Supporting Fellow Writers

We are delighted to support Gorey Writers, when a number of our members will attend their book launch on Thursday 03 November 2016. Their new book 'Fledglings - An Anthology' will be launched in Gorey Library, Gorey, Co. Wexford.

Reminder - we will be meeting this Monday evening 24 October however we will not be meeting Halloween night as it is a bank holiday.

We're Already Back !

Wicklow Writers are back with our new season! We returned last Monday 12 September, at 7.30pm in Kilmantin Arts, Bridge Street, Wicklow Town and will be meeting every Monday except Bank holidays. 

The highlight of last year's season was the launch of our long term member Nora Fleming's book ‘Threads of Silence’.This event was in Ashford's Community and Heritage Centre earlier this year was attended by over 200 of Nora’s friends and  family, and members of Wicklow Writers.

Photos below!

Wicklow Writers  are currently in the process of publishing our latest book, a collection of short stories from members, to be published later this year.

New members are most welcome - call in or message us on Facebook for any further details. 

See us on Facebook – Wicklow Writers

Welcome Back ! Our gatherings resume Monday12 September 2016!

So as the summer days come to a close and the days become shorter, a new term of writing begins.

When?
Monday 12 September at 7:30pm and every Monday thereafter (excluding bank holidays)

Where?
Kilmantin Arts, Bridge Street, Wicklow.

Who?
The regular crowd ! BUT we love new faces and ideas... So if you're interested in any type of writing, be it poetry, short stories, novels... Then call in on Monday evening and we'll provide you with a chair and a desk.
Or drop us an email or a message on our Facebook page.

Hopefully we'll see you there!

Wicklow Writers

Timeless Skill for the Win

The following is a poem written by Wicklow Writers Member Nora Fleming.  She was awarded 1st prize for Original Poem and was presented with "The Mary Myler Memorial Perpetual Cup"  in the Arklow Feis.  Here's Nora with the cup, and below is a picture of the Subject of the poem, Tailor Michael Johnson.  Congratulation to Nora!

Nora with 'The Mary Myler Memorial Perpetual Cup'.

Timeless Skill

He works alone, sixth generation,
placing the manikins for display
once a thriving family business
the master tailor prepares for a long day.
Through the plate glass window
hot rays of a welcome spring sun shine,
today he has a final fitting
a bespoke suit for a man of distinction.
After years of tireless hand sewing
his index finger bears all the
hallmarks of a pin cushion.
Once feet and inches
Now metres and centimetres
once Singer sewing machines
now automated industrial models.
His forebears turned out twenty suits a year
this three-piece tweed, lovingly crafted, only his fourth this year.
He checks his stitching, slope of the shoulder,
and waits
the most important customer of his life
the most important suit he’s ever made
an inaugural suit of honour
fit for a President.

-Nora Fleming

Michael Johnson, Master Tailor

Merry Christmas & a Safe New Year!

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and Joyful New Year! We will be back in action on Monday 11 January 2016 at the usual place , Kilmantin Arts Centre, Bridge Str., Wicklow Town at the usual time,  7.30pm.
Make it a New Years resolution and put pen to paper and let your thoughts or ideas flow!
See you then
Wicklow Writers! :)

Homework for Monday 9 November 2015 and The White Cow of Derrynane!

So the home work for the Monday night 9 November 2015 is to choose a poem by Patrick Kavanagh and a poem by Mary Oliver and bring them to the Monday evening class to critique/ analyse.

Carolann Murphy ;)


Our very own Martin Swords had the opportunity to visit Women's Writing Group and The Poetry Group at Kenmare Arts Centre. Here is a piece written by Martin Swords that was inspired by his visit.

The White Cow of Derrynane

The White Cow stood

Silently watching

The thatch pulled to ground

The ram smash the gable down

The tears and wails of women and childer

The White Cow watched

The White Cow of Derrynane

Stood quiet hearing

The American Wake

The long journey’s start

To Cobh, to New York, one way

The White Cow saw them going

The White Cow of Derrynane

Stood quiet gazing

As the Liberation coach

Rolled roughly past driven

By hopes and well wishes

To a Parliament of promises

The White Cow watched

It return empty

The White Cow of Derrynane

Watched perplexed

A coach of black, feathered, ribboned

A Liberator, liberated

Of earthly toil unfinished

The White Cow heard the wails

The keen tears as before

The White Cow of Derrynane

Stood watching as brother

Ambushed brother both

Thinking to set the White Cow free

The White Cow needs them both

If she is to survive

But they have killed each other

The White Cow knows

The White Cow of Derrynane

Hears of messages

Words and pictures from far away

Places unknown to the White Cow

The young are gone and going

The old cannot manage not

The White Cow nor the messages

The White Cow cannot understand yet

Has seen its like before

And feels a hunger coming

To the White Cows of Derrynane

Martin Swords

Wicklow Writers

Written in Kenmare and Derrynane National Park

Sept 2015

Upside Down, Rightside Up!

After a 3 month summer break, Wicklow Writers returned to meeting last Monday 14 September from 7.30p.m. at Kilmantin Arts, Bridgestreet, Wicklow. If you are interested in writing, pop down and say hello!

This week the members tried out another idea for a poem's structure. It was to create a poem that you could not only read from start to finish but also from finish to start! An 'upside down, right side up' poem , if you like.
This was J. Ted Voigt's attempt:

Seasons                         by J. Ted Voigt

coming up

Temperatures are 

Falling

No longer are

Leaves

On their branches

Buds

Ended with

Frost

The idea stemmed from a poem by Chanie Gorkin called 'Worst Day Ever?' that was posted on poetrynation.com

http://www.poetrynation.com/poem.php?id=50509

Worst Day Ever?               by Chanie Gorkin                

Today was the absolute worst day ever
And don't try to convince me that
There's something good in every day
Because, when you take a closer look,
This world is a pretty evil place.
Even if
Some goodness does shine through once in a while
Satisfaction and happiness don't last.
And it's not true that
It's all in the mind and heart
Because
True happiness can be attained
Only if one's surroundings are good
It's not true that good exists
I'm sure you can agree that
The reality
Creates
My attitude
It's all beyond my control
And you'll never in a million years hear me say
Today was a very good day


Now read it from bottom to top, the other way and see what Chanie really felt about her day. Pretty clever, don't you think? 

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On 16 August, Nora Fleming visited Gorey Writers to partake in their meeting. They came up with a group poem where each individual that attended gave one line towards the poem. They then put all the lines together to make one group poem. The poem was entitled "Courttown Woods".

Courttown Woods 
Back in the 50’s going to Courtown
Fishing for crocodiles
Throwing a stick
When I imagine a tree
True happiness can be attained
It brought back happy memories
We are dragons, we are real
Found a place, so good to be here, all enriched by each other’s participation
Each supporting each other, in fresh bed
Today was the worst day ever,
Caught a silver trout
There is something good in everyday
Two roads diverge in yellow wood
In leaves no step had trodden, black
Clears the mind.

by the members of Gorey Writers (that attended their meeting on 16 August 2015) 

Some of the members of Wicklow Writers put a spin on the Group Poem (above) and tried to see if they could rearrange the lines to make another poem.

Give it a try!