We had another wonderful night, a truly “good” friday in WAS on actual Good Friday, April 3rd 2015. Our very special guest was the fabulous Aidan Hayes, who travelled all the way from Donegal to be there and read for us. Aidan’s poetry is deeply moving, emotional, beautifully composed and often hilariously funny. He is a fine reader of his work, a performer who thoroughly enjoys being up there. Go raibh míle maith agat, a Aidan.
There was a fine turn-out, a large and appreciative audience enjoyed the night and the many, many contributors to the evening, including another special guest, Pat Galvin, all the way from Stradbally, Waterford. Thank you, Pat, a wonderful reading also. Also reading and contributing were Afric McGlinchey, Michael Ray, Cormac Lally, Brendan McCormack, David Mallaghan, James Waller, and wonderful music from Breeda Murphy, Kenny Dread and Iain Burrell, the fabulous father & son combo, Simon & Alex Lockwood and Paul Ó Colmáin.
Aidan Hayes was born in Cork in 1947 and educated at University College Dublin. He has worked variously as an actor and as a teacher at schools, colleges and prisons. In 1995 he won the Listowel Writers’ Week Prize for Best Single Poem. His translations from Irish and French have been published widely in anthologies and periodicals. His books include Two Halves (Lapwing 2009); Notes Towards a Love Song (Doghouse 2011): Occupational Hazard (Lapwing 2013); Ten Years in the Doghouse (Doghouse 2013).
His translations include The Same Age as the State & An Paróiste Míorúilteach – Máire Mhac a’tSaoi; Richesses; Our Shared Japan; and Earth Voices Whispering.