The Westport Civic Trust is hosting a special event for poetry lovers this holiday season. The Christmas Miscellany will take place at 8:00 PM on Tuesday, December 10th, in the Sean Staunton Room at Westport Townhall.
Ger Reidy will read from his latest poetry collection, Clay, accompanied by music from Diarmaid Moynahan. Reidy, who grew up in the Mayo countryside, is known for his keen observation of nature, landscape, and people. His poetry also reflects his background as a civil engineer, as seen in his poem Disorder:
Beyond the manicured lawns
the barbarians are waiting,
plotting the infiltration
like that ash seed growing in the path.
Soon it will burst the hearth with roots,
inviting the forests to reclaim
the houses, the roads, the cities.
Reidy’s work is filled with vivid imagery, capturing the quiet moments of life in Mayo, such as the falling leaf, the feeble sun, and the rusty gate. He has published several award-winning collections, and his poems have appeared in The Irish Times and are even inscribed on rocks in Rosmoney and benches in Westport.
Diarmaid Moynihan, a highly respected uilleann piper, will provide the musical accompaniment. He is widely regarded as one of Ireland’s leading pipers, with his music featured on TG4, BBC, RTÉ, and Lyric FM. Moynihan is also a well-known teacher, having conducted masterclasses across the world in countries such as Italy, the USA, Germany, Finland, and Australia. He has taught at University College Cork, University of Limerick, and The Cork School of Music.
The evening promises to be a joyful blend of poetry and music, perfect for getting into the festive spirit.
