My CBF 2009, Part Seven

I had a wonderful question during my second reading in Kildare, but I’m jumping ahead of myself for no reason whatsoever…

I’m sure you’d like to hear about my first reading as well and maybe even my journey down.

Well, I started in my own house, for the last time during a day of reading for this festival, making my own breakfast. Me and my wife took the same train again, as I went from Howth to Connolly to Leixlip Confey.

Leixilip Library was where my first reading was to take place. I got there early and set up in a nice big Lecture room that is beside the Library. Around 50 children entered, with a teacher who approached me to tell me that they have been reading my poems and that he thinks they are very funny… So it was a happy poet who again begun with ‘The Coat Hanger Song’. The reading was another success and the Limericks and Questions were very good.

Then Gillian, from Kildare Libraries, came to pick me up and take me to Celbridge Library for my second reading of the day and where I received the excellent question mentioned in the first line of this entry. To explain this question, I need to give you a bit of background. Whilst reading my poem, ‘Tested on Animals’ a dog was barking outside, there is a relevance to this which you will know if you are familiar with the poem. I shall hopefully be posting a video of myself reading this verse whilst in Cork or it can be found on page 14 of my book. So during the Q and A session at the end, one girl asked if I had set up the dog barking as part of the poem… I loved this question for many reasons, but mainly for the fact that it’s presumed that I have a budget that extends to Dog training. The entire reading went exceptionally well again and many other wonderful questions were asked as well as Limericks written.

After Celbridge, Gillian drove me to Maynooth for my final reading of the day, and for Kildare this year. Before the reading we had lunch in a lovely hotel whose name escapes me, so whilst I would like to recommend it, I can’t as I don’t know what to recommend. If it helps, I had Lamb shank and it was delicious.

Then came the reading in Maynooth library, which again was a success. An all female group entered and enjoyment seemed to be had by all. Limericks were well written and many questions were asked, One girl had numerous wonderful questions for me and she was congratulated by her teachers for the quality of the questions. The class seemed to like talking about the Loch Ness Monster as well, and included in the class were two girls who had been down in a submarine. I have to admit that I instigated the Nessie based conversation due to one of my poems being about the Loch Ness monster.

After this reading, I rushed to Maynooth Train Station to get back to Connolly, although my final aim was not to get to Howth, I needed to get from Connolly to Heuston so that I could catch the last train to Mayo where I was hoping to read the next day and where I was staying over night…

Watch this space…