December 16th, 2021 at 4:16 pm
Posted by pc in Uncategorized

9th Ó Bhéal Poetry-Film Competition Winner Announced

28th November 2021

We are thrilled to announce and convey our heartfelt congratulations to poet & filmmaker Janet Lees from the Isle of Man, whose film What I fear most is becoming “a poet” is Ó Bhéal’s 9th poetry-film competition winner, as announced at the 9th Winter Warmer Poetry Festival awards ceremony.

Janet’s film was chosen from 184 submissions received from 122 filmmakers in 32 countries. The 2021 shortlist represents 13 countries: Canada, Ireland, Isle of Man, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Perú, Romania, Spain, Sweden, The Netherlands, UK and the USA. You can view the complete shortlist and screenings here. Our warm thanks to all the poets and filmmakers who submitted this year.

What I fear most is becoming “a poet” (6:10)

Poem: What I fear most is becoming “a poet”

by Katerina Gogou

Synopsis – Katerina Gogou (1949-1993) was Greece’s greatest modern anarchist poetess. Her poems have become synonymous with the radical culture of Greece and with Exarcheia, the Athens neighbourhood known as the anarchist quarter. Born into the Nazi occupation of Greece, she lived through the years of far right military junta oppression and the country’s resurgent anarchist movement in the 1980s. An activist herself, she became a prophet of the movement and her poems anthems for it. She died of an overdose on 3 October 1993. This poetry film was produced by the Institute for Experimenal Arts and commissioned by the art platform filmpoetry.org, as part of the Digital Culture Programme, Ministry of Culture / Greece.

Director: Janet Lees (Isle of Man)

Janet Lees is an artist, poet and poetry filmmaker. Her film-based work has been selected for many festivals and screenings, including the Zebra Poetry Film Festival, the International Videopoetry Festival and the Aesthetica Art Prize. As an artist she has exhibited in group shows around the world. She represented the Isle of Man at the Festival Interceltique in France, with a full-scale solo exhibition of art photography, experimental film and poetry. Janet’s poetry is widely published and anthologised. She has had two books published: House of water, a collection of her poems and art photographs, and A bag of sky, the winning collection in the Frosted Fire Firsts prize hosted by the UK’s Cheltenham Poetry Festival.


 


 
“There were so many beautiful filmpoems entered into the competition, I loved watching every single one of them, and appreciated all of the work, imagination and innovation that went into making them. In the end, the piece called What I fear most is becoming a poet stood out as a stunning example of filmpoetry as a unique art form. Janet Lees has created a powerful visual rendering of Katerina Gogou’s poem. I was both floored and inspired by it. Comhghairdeas ó chroí!”

Paula Kehoe

“This is such an evocative and moving piece. Katerina Gogou’s poem, enormous in itself which speaks so intimately about the poet’s world of peril and uncertainty, met with this filigreed balance of soft pianissimo and perfectly-paced typography, the haunting, completely captivating visuals, the almost hesitant text (in places), and the very absence of voice bringing us so much closer to the poet’s inner sanctum… all just masterfully done. A highly worthy winner.”

Paul Casey

Submissions will open for the 10th Ó Bhéal Poetry-Film Competition from May 2022, at this link.

December 12th, 2021 at 1:06 pm
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Winter Warmer Videos 2021

26th-28th November

Ó Bhéal’s 9th Winter Warmer (and 1st hybrid) festival presented 30 poets live from eight countries. Almost half of these featured guests appeared in-person at Nano Nagle Place, with others appearing virtually.

The festival hosted two poetry workshops, music from Nóirín Ní Riain (in-person), a filmed poetry play, a round table discussion centered on Nurturing Poetry with event organisers and poets from three port cities, a Many Tongues of Cork / An Earth Song session and a closed-mic set for poets who featured regularly in Ó Bhéal’s online open-mic sessions during 2021.

The shortlist and prize-giving for Ó Bhéal’s International Poetry-Film Competition were also screened and simulcast, as was an additional, special selection of poetry-films made in Ireland.

A downloadable pdf programme is HERE. The festival poster is HERE.

Videos of the Winter Warmer events are this way >>>

With special thanks to our Sponsors

The Arts Council of Ireland, Cork City Council, Foras na Gaeilge,
Poetry and Politics II @ University of Vigo, Dunnes Stores, Forum
Publications
, Colmcille, Arc Publications, Cork City Libraries, Poetry Ireland,
Paradiso, The Long Valley and the UCC School of English and Digital Humanities.



