“On the 29th of June, Galway based multi-instrumentalist Tom Portman will release a new collection of songs and music entitled “Float Your Blues Away” in the Courthouse Gallery. A staple musician in many prominent Irish original music bands, Tom has simultaneously cultivated a thriving solo career playing a blend of blues, contemporary and jazz-tinged original music. On his new album, Tom fuses aspects of these different styles whilst bringing the unique cadence of his singing voice to the fore, whilst the rich and dulcet tones of Dobro and guitar typify a musician at the top of his game.

Admission €10

See tomportmanmusic.com  for more details

Eamonn and Drucilla Wall will read from their latest collections and Jessie Lendennie will read from her memoir, To Dance Beneath the Diamond Sky, 

Originally from Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford, Eamonn Wall now lives in St. Louis, Missouri, and is Smurfit-Stone Professor of Irish Studies and Professor of English at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. He teaches courses in Irish, Irish-American, and British Literature, directs the UM-St. Louis Irish Summer School in Galway, and serves as the director of the Irish Studies Program.

Eamonn is the author of six collections of poetry: Sailing Lake Mareotis (2011) A Tour of Your Country (2008),Refuge at De Soto Bend (2004), The Crosses (2000), Iron Mountain Road (1997), and Dyckman-200th Street(1994), all published by Salmon Poetry. His New and Selected Poems, will be published by Salmon in 2014. Individual poems have been published in The Shop, Poetry Ireland Review, Cyphers, West47, TriQuarterly, Crab Orchard Review, South Dakota Review, River Styx, The Recorder, New Hibernia Review, Eire-Ireland, Nebraska Review, and other journals. His non-fiction books include Writing the Irish West: Ecologies and Traditions, published by University of Notre Dame Press in 2011, From the Sin-e Café to the Black Hills, a collection of essays, was published by the University of Wisconsin Press in 2000 and awarded the Michael J. Durkan Prize by the American Conference for Irish Studies for excellence in scholarship.  Wall’s essays, articles, and reviews ofIrish, Irish American, and American writers have appeared in New Hibernia Review, Irish Literary Supplement, The Irish Times, The Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, South Carolina Review, An Sionnach, and other journals. Eamonn’s poetry and prose has appeared in the following anthologies: The Book of Irish-American Poetry from the 18th Century to the Present; Irish Writing in the 20th Century: A Reader; Wexford Through Its Writers; Flood Stage, An Anthology of St. Louis Poets; The Big Empty, Contemporary Nebraska Nonfiction Writers.

A longtime member of the American Conference for Irish Studies, Eamonn Wall served as president of the organization from 2005-2007.

Drucilla Wall was raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She received her B.A. from the University of Wisconsin, her M.A. from the University of Nebraska-Omaha, and her Ph.D. in English from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. She teaches poetry and essay writing, and Native American literature, at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. In addition to poetry, her essays appear in journals and anthologies. She has earned awards and fellowships for her work, including the Mari Sandoz Prairie Schooner Short Story Award, the Western Literature Association Willa Pilla Prize for Humor in Writing, and University of Nebraska Fling and Larson Fellowships. Her first poetry collection The Geese at the Gates was published by Salmon Poetry in 2011. She lives in St. Louis, Missouri, and has spent summers with family and friends in Wexford and Galway, Ireland, since 1985.

Jessie Lendennie  began to publish her poetry in England during the 1970s, and in 1981, she moved to Galway,  where she was a founder member of  the Galway Writing Workshop, and founding editor of Salmon Publishing. Since 1985 she has run the press as its editor and managing director, commissioning, editing, and  publishing over 400 books of poetry and prose.

Jessie Lendennie reading                                                                            

In 1988 her book, a prose poem entitled ‘Daughter’, was published, followed in 1990 by ‘The Salmon Guide to Poetry Publishing‘ and in 1992 by ‘The Salmon Guide to Creative Writing in Ireland’. A new edition of ‘Daughter’,with added poems, was published in 2001, and reprinted in 2003. In 2007 she compiled and edited ‘Salmon: A Journey in Poetry, 1981-2007‘,which includes poems from poets published by Salmon during those years. In 2009 she compiled and edited ‘Poetry: Reading it, Writing It, Publishing It’, which includes essays from poets and publishers on the art of poetry and the realities of the marketplace. In 2010 she compiled and edited ‘Dogs Singing: A Tribute Anthology’, which includes poems in celebration of the canine world, from over 200 poets. Her second collection of poetry ‘Walking Here‘ was published in 2011.  She is currently working on a memoir ‘ To Dance Beneath the Diamond Sky’.

