Free events planned for Poetry Town Naas, 10th - 18th September

Naas is taking part in Poetry Town, an initiative from Poetry Ireland in partnership with Local Authority Arts Offices.  An exciting range of free activities takes place around the town and online over 9 days from 10th - 18th September.

20 towns across the island of Ireland are participating in Poetry Town, a celebration of the pride, strength and diversity of our towns, with more than 100 free activities lined up across all the towns.  Each Poetry Town has a Poet Laureate who has been commissioned to write a poem honouring and reflecting their Poetry Town and its people. Dr Mary O’Donnell, 2021 Poet Laureate for Naas, wrote the poem 'Night Drive to the Harbour in Nás Na Ríogh, specially commissioned for the Poetry Town initiative and inspired by the historic town of Naas. The poem was unveiled at a special online event on Friday 10^th September where Mary read her poem with contributions from Dr Catherine Gander, Maynooth University, Mayor of County Kildare, Cllr. Naoise Ó Cearúil, Deputy Mayor of Naas Municipal District, Cllr. Evie Sammon and Naas based singer-songwriter Pete Kavanagh.

Naas Poetry Town events include ‘Poetry Underfoot’ where lines of poetry were drawn on the town’s streets, Café & Chemist poems handed out to the public by local businesses, Poetry Nights with local poets, an Open Mic poetry night, an afternoon poetry and music event, a family treasure hunt along the canal and more.

Poetry Town is an initiative of Poetry Ireland in partnership with Local Authority Arts Offices. It is made possible with funding from the Arts Council’s Open Call funding and is also supported by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland. The Naas Poetry Town programme is supported by Kildare Library and Arts Services, who actively engage in a wide range of collaborative programming across the cultural realm.

Read 'Night Drive to the Harbour at Nás na Ríogh', by Dr Mary O'Donnell, Poet Town Laureate for Naas.

See details of Poetry Town Naas events.

Learn how your school can get involved.

Image: Cllr Naoise O'Cearuil, Mayor of Kildare, Cllr Evie Sammon, Deputy Mayor of Naas, Lucina Russell Kildare Arts Officer, Dr Mary O'Donnell, Poetry Town Laureate for Naas, Dr Catherine Gander MU, Pete Kavanagh musician, Martina Shannon Poetry Town local coordinator,. Image credit: Brian Cregan

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