If you are anywhere near Strokestown this May Bank Holiday weekend, you’ll find plenty of poetry-themed activities going on – and most of them are free to attend. The 20^th Strokestown International Poetry Festival kicks off on Thursday, May 3^rd and continues with events throughout the days and evenings until May 7^th.

There will be street entertainment, film screenings, music, and of course, lots of poetry, with readings from 70 different writers, including school children, and local, national and international poets. There’s pub poetry, comic verse – and an opportunity to recite your favourite poem to an audience. Activities will be going on in and around Strokestown Park House and the Percy French Hotel, with street performances in the town centre where there are huge poster poems up on lampposts and railings for the duration.

You can find out more in the local press, or log onto www.strokestownpoetry.org, where there is a detailed programme online, and the opportunity to book for the four headline ticketed events.

Meanwhile, everyone is invited to the following FREE EVENT – ALL WELCOME: Home, a Bealtaine Film Poem Commission.    

On: Friday 4^th May 2018 At: 2pm In: The Percy French Hotel, Strokestown. Introduction by Poet, Enda Wyley.

Home, is a poetry film commission between Age & Opportunity/BEALTAINE in partnership with Poetry Ireland. A visual artist and a poet came together to develop a short film poem working with a community group in response to the festival theme hospitality, hosting and welcome. The poet is Enda Wyley and the artist is Anita Groener. Phone 087 4110293 for further details.

Check it all out here