Poetry Ireland reveals 12 poems selected to mark Poetry Day Ireland

Poetry Ireland has revealed that Poetry Day Ireland 2024 will take place on Thursday, April 25.  

Hundreds of events will be taking place nationwide, with Poetry Ireland encouraging everyone from artists, venues, schools, hospitals, community groups, poetry-lovers, and more to be a ‘good sport’ and get involved. You can easily do so by reading, writing or sharing a poem. Visit Poetryday.ie for a list of events and activities taking place in your local area. 

The theme for this year’s Poetry Day Ireland is “Good Sports” – celebrating the good sport in all of us, the drive to give it a go or to have a crack at it. It’s your chance to join in as Poetry Day Ireland celebrates the Olympic year, the clash of the ash, the narrow miss, the kick of a ball, the roar of the crowd, the crushing defeat, the herculean feat, the triumph, and our willingness to be good sports in all aspects of our lives.

Poetry Ireland has also announced the poems which have been selected to mark Poetry Day Ireland and its theme of ‘Good Sports’, following a national call out. 

Twelve poems will be showcased during April across the Iarnród Éireann (Irish Rail) network and in libraries across the country – with nine poems selected by Irish poet, novelist and playwright Dermot Bolger and three Irish poems selected by renowned Irish language poet and editor Aifric MacAodha.

The poets and poems selected are Mary Noonan (Racing Results, i.m my father), David Nash (All Square at Half-Time in the Mid-Cork Junior A Football Quarter Final between Canovee and Grenagh, Inniscarra GAA Grounds, 21st of August 2022), Enda Wiley (Henry Shefflin Portrait by Gerry Davis, The National Gallery Of Ireland), Nidhi Zak/Aria Eipe (Flesh being wild after Red Rum), Katie Donovan (Winter Heroes), Rosemary Jenkinson (Pommel Horse for Rhys McClenaghan), Eoghan Totten (26.2), Rafael Mendes  (On Failure and Persistence), Alan Titley (Cruinn Neamhdhíreach), Patrick Moran (Gleam, i’m Alex Higgins), Laoighseach Ní Choistealbha (Aiteall, An Droichead Beo, Ollscoil Luimnigh, 24ú Iúil 2022), Máirtín Coilféir (Iomramh).

Celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, Poetry Day Ireland is an annual island-wide celebration of poetry which invites the nation to read, write, and share a poem on the day.  

Paul Mescal, Margaret Atwood, Hozier and Mary Robinson are just some of the famous faces who have read, written or shared a poem for Poetry Day Ireland in the past couple of years.

However you choose to celebrate, Poetry Ireland is urging you to join them, to be a good sport and read, write or share a poem on Thursday, April 25, and if you are on socials tag them @PoetryIreland on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter/X and please use #PoetryDayIRL.

Barry Lennon, Operations Manager of Poetry Ireland, has spoken about Poetry Day Ireland, explaining, “We are delighted to celebrate our ten-year anniversary of Poetry Day Ireland this year with events and activities happening in communities across the country. Our theme this year is good sports, and we are encouraging everyone to be a good sport and get involved on April 25th by reading, writing, or sharing a poem”.

“To kick start everyone’s imagination we have selected twelve poems in response to our theme by leading poetic voices. These poems have been put on posters and distributed through our network of partners with over 3000 poster poems distributed to libraries across the country as well as being displayed on board Iarnród Éireann services and in stations”.

Jim Meade, Chief Executive of Iarnród Éireann, also commented to say, “We are delighted once again to support Poetry Day Ireland this year. The display of poems on our services are enjoyed by all of our customers who travel with us. Train travel brings us on adventures and these poems give us the opportunity to travel to other worlds”.

For more information, see Poetry Ireland’s Instagram, Twitter/X, and Facebook.