First All-Ireland Poetry Slam team announced

On Friday the 11th of May 2007, history was made as 2 regional winners from each province sized up their compositions at McHugh’s pub in Belfast, the oldest building in the city. The eight poets had only 2 minutes and 15 seconds to perform each of their pieces in rounds one and two. Then four went through to the final round; Gerard McKeown (Ulster), Colin McKeown (Ulster – unrelated), Noel Sweeney (Leinster) and Brendan Murphy (Connaught).

The excellent organising from Mark Madden (Creative Writer’s Network) and dazzling MC work from Chloe Poems made this a truly great event, and benchmarks the beginning of many to come. The intention is for the annual event to alternate throughout the four provinces.

First and second places went to Brendan Murphy and Gerard McKeown, who now represent the Irish team. They’ll be up against the Welsh, English and Scottish at the BBC Radio Four Slam Championships in July.


Video clips of each performance

Round 1

Brendan Murphy – It’s History

Chris Collins – Leaving Infinity

Gerard McKeown – Beautiful Goth

Colin McKeown – Goldfish Memory

Round 2

Brendan Murphy – Slum Pottery

Gerard McKeown – Your Bathroom, An Apology

Chris Collins – I believe in God

Colin McKeown – No Score Draw

Final Round

Colin McKeown – Learning to skim stones

Brendan Murphy – A very concise history of 20th Century Art

Gerard McKeown – David Hasselhoff, an Obituary