The Salmon Bookshop & Literary Centre presents a poetry workshop with poet and prose writer, Eamonn Wall.

Saturday June 29th:

Time: 10.00am – 5pm (break for lunch 1 – 2)

Venue: The Salmon Bookshop & Literary Centre, 9 Parliament St. (opposite the Courthouse Gallery), Ennistymon, Co. Clare.

The fee is ¤60.00, with a concession fee of ¤50.00 for the unemployed.

Inquiries and bookings to Jessie Lendennie – jessie@salmonpoetry.com. Phone 065 7071856.  Please book by the 26th.

Originally from Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford, Eamonn Wall now lives in St. Louis, Missouri, and is Smurfit-Stone Professor of Irish Studies and Professor of English at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. He teaches courses in Irish, Irish-American, and British Literature, directs the UM-St. Louis Irish Summer School in Galway, and serves as the director of the Irish Studies Program.

Eamonn is the author of six collections of poetry: Sailing Lake Mareotis (2011) A Tour of Your Country (2008),Refuge at De Soto Bend (2004), The Crosses (2000), Iron Mountain Road (1997), and Dyckman-200th Street(1994), all published by Salmon Poetry. His New and Selected Poems, will be published by Salmon in 2014. Individual poems have been published in The Shop, Poetry Ireland Review, Cyphers, West47, TriQuarterly, Crab Orchard Review, South Dakota Review, River Styx, The Recorder, New Hibernia Review, Eire-Ireland, Nebraska Review, and other journals. His non-fiction books include Writing the Irish West: Ecologies and Traditions, published by University of Notre Dame Press in 2011, From the Sin-e Café to the Black Hills, a collection of essays, was published by the University of Wisconsin Press in 2000 and awarded the Michael J. Durkan Prize by the American Conference for Irish Studies for excellence in scholarship.  Wall’s essays, articles, and reviews ofIrish, Irish American, and American writers have appeared in New Hibernia Review, Irish Literary Supplement, The Irish Times, The Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, South Carolina Review, An Sionnach, and other journals. Eamonn’s poetry and prose has appeared in the following anthologies: The Book of Irish-American Poetry from the 18th Century to the Present; Irish Writing in the 20th Century: A Reader; Wexford Through Its Writers; Flood Stage, An Anthology of St. Louis Poets; The Big Empty, Contemporary Nebraska Nonfiction Writers.

A longtime member of the American Conference for Irish Studies, Eamonn Wall served as president of the organization from 2005-2007.

http://salmonpoetry.com

http://jessielendennie.com

Salmon Poetry receives financial assistance from the Arts Council / An Chomhairle Ealaíon

Life in 3 Words is a collection of songs written by Ennis native Emer O’Flaherty, which will premier at the Ennistymon Courthouse Gallery on FRIDAY 14 JUNE at 8 pm.

Tickets : €10  –  Please call : 065 – 707 1630

Emer, who studied voice with Máire Keary Scanlon in Limerick and piano with Geraldine Hanly and Carmel Griffin before going on to the RoyalIrishAcademy of Music, Dublin will air her more sultry tones to sing about life, loss, love and lust, in her performance.  She regularly plays The Ginger Jam Sessions in Brandon’s, Ennis and has performed lead roles with various musical societies throughout Clare, Galway and Limerick.  The title of the show ‘Life in 3 words’ originates in the fact that almost all of the songs have three word titles, and interestingly each are written in a different key.

The show will go on to be performed as part of the 2013 Edinburgh Fringe Festival from August 2nd to 10th.

ETAIN McCOOEY

Etain McCooey studied oboe under Helmut Seeber and took master classes with Chicago Symphony legend Ray Still.  She has been working as an orchestral player over the past number of years, plays for various musicals and shows around the country in addition to her recording and composition work.  She works with actor Eleanor Feely on a theatrical and musical piece ‘Wild Winds’ and is a member of the Clare Memory Orchestra.

KAREN KELLY
Karen Kelly is a classical violinist. Her influences span from the simplicity of baroque string music to more contemporary scores. Her performances have included orchestral works, chamber music and has played lead violin for the much loved musicals, including Les Miserables.  A former violin teacher, Karen has now established a career as a music therapist. Bringing her classical roots to the group, she now also shows a particular preference for cafe style playing.  

IAN LAMB

Ian is a very talented guitarist and well known as a maker of low whistles.