September 21st, 2021 at 1:14 pm
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Twin Cities Poetry Exchange

9th & 19th August 2021

Ó Bhéal in association with Cork City Council, Coventry City Council
and Here Comes Everyone

presents a Cork-Coventry Twin Cities Celebration with the launch of a new anthology

Twin Skies – poems from Cork and Coventry


 

You can view the free digital version at this link.

You can listen to the poets’ collective reading here.

Twin Skies celebrates 14 years of poetry interplay between the cities of Cork and Coventry. The 40 poets whose work appears here have each visited their respective twin city on at least one occasion to share their well-crafted words and experiences. Poets included in the anthology read across two online events, at Ó Bhéal on the 9th August and at Fire & Dust in Coventry on the 19th of August.

The anthology is published on the occasion of Coventry’s designation as UK City of Culture 2021. Cork was designated as City of Culture in 2005, a cultural touchstone from which Ó Bhéal eventually emerged as an institution dedicated to the promotion and well-being of poetry and poets, an entity well-matched by its experienced Coventry counterparts.

Since 2009 Ó Bhéal has co-facilitated this exchange hand in hand with an impressive succession of invested partners in Coventry (which along with Stalingrad was the world’s first twin city – and Cork’s first twin). These selfless cultural ambassadors include: John Morley of Heaventree Press (& Night Blue Fruit); Antony Owen; Adam Steiner of Silhouette Press; and Raef Boylan, editor of Here Comes Everyone and event organiser of Fire & Dust.

Our thanks go to the city councils of Cork and Coventry for their ongoing support, as we continue to drive and develop our invaluable relationship for its benefits to poets and writing communities from both cities. Since 2008, the exchanges have been documented across a series of collective reviews by the participating poets, which can be viewed on the Ó Bhéal website at www.obheal.ie.


 

You can watch a video of the event here


February 28th, 2021 at 3:48 pm
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8th Five Words Poetry Competition Winners and Shortlist Announced
 
28th February 2021

 
We are delighted to announce the results of the 8th Five Words International Poetry Competition. Our warm congratulations go to first place winner Sinéad McClure for her poem A Rook Longs For A Badger, to second place (and previous competition) winner Jill Munro for her poem The Chagallisation of Joan and to third place winner Laura Theis for her poem what you meant when you promised we’d go to the circus .

Judge Grace Wells made her selection from 776 entries (and 35 countries). We will be inviting our winners to take part in Ó Bhéal’s 14th anniversary online event (12th April 2021), along with a number of shortlisted poets, for the launch of Five Words Vol XIV.

You can view the online version of Five Words Vol XIV here.

With thanks to all who entered and special congratulations to all the shortlisted poets!

Shortlist & Winners

A Rook Longs For A Badger by   Sinéad McClure (Ireland) 1st Place
The Chagallisation of Joan  by   Jill Munro (England) 2nd Place
what you meant when you
promised we’d go to the
circus
by   Laura Theis (UK) 3rd Place
Held Back  by   Sinéad McClure (Ireland)
Both Ends by   Tamara Miles (USA)
In His Jacket Pocket  by   Jane Salmons (England)
Crossing   by   Eóin Condon (Ireland)
Lightfastness  by   David Evans (Jersey)
Girl Missing by   Jane Salmons (England)
Else  by   Tamara Miles (USA)
Inferred and Implied  by   Glen Wilson (Northern Ireland)
Night Flight  by   Sarah Salway (UK)

Judge: Grace Wells

The 9th Five Words International Competition commences at noon on Tuesday the 13th of April, 2021 and continues until the 25th of January, 2022.


December 12th, 2020 at 12:57 pm
Posted by pc in Uncategorized

Winter Warmer Videos 2020

26th-29th November

Ó Bhéal’s 8th Winter Warmer (and 1st online) festival presented 36 poets live from fifteen countries, over four days in November.

The festival also featured two poetry workshops, four newly recorded Mini-Concerts from Tionscadal na nAmhrán Ealaíne Gaeilge (the Irish Language Art Song Project) devised by Dáirine Ní Mheadhra and John Hess, the shortlist screening and prize-giving for Ó Bhéal’s International Poetry-Film Competition, a Many Tongues of Cork session and a closed-mic set for new voices – poets who have featured regularly in Ó Bhéal’s online open-mic sessions during 2020.

A downloadable pdf programme is available HERE. The festival poster is HERE.

Videos of the Winter Warmer events are this way >>>

With special thanks to our Sponsors

The Arts Council of Ireland, Cork City Council, Foras na Gaeilge, Dunnes Stores,
Forum Publications, Colmcille, Arc Publications, Cork City Libraries, Poetry Ireland, Paradiso,
The Long Valley and the UCC School of English and Digital Humanities.



