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Gabriel Fitzmaurice, Jerry O’Sullivan, Deirdre Walsh, Paschal Sheehy and Eoin Hand at Poetry From The Pulpit at St John’s Theatre Listowel on Thursday night. Photo by Dermot Crean
WB YEATS, Percy French, Gerard Manley Hopkins and many more poets had their work read aloud at a charity event with a difference last night in Listowel.
The brainchild of Radio Kerry presenter Deirdre Walsh, ‘Poetry From The Pulpit’ saw well known Kerry people take to the stage in St John’s Theatre to read their favourite poems.
They were also interviewed about their choices by the host which made for an entertaining, thought-provoking and frequently funny night, enjoyed by the audience, who dug deep to raise funds for the Kerry Hospice Foundation and raised €1,600.
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Among those who took part were former Republic of Ireland soccer manager Eoin Hand who recited ‘The Isle Of Innisfree’, RTE’s Southern Editor Paschal Sheehy who chose ‘No worse, there is none’ by Gerard Manley Hopkins and ‘Fragments’ by Brendan Kennelly and All-Ireland winning Kerry captain Dara O Cinneide who recited ‘Ní Ceadmhach Neamhshuim’ by Seán Ó Riordáin and Gabriel Fitzmaurice’s ‘At the Ball Game’.
Andrea O’Donoghue, Breda Barry, Maura Sullivan, Bridie O’Connor and Ita Behan at Poetry From The Pulpit at St John’s Theatre Listowel on Thursday night. Photo by Dermot Crean
Fitzmaurice himself read one of his own poems, ‘Obsession’, Radio Kerry’s Elaine Kinsella recited ‘The Bottom Lash’ by Rita Ann Higgins and ‘On Raglan Road’ by Patrick Kavanagh, Kerry Rose Sally Anne chose ‘Ach I Dunno’ by Percy French and ‘Hope’ by Emily Dickinson and ‘Vicar’ Joe Murphy selected ‘Advent’ by Patrick Kavanagh and ‘Desiderata’ by Max Ehrmann.
Joanna Keane read her father John B’s ‘The Street’, former Kerry star Liam Hassett chose ‘Begin’ by Brendan Kennelly and ‘The St Michael’s Scholar’ by past pupil Wayne Dowling. novelist and journalist Breda Joy read ‘All Legendary Obstacles’ by John Montague and ‘The Hospital’ by Patrick Kavanagh, while Radio Kerry’s Jerry O’Sullivan chose ‘The Second Coming’ by WB Yeats and ‘Mirror in February’ by Thomas Kinsella.
Since last year, Deirdre Walsh – who presents the station’s ‘TalkAbout’ programme – has been an Ambassador for the Kerry Hospice since last year and having seen the wonderful work done at the Palliative Care centre at University Hospital Kerry, she decided to organise an event to help them in some small way.
The funds raised will be used to upgrade a bathroom in the Unit to include a jacuzzi bath, some nice lighting and surround-sound music system.
Deirdre thanked the participants, Kerry Hospice PRO Andrea O’Donoghue, Maire Logue from St John’s, Listowel for their help in planning the event and everyone who came to make the night such a success. Scroll down for photos…
Joanna Keane, Dara Ó Cinnéide, Deirdre Walsh and Elaine Kinsella at Poetry From The Pulpit at St John’s Theatre Listowel on Thursday night. Photo by Dermot Crean
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Aisling O’Brien and Marie O’Brien at Poetry From The Pulpit at St John’s Theatre Listowel on Thursday night. Photo by Dermot Crean
Aidan, Eleanor and Aideen Quinlan at Poetry From The Pulpit at St John’s Theatre Listowel on Thursday night. Photo by Dermot Crean
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Dee O’Sullivan, Mary Twomey and Melanie O’Sullivan at Poetry From The Pulpit at St John’s Theatre Listowel on Thursday night. Photo by Dermot Crean
Deirdre Walsh with Radio Kerry colleagues Treasa Murphy and Fiona Stack at Poetry From The Pulpit at St John’s Theatre Listowel on Thursday night. Photo by Dermot Crean
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Tommy Walsh, Maureen Walsh, Sabrina Marsh and Gavin Marsh at Poetry From The Pulpit at St John’s Theatre Listowel on Thursday night. Photo by Dermot Crean
