'Poetry is all about human connections'

Poetry Day Ireland will be celebrated on Thursday next, May 1.

To mark the occasion, poet and playwright Terry McDonagh is preparing to bring poetry to life in his hometown of Kiltimagh. With characteristic warmth and wit, Terry spoke to the Western People last week about the event, his new collection of poems for children, and the enduring power of poetry to connect people across generations and cultures.

“Poetry Day Ireland is basically a day in Ireland every year when poetry is celebrated in some shape or form in all different corners of the country,” Terry explained. “The spirit of the day is about making space for poetry, however and wherever it may be found.” 

This year, the celebration in Kiltimagh will take place on Thursday at 7.30pm in the Folk Café. Terry described the event’s format as simple and inclusive.

“We asked nine or ten different organisations around Kiltimagh to select a representative to choose a poem, explain briefly why they picked it, and then read it," he said. “It’s essentially about getting people together to recite poetry.” 

The evening promises not only poetry but music as well, with folk performances by Ollie Burke and others, including Mick and Eilish, the Café’s owners, and a traditional music group from St Louis Community School made up of Jack Morley, Holly Groarke, Liam O’Donnell and Nathan Thompson. It’s an event designed to bring together local voices in an atmosphere of sharing and celebration.

Poems will be chosen and read by Monica Browne (representing The Emigrant Park), Ollie Burke (The Men’s Shed), Gerry King (Kiltimagh GAA), Sue O’Halloran (Killedan House), Denise Nagel (Saint Louis Community School), David McNicholas (Tidy Towns), Basil Burke (Historical Society), Patricia McDonagh (Women’s Group), Patricia Ashby (Kiltimagh Writers), Martin Byrne (Kiltimagh Tourism) and Henry Kelly (Clann Machua Drama Group).

Terry said the attendance will be limited by the venue’s size.

“The Folk Cafe will only hold so many. When you look at the readers and the musicians, you’ve nearly a full house as it is,” he said. “But people might like to go, and they might even fit in.” 

He laughed at the idea of a chaotic overflow.

“Sometimes when you have a crowd outside, blocking the streets, blocking the entrance to the supermarkets, the guards called and the fire brigade, that’s a right bit of chaos. Nothing wrong with that - that's healthy.” 

As well as coordinating local efforts for Poetry Day, Terry is also celebrating the release of his newest poetry collection - this one written especially for children.

The book, which is titled 'I write because...’, is a new publication aimed at children from around seven years upwards. It reflects Terry’s years of working in schools, both in Ireland and abroad.

“I’ve been going to schools in a lot of different countries,” Terry said. “Poems speak to kids an awful lot. I listen to children, and when I hear what they’re saying, I kind of write notes as they talk, and then turn them into little poems.” 

One poem in the collection was inspired by a memory from his time teaching at an international school in Hamburg.

“I remember walking past a classroom one day - it was awfully loud, and the teacher was shouting ‘feral ragamuffins’ and laughing. The kids were having a great time.” 

That teacher, Terry discovered, was almost completely deaf, relying on lip-reading and storytelling to engage her students. 

“Her class had a great atmosphere,” he recalled fondly.

The collection, published by Calendar Road Press, is his 16th book and is priced at €10. It’s been deliberately designed to be lightweight and easy to post. Terry is already planning to take it to schools in Germany, including the international school in Bonn, where he expects it to be well received.

Though there's been no official launch yet, Terry isn’t worried. 

“I must get that organised,” he admitted. “I haven’t really made any fuss about it yet.” 

For Terry McDonagh, poetry is not about pomp or prestige, but about connection - between poet and reader, between speaker and listener. And whether it’s read in a quiet café in Kiltimagh or a lively classroom in Hamburg, that connection is what keeps him writing.