December 11th, 2020 at 1:48 pm
Posted by pc in Uncategorized

8th Ó Bhéal Poetry-Film Competition Winners Announced

29th November 2020

We are thrilled to announce the winning entry in Ó Bhéal’s 8th International Poetry-Film Competition – Noho Mai.

Our warm congratulations to creators Peta-Maria Tunui, Waitahi Aniwaniwa McGee, Shania Bailey-Edmonds, Jesse-Ana Harris, Lilián Pallares and Charles Olsen from New Zealand, Spain and Colombia.

 

‘Symbolized in the bird’s flight, a group of Māori, Pākehā and Colombian creatives explore life’s journey, the longing to return to the nest, and the life-giving connection with our ancestors.’

Noho Mai’s creators receive the Ó Bhéal award for best poetry-film, designed by glass artist Michael Ray. The shortlisted films were streamed online at the Winter Warmer festival, available to view on the competition page here across two screenings, or via vimeo.com/obheal.

38 films were chosen from 288 submissions received from 181 filmmakers in 49 countries. The shortlist represents 14 countries: Argentina, Australia, Belarus, Canada, England, Ireland, Isle of Man, Israel, Netherlands, New Zealand, Scotland, Sierra Leone, Spain & the USA.

This year’s judges Dareina Ní Chinnéide and Paul Casey, selected one entry to receive the Ó Bhéal award for best poetry-film, designed by glass artist Michael Ray. The winners were announced directly after the shortlist screenings.

 
 

Judges Comments:

“And so, I was drawn into this beautifully filmed, beautiful soundscape, delivered with a natural ease, the first time I watched all the wonderful poetry films submitted to this competition. The sparse lines of the poem ran along the wind of the film with powerful imagery. Strong but subtle. Neither the text, nor the image in the frame, collided – but fused together. The visual elements I was looking for were right there. The text of the poem was powering the vision in this beautiful language, I could not help but respond warmly to this film. It was a huge challenge to choose one overall winner in such a feast of poetry films, one which shone. This one did it for me. Congratulations all.”Dairena Ní Chinnéide

“An absolutely stunning film. The finely wrought dance of words, visuals, music, pace and the dreamlike cadences of the Māori language. Noho Mai delivered everything I look for in a poetry film. A moving, beautiful poem and universal, timeless core of meaning which speaks also to our particularly detached and disconnected times. The filmmaking is a testament to the power of collaborative vision, crafted through the generous talents of six visual artists from New Zealand, Colombia and Spain. I would encourage any and all to relish this gleaming and worthy winner. An exquisite poetry film.Paul Casey

 


Click on CC for subtitles

Submissions will open for the 9th Ó Bhéal Poetry-Film Competition from May 2021, at this link.


November 22nd, 2020 at 3:14 pm
Posted by pc in Uncategorized

Twin Cities Poetry Exchange

August and November 2020

with photos and reviews from Cork and Coventry poets

Emilie Lauren Jones, Matt Black, Jim Crickard and Molly Twomey


 
In August 2020 Ó Bhéal welcomed Coventry poets Emilie Lauren Jones and Matt Black via virtual means to Cork, for online readings at Ó Bhéal and DeBarra’s Spoken Word and a zoom visit to the Lord Mayor’s chambers. Jim Crickard and Molly Twomey represented Cork for a reciprocal visit, being sent (digitally) to Coventry for two readings in November. Reviews, images and links from each poet follow.

A video of the event featuring Emily’s and Matt’s readings can be viewed via our facebook channel.

A zoom interview of the Cork poets by Kate Hills of Hillz FM can be watched here.

A review of the 2020 exchange from our Coventry partners via HCE Magazine can be viewed here.

An interview with Molly Twomey by HCE Magazine can be viewed here.

The poets’ collective review with photographs is at this link.


February 29th, 2020 at 2:01 pm
Posted by pc in Uncategorized

 

7th Five Words Poetry Competition Winner and Shortlist Announced
 
29th February 2020

 
We’re thrilled to announce the winner of the 7th Five Words International Poetry Competition, for his poem Betty Fox is Skipping, is English poet Derek Sellen – and the first poet to win the competition for a second time!

Judges Afric McGlinchey and Michael Ray made their selection, along with the full shortlist of twelve poems, from 595 entries. All going well, Derek will read and take part in Ó Bhéal’s 13th anniversary event (13th April 2020), as will a number of other shortlisted poets at the launch of Five Words Vol XIII.

