A most engaging Open Mic in Woodbine

Dawn Behan MC'd the evening.

That there's a very deep well of writing talent in Kilcullen was very clear at last evening's Open Mic in Woodbine Books, writes Brian Byrne. The Kilcullen Creative Writing Group hosted the event in association with Irish Book Week.

Memoir, poetry, fantasy fiction, with a leavening of music and song, was the recipe for the night, supported by Brigid 1500 and the Books at One Community Fund.

For several ontributors, it was their first public performance, including Kayleigh Treacy, who literally had turned up at the door and was very brave to go first on the card. Two excellent poems, themed respectively on family grief and supporting a young girl in broken love were short, and strong.

David Murray, a stalwart of the group since its founding, then gave the audience a memoir on being a favourite uncle to his nephew, the piece segueing into his role as a teacher to some 400 pupils during his career and how at a certain point, they must be waved goodbye.

Phil Cummins's diary extracts from the Covid lockdowns humorously reminded of a period that was so seriously disrupting, but which we can now smile about.

We got a childhood memory from Bernie Murray that inspired her short poem, Rosemary's Bog. Beauty, tranquillity and the bog's special colours were brought vividly to life.

The exact science of pulling a pint of Guinness was central to a memoir from Mary Orford, about working in the family Knockaulin Bar while growing up. Alas, a science that has been lost in the modern era. But the experience also gave her valuable life lessons.

John Geoghegan provided the first musical interlude, which included a dark lyric about Devil Children making things difficult for people working in shops. He also reprised what had initially been written as a possible Eurovision entry. Could have been a contender.

Orla Ní Sheaghaidh can always be counted on to give us an engaging sideways look at life, and didn't disappoint. Her latest piece, The Ramblings of a Professional Witch, was a hilariously wicked brew that left everyone in high spirits.

Then it was time for Charlie Gregova to give us a rendition of Elsa's Song from The Amazing Devil folk group. Their performance was spellbinding. Later in the evening, they gave us an equally intense poem on their journey from being a child of darkness to embracing the light.

A journey through depression, as related by Henry Murphy, showed that there are stepping stones to hope for everybody in that situation.

Celia Murphy's three poems offered us a reflection on memories in New Abbey graveyard, a memory of a house on Eagle Hill, and the interruption of a picnic by a wasp that was really a recollection of family. Celia is always able to build brilliant mind pictures.

From regular contributor to Woodbine events, Jo Doyle, there was a piece on the joy of stitching embroidery and how it brought her back to the life of her 'three times great grandmother' from Mountmellick.

Anne Coakley's poem about the autumn solstice recalled evening walks at dusk, with swallows and swifts 'in relay races across the sky', and more.

A fantasy short story from Daniel Nolan was generated by his interest in gaming, with wars between humankind and Minotaur beasts offering a wild savagery to the evening.

Ann Gaynor's poem on the 'cock step' of extra light in the evenings after the winter solstice was one of annual hope, when we can 'feel the breeze sweep your cheek as you trod the damp, broken ground'. 

Ray Kelly came in as a'wild card' to the event, to read a poem by a UK-based cousin who had spent many of his boyhood summers in Kilcullen. It was a recollection of what's now The Valley, where 'We watched the birds, the bees, the leaping trout, the midnight swimmers when the moon came out; I close my eyes and can still smell the smell of the fresh cut grass where the crab apples fell'.

The performances closed with a return by Kayleigh Treacy, a poem about her brain, creating 'scenarios for a million different things that don't even exist'. And we could all relate to that.

Great evening. Tough, if you missed it.

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