Poets in Clifden Library

Some of the visitors to the Library during the recent Clifden Community Arts Festival included Sue Hubbard and Donald Teskey.
Their collaborative new book, The Idea of Islands (Occasional Press) comprises a suite of fifteen emotionally incisive poems and eleven powerfully atmospheric drawings.

The image on the left includes the poets; Michael Coady, Tony Curtis, Rita Ann Higgins and Brendan Flynn. All the poets gave readings in Clifden Library during the Festival.

Three sets of twins visit Ballybane Library

Community Arts Week in Clifden Library

Clifden Community Arts Week is celebrating its 33rd anniversary in 2010, from 16th to 26th of September. It is a great celebration of the Arts which includes poetry readings, lectures, recitals, traditional music, concerts, comedy, etc. all enjoyed in a wonderful relaxed atmosphere in one of the most beautiful places on the West Coast.

Among the acts performing this year are - Christy Moore, John O'Connor, Julie Feeney, Irish Chamber Orchestra, ConTempo Quartet, National Chamber Choir of Ireland, Edna O'Brien, traditional Irish music with Matt Cranitch, John Faulkner, Jackie Daly, Brendan Begley and Caoimhín O'Raghallaigh. There will lectures by Diarmaid Ferriter and Mark Patrick Hederman, as well as a performance from Carol Ann Duffy.

The following events are taking place in Clifden Library

16 September 2010 1:00pm- Poetry reading with John Walsh and Jarlath McDonagh
16 September 2010 4:30pm -Reading with writers from The Wordsonthestreet Press

17 September 2010 1:00pm -Galway Arts Centre advanced writers’ workshop under tutor and poet Kevin Higgins
17 September 2010 4:30pm -Thomas Merton and 20th century writers. Talk by Fr. Pat O’Brien

18 September 2010 10:00am-Memoir writing workshop with Irene Graham

20 September 2010 1:00pm- Ed Boyne launches his poetry collection The Day of the Three Swans (Doire Press)

21 September 2010 1:00pm-Hunger, a Dramatic Recital
21 September 2010 4:30pm -Poetry reading with Orlaith Foyle and Nuala Ni Chonchuir

22 September 2010 1:00pm-American Whaling in the 19th Century
22 September 2010 4:30pm-Reading with poet Rita Ann Higgins

23 September 2010 4:30pm-‘The Idea of Islands’.The artist Donald Teskey with Sue Hubbard

24 September 2010 1:00pm-Reading with poet and novelist Fred Johnston
24 September 2010 4:00pm -Reading with Tony Curtis and Enrique Juncosa.

Galway City Library goes into Space

On the 17th of August at 3pm we all gathered at The Centre for Astronomy at N.U.I.G. It was an event in our “Space Hop” Summer Reading Programme and Dr.Andy Shearer had invited us to visit the 3D visualisation suite to see the stars.
We trod softly through the bowels of the Physics Department, and all of the Space Hoppers had smiles of anticipation as we started our space adventure. We were ushered through a science laboratory where students with furrowed brows peered through spectrometers and we could only imagine the stellar scenes or mind boggling aliens they encountered. We were issued with sunglasses as we entered the 3D visualization suite and took our seats with the other space travelers.
We traveled through our universe, stars of all shapes and sizes whizzing past. John, our captain explained in light years the distance between different stars and it was a measurement beyond our comprehension!! Eight year old Iarla enquired if sound traveled in space and when he was assured it didn’t, he asked how did we know about the Big Bang theory then!
We saw the Milky Way and all it’s components and learned that there is no water on the rusty surface of Mars. We tried to imagine how hot it would be on the surface of the sun and learned that the largest telescope of it’s time was built in Offaly in 1845 and was the largest in the world for over 70 years. We were all enthralled with our space trip and the hour passed quickly.

The children had lots of information to pass onto their parents and maybe a new astronomer was born that day. Thanks to Niamh, Alison, Mark, Gavin, Ben, Daniel, Rosa Marie, Iarla, Ciaran, Liam, Aaron and Diana, together we went to the edge of the Universe and back!

Teddy Bear Storytime in Ballybane Library

Storytime in Ballybane Library.

The children were asked to bring their favourite Teddy's and stuffed animals into the Library and Teddy stories were read.