Laurel Villa Events
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Check out this page for up-to-date information on our Poetry Readings and
news of other Laurel Villa events. Some of these events are promoted by Magherafelt Arts Society, a group which has come together to promote participation in the Arts in Magherafelt and the wider Mid-Ulster area.

Our poetry evenings featuring both up and coming and established poets are unique occasions. Readings take place in an informal, relaxed family setting and are followed by a buffet supper. Why not take a poetry break and incorporate a poetry reading with an overnight stay?
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Some of the poets who have featured at these events are
- Cathal O'Searcaigh
- Joan Newmann
- Ray Liversidge(Australia)
- Iggy McGovern
- Frank Ormsby
- Maura Johnston
- Christopher Somerville
- Declan Forde
- Moyra Donaldson
- Seamus Heaney
- Kate Newmann
- Maria McManus
- Gerald Dawe

Christopher Somerville
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Declan Forde
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A very special event took place in June 2009, a reading
by Seamus Heaney.
The occasion was the 40th Anniversary of the publication of the
poet’s second collection Door Into The Dark which first appeared
in June 1969. He read a number of poems from the featured
collection, including Thatcher, Relic of Memory and A Lough Neagh
Sequence, as well as the poem which gave the collection its title,
The Forge. The packed audience were also treated to some of his
more recent poems such as A Clip and Anahorish 1944 both of which
were set in the locality around Mossbawn, Seamus Heaney’s
birthplace near Castledawson. In characteristic Heaney fashion the
poetry was peppered with plenty of amusing and illuminating anecdotes
which made for a highly entertaining evening.
More recent events have included a bi-lingual Irish/English event Filiocht agus Ceol/ Poetry and Song was held featuring Nollaig Brolly, Philip Cummings and Diarmaid
Ó Doibhlin. During 2011 we had events featuring poets Maria McManus, Kate Newmann and Gerald Dawe.
Our Next Event:
Our next Poetry Evening takes place on 26 May 2012 and will feature an international line-up of three guest poets:
Jeffrey Thomson resides in Maine USA. He is the author of four full-length collections of poetry, two limited-edition art books, and the co-editor of an anthology of emerging poets. He is currently Associate Professor of Creative Writing at the University of Maine, Farmington. In 2011 he was appointed the Fulbright Distinguished Scholar in Creative Writing at theSeamus Heaney Centre for Poetry at Queen’s University.

Jeff Thomson
Since his six month term commenced in January, Jeff has been working on a new collection of poems relating to his Ulster ancestor William Thomson’s emigration to America. He is also in the process of recording emerging Irish poets for his popular website and online archive, From the Fishouse.
Petra White and Paul Hetherington are two established Australian poets who have been selected to represent Australia and the peak body, Australian Poetry on a 2012 tour of Ireland. They will be participating in a range of literary/poetry events and festivals around the country and their May 26 appearance at Laurel Villa is their only engagement in N. Ireland. This initiative is presented by Australian Poetry and due to the generous support of the Australia Council with the aim of increasing cultural exchange between our two strong literary countries.

Petra White Paul Hetherington
Petra White was born in Adelaide and lives in Melbourne, where she works, for the moment, as a public servant. Her first published collection of poetry, The Incoming Tide (John Leonard Press2007), was shortlisted for the Queensland Premier’s Literary Awards and the ACT Poetry Prize. Petra is a well-respected poet nationally and co-edits So Long Bulletin, a blog on Australian poetry and criticism.

Paul Hetherington currently lectures at the University of Canberra. He has published eight collections of poetry. His poems have been published in anthologies, literary journals and magazines in a variety of countries, including the USA, the United Kingdom, Denmark and Japan. Paul is a former director of publishing at the National Library of Australia, was one of the founders and is former Chair of the ACT Writers Centre and currently publishes the online poetry journal, Axon.
This event is supported by Poetry Ireland
Date: Saturday 26 May 2012
Time:8.00pm sharp
Tickets: £10 (includes buffet supper) contact info@laurel-villa.com or T 028 79301459
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