has brought to the Wrod some great ideas, one of which, as an almost ex-Dub is to celebrate Bloomsday. This may be a first for Clonakilty, and in keeping with Leopold Bloom's stroll around Dublin, those who wish may join the celebration of one of Ireland's finest poets with a stroll around Clonakilty.

The ensemble shall assemble outside Clonakilty Post Office at 11.45 a.m. and at midday, wander down Pearse Street to de Barra's, (already in receipt of the James Joyce Pub Award for an authentic Irish pub) where, in the folk club, a Joycean Breakfast will be served, including port wine, blue cheese, liver and kidneys.

Several of our poets, including Hennessy award-winner Afric McGlinchey, poet Brendan McCormack and others will be reading extracts from Ulysses. Printed extracts from the famous work will be available to those who might feel inclined to read a little Joyce whilst breakfast and other refreshments are consumed. If you know nothing of Ulysses, this is the opportunity to listen to a little of the work in a relaxed and informal setting.

The pSoken Wrod is indebted to Ray Blackwell, de Barra's, and O'Neill's Butchers for sponsoring the breakfast ingredients! This does not, however guarantee that your understanding of Ulysses will be replenished.

June 18th -21st...Clonakilty Organic Arts Festival

Another first in Clonakilty, a three day event of artistic expression involving artwork, literature, music, song and dance. 

Members of the pSoken Wrod will present their work at two venues:

Friday 19th June, 5-7 p.m. de Barra's Folk Club.

Saturday 20th June, 10.00 p.m. onwards, Emmet Hotel Beer Garden. 

A list of the participants will be posted nearer the day.

Remember................pSread The Wrod...........

The pSoken Wrod....May, 2015...

...and it feels as though we have hit the ground running. The year is beginning to positively pulsate with enthusiasm from all quarters and May's guest speaker was of the same order... Danielle McLaughlin.

Danielle has also hit the ground running.  Over the past five years, her stories have appeared in various anthologies including The Bone Woman and other short stories, recently published by Cork County Library and Arts Service, the Fish and Bristol Short Story Prize Anthologies. She has won awards and competitions and will be published later in the year, also being interviewed in 2014 by the New Yorker. 

The Wrod is predominantly populated by poets, and it was a pleasant surprise to find the audience captivated by Danielle who arrived suitably armed with an amazing collection of flash fiction and short stories, both beautifully written and narrated, full of imagery that was very easy on the ear. She left the audience wanting for more at the end of each vignette, so much so that she was called to the stage on three occasions throughout the evening. Her interview with Moze Jacobs was informative and inspirational and is on You Tube at:

https://youtu.be/vSsvYaJWp-M

https://youtu.be/IVXgb8J5mDc and with Dave Jordan, Cormac Lally and Moze Jacob's at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2O4N7L2xGI&feature=youtu.be

The open mic was suitably well-attended with Flycisco Reb, Nick Smith,Brendan McCormack, Anja Bakker, Eamon, Moze Jacobs, Michael Ray, Cormac Lally, a very convincing Frank "Bud" Jones, aka Francisco and Simon Lockwood.

Left, Cormac Lally

Below, Flycisco Reb, aka Francisco Rebollo aka Frank "Bud" Jones who can be seen, together with Eamon at:

https://youtu.be/linc7IYAczY

Left, Moze Jacobs.  See Cormac Lally, Dave Jordan and the Moze Jacobs Stand-up Interview at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2O4N7L2xGI&feature=youtu.be

Congratulations to Mary Rose McCarthy and Silke O'Reilly, members of Clonakilty Writers' Group who have been short-listed for From The Well, Cork County Library and Arts' Office Short Story Competition. Well done, ladies.

The pSoken Wrod.....April, 2015..

April, and The Wrod featured in the Irish Times 'on-line' with a piece written by Brendan McCormack about his move to West Cork.  Link at:

http://www.irishtimes.com/culture/books/the-psoken-wrod-an-open-mic-night-in-clonakilty-that-is-a-hub-for-local-writers-1.2158683#.VRmFfnRrgZo.facebook

April 7th pSoken Wrod commenced two hours earlier with a poetry workshop, sponsored by pSoken, facilitated by Afric McGlinchey.

Afric demonstrated the art of discovering and unleashing the subconscious with a series of practical, hands-on exercises. Workshops, so invigorating.

Later that evening, the guest speaker was poet, Kathy D'Arcy whose quick-witted fire-power poetry was brilliant, not only in content but in presentation.

Kathy drew from her experience as a youth worker with an insightful piece which was basically a charge sheet.

Watch Kathy at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSqxnTw3VLM













Pushing ahead with technology, more of the evening was uploaded to our You Tube account, see Kathy and others at:


Anton Floyd, Winner of the 5-Word - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjbP_kdtKeY
Francisco Rebollo - https://youtu.be/04tMbP9IVU4
Anja Bakker, Nick Smith, Brendan McCormack - https://youtu.be/6ZoYtPdNkxY

April was sorry to hear of the death of Gunter Grass, now walking in time to the beat of a different Tin Drum, leaving a little piece of immortality.

The pSoken Wrod.... March 2015...

In January, a steering-group of volunteer background boffins met to establish a think-tank; (too many clichés spoil the plot). The group comprised Afric McGlinchey, Brendan McCormack, Mary Rose McCarthy, Nick Smith, later joined by Claire Marie Barton with Hugh Bradley as sleeping partner. The meeting overflowed with ideas, positive energy and plans for guest speakers and workshops. January and February saw Adam Wyeth and Paul Casey as guest speakers with more planned for March, April and May.

In addition, a new Twitter account established by Brendan overshot the 100 mark very quickly, now has over 1000 followers!  @PsokenWrod ...follow that.....

So, Tuesday, March 3rd...

...and Native Dub, Brendan McCormack, recently arrived, led the Wrods in words, presenting a performance workshop, provided individual feedback to presenters' with good tips, pointers and suggestions that showed an immediate effect on second reading. Nice one, Brendan.

The Open Mic was also under the leadership of  Brendan, who gave more food for thought at the Moze Jacobs Stand-Up Interview, then read a couple from his own collection.

A first was the hesitant use of a digital camera to make a live recording of part of the proceedings. Link is:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fq-n2LRBBwM&feature=youtu.be

Brendan and Sherna were presented with a card and a tree  from all at the pSoken Wrod and Clonakilty Library Writers' Group as a wedding/house-warming present.

Hugh Bradley

                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

                                               Michael RayBrendan and Sherna with Moze Jacobs

Moze Jacobs

The theme for the evening, "What is Irish - Expressions or Impressions" was well handled with several impromptu/improvised presentations. Interesting to note that there were eight different nationalities represented which provided rich perspectives on Ireland and Irishness.

Good to see guests from as far afield as Cork, Mexico, Poland and Ballydehob together with the local contingent. Thanks and congrats to all bared all at the open Mic: Colm Scully, Afric McGlinchey, Hugh Bradley, Francisco Rebollo, Trace Irwine, Nick Smith, Claire Barton, Michael Ray, Simon and Alex Lockwood, Moze Jacob, Dominic Sebastian, Donogh O'Loghlin, Mags Creedon, Anja Bakker and Peter Tadd. The bar was raised yet again.
Thanks as ever to De Barra's, Garry on sound, all who provided listening skills and Cork County Council Arts Office.