The Cork Spring Poetry Festival, produced by the Munster Literature Centre, will be taking place from the 24-28 of March in various venues dotted around Cork city, such as Grand Parade Library and Cork Arts Theatre.
As tradition dictates, they will have a theme; past themes include ‘Humour and Irony’ and ‘Love and Desire’. The festival is used to focus solely on Irish poetry, but until recently it has extended its reach internationally, allowing attendees to experience and compare poetry from home and abroad. These four days of spring poetry will kickoff with The Farmgate Café National Poetry Award, where the winner will be allowed to do a reading of their choice.
From then on, there will be a closed mic for Cork poetry, readings from noted poets such as Paddy Bushe, Rachael Allen and Róisín Kelly, as well as a reading of Paul Celan’s poetry on the 27th, the centenary of his birth. The last day of the festival will conclude with a second prize reading from the Gregory O’Donoghue International Poetry Competition in honour of the late poet, and other readings.
To learn more about the poets who have readings, visit the festival’s website for their programme.