Congratulations to all of this year’s shortlisted poets and for two highly commended entries from Cliona O’Connell (Ireland) and Rosemary Norman (England).

Shortlist & Winner

Betty Fox is Skipping by   Derek Sellen (England) winner
Evolution  by   Cliona O’Connell (Ireland) highly commended
Automaton by   Rosemary Norman (England) highly commended
Father’s Day  by   Janice Bethany (USA)
Wise and Luminous  by   Ada Volynska (Ukraine)
Smoke Flares, Pyro Prayers by   Lucy Holme (Ireland)
The Boat Crane by   Sharon Phillips (England)
6am. River. Girl.   by   Fiona Ritchie Walker (England/Scotland)
To Paint Death as The
Mountain Pine Beetle
 
by   Michele Ring (France)
Bottled Lines,
Excellent Spirits
 
by   Ada Volynska (Ukraine)
A Small Bee Came to
Rest Upon My Hand
 
by   Margaret McCarthy (Ireland)
La Rue des Touettes  by   David W Evans (Jersey)

Judges: Afric McGlinchey and Michael Ray

Shortlisted poems will appear in Five Words Vol XIII, to be launched at Ó Bhéal on Monday the 13th of April 2020, along with the award presentation and readings from contributors.

The 8th Five Words International Competition will commence at noon on Tuesday the 14th of April, 2020. Due to a significant increase in submissions, the competition will be increasing its prize money.


February 29th, 2020 at 1:41 pm
Posted by pc in Uncategorized

Winter Warmer Videos 2019

22nd-24th November

The 7th Winter Warmer festival saw an marked increase in audience numbers in the KINO and Hayloft Bar over three days. The festival featured 23+ poets, poetry-films, poetry set to music, live performance with film, workshops and a poetry film panel discussion.

The Friday afternoon workshops were fully attended with Kimberly Reyes leading a poetry session while Marie Craven and Claudia Larose-Bell discussed poetry-film. Corn Uí Riada winner and acclaimed sean-nós singer Máire Ní Chéileachair opened the festival, accompanied by Cork musicians Con O’Drisceoil (accordion) and Johnny McCarthy (fiddle, flute).

2019 has a strong poetry-film theme as acclaimed Australian poetry-filmmaker Marie Craven also led a panel discussion, presented a curated screening and directed a live audiovisual poetry performance featuring Australian actor/writer Claudia Larose-Bell. Later into the Friday evening local trio Dourga blended music, song and spoken word.

The Saturday afternoon featured a closed-mic set for ten local poets. Events on Sunday 24th took place at Ó Bhéal’s regular home in The Hayloft Bar (Winthrop St), starting with a selection from Ó Bhéal’s 2019 Poetry-Film competition, followed by a multilingual Many Tongues of Cork session curated by Joanna Dukkupati to celebrate diversity through writing (and translation), featuring six female voices who represent a wide range of Cork communities. The session also included sign language interpretation from Ray Greene, with projected translations.

There’s a fine and comprehensive online review of the festival by Dr Cornelia Gräbner from Lancaster University here. Festival photographer Linda Ibbotson also put together an excellent photographic review on her blog, here.

The playlist of 36 videos is available on Ó Bhéal’s Youtube channel, here.

[L-R] Liz Berry, Afric McGlinchey, Aifric MacAodha & Anne Frater
 

With thanks to the festival sponsors and to the fabulous, ever-expanding team of volunteers. A truly communal effort and brilliant result. With thanks to Lovisa Cosgrave for the excellent videography and editing, and to poet/photographer Linda Ibbotson for the gorgeous photos – all available on our facebook page, at this link.

Sponsored / Supported by
The Kino, The Long Valley Bar, The Arts Council, Foras na Gaeilge, Dunnes Stores, Forum Publications,
Colmcille, Arc Publications, Isaacs Hotel, Cork City Council, Poetry Ireland, UCC English Dept,
Café Torino and Paradiso.



December 16th, 2019 at 12:54 pm
Posted by pc in Uncategorized

Cork – Coventry

with photos and reviews from

Benjamin Burns, Aysar Ghassan, Shaunna Lee Lynch and Raef Boylan.

[L-R] Shaunna Lee Lynch, Benjamin Burns, Aysar Ghassan & Raef Boylan

 

In 2019 Ó Bhéal welcomed Coventry poets Aysar Ghassan and Raef Boylan to Cork in August, while Cork poets Shaunna Lee Lynch and Benjamin Burns were sent (ceremoniously!) to Coventry, for two readings in November.

This year’s twinning activities were funded by the Cork & Coventry City Councils.

The poets’ collective review with photographs is at this link.