Something that most people left behind following completion of the Leaving Certificate, poetry, in its many guises, is an acquired taste. Undeterred by this perception, a small but determined group of like-minded persons hosted a very successful poetry festival in Fermoy last weekend. The response to the event was overwhelmingly positive with numerous individuals and firms lending their support to the initiative.

Speaking at last Saturday night's reading in The Elbow Lane Inn, Mayor of Fermoy, Olive Corcoran said she found the entire experience very uplifting. "There was a lovely crowd in here tonight and everyone was so enthusiastic about the festival, I think it's a very welcome development and I'd like to see it promoted further, great credit is due to the organising committee for attracting so many wonderful poets to the town" Mayor Corcoran said.

POETRY FOR ALL

While The Grand Hotel was designated poetry festival HQ for the weekend, a whole range of businesses played host to workshops and impromptu readings - one such premises was Anthony Kelly's barber shop on MacCurtain Street.

"I was happy to go along with it, it was something a little different which I think people appreciated" Anthony said.

A stated aim of festival organisers was to make it as inclusive as possible and to this end, local secondary schools - Colaiste an Chraoibhin, Loreto and St. Colman's - were all invited to participate.

The festival has also received backing from the family of the late Dick Barry - who retained an intense love of poetry during his long and illustrious life.

While money and materialism are not priorities for the poet, festival organisers were delighted that Lagan Construction came on board as main sponsors. Inspired by what went on last weekend, those who oversaw this year's event have every reason to be optimistic about the future of Fermoy International Poetry Festival.

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