Poetry, memory and conversation at heart of new Carrick festival

A new poetry festival celebrating memory, language and shared experience is set to take place in Carrick-on-Shannon later this month, bringing together poets, readers and audiences for a day of readings, discussion and reflection.

The Between the Lines Poetry Festival will be held at St George’s Church on Saturday, June 27, with organisers hoping the event will appeal not only to regular poetry readers but also to those who may not have picked up a poetry collection in years.

The festival has been built around the idea that poetry often remains with people long after it is first encountered, whether through school, family occasions, friendships or significant moments in life. Festival organiser Phyl Foley said the committee wanted to create an event that felt welcoming, thoughtful and connected to people's everyday experiences.

“Many people carry a line of poetry with them, even if they haven’t opened a poetry book in years,” she said. “We wanted to create a festival that begins from that place of memory, recognition and connection.”

That theme of connection runs throughout the programme, which combines readings, discussion and audience participation across a full day of events. Ahead of the festival, organisers are inviting members of the public to share a poem that has stayed with them over the years through the festival’s social media channels or by email.

The submissions will help shape one of the festival's key events, The Poems We Keep, a session exploring why certain poems continue to resonate throughout people's lives.

According to organisers, many people can still recall lines learned in school, verses read at weddings or funerals, or poems associated with particular friendships, relationships and life experiences. The session aims to explore how poetry becomes intertwined with memory and why certain words continue to surface years or even decades after they were first encountered.

The festival programme begins at 10am with The History of Connacht in Five Poems, presented by Niamh MacCabe. The session will explore the history of the province through a selection of poems, offering audiences a unique perspective on Connacht's past through literature and language.

At 11.15am, writer and publisher Brian Leyden will lead a discussion focusing on publishing, contemporary writing and the process of bringing creative work into print. The event is expected to be of particular interest to aspiring writers and poets, as well as those interested in the Irish literary scene and the challenges facing contemporary publishing.

Following a lunch break from 12.30pm to 1.30pm, the festival will resume with Poets on Stage, facilitated by Gerry Boland. The afternoon session will feature a range of both emerging and established writers reading their work, providing audiences with an opportunity to hear contemporary poetry performed live.

Organisers say the event will showcase a broad range of voices and styles, reflecting the diversity of contemporary Irish poetry. At 3pm, writer and facilitator Rhona Trench will lead The Poems We Keep, one of the central events of the festival.

Drawing on audience contributions submitted in advance, the session will invite participants to reflect on poems connected to schooldays, family life, weddings, funerals, friendships and everyday moments. Rather than focusing solely on literary analysis, the discussion will examine the emotional and personal connections people develop with poetry throughout their lives.

The festival will conclude at 7.30pm with an evening reading and conversation featuring acclaimed Galway poet Rita Ann Higgins. Widely regarded as one of Ireland's most distinctive literary voices, Higgins has spent more than four decades producing work noted for its honesty, humour, social commentary and unique perspective.

Her poetry has earned a devoted readership both in Ireland and internationally, while her work continues to resonate with audiences through its combination of wit, compassion and sharp observation. Most recently, her poem No One Mentioned the Roofer, from her latest collection Jiving with Wasps (Bloodaxe Books, 2026), was selected for the prestigious Poems on the Underground programme in London, bringing her work to a wider international audience.

Festival organisers say the evening event offers a rare opportunity for local audiences to hear Higgins read from her work and discuss her career, influences and approach to writing. They hope the closing conversation will provide insight into the creative process behind one of Ireland's most celebrated contemporary poets. While the festival centres on poetry, organisers believe its appeal extends beyond literary circles.

The event has been designed to encourage conversation, reflection and participation, welcoming anyone interested in language, storytelling and shared experience. For many people, poetry is not simply something found in books but something encountered at important moments throughout life — in classrooms, at family gatherings, during celebrations and times of loss.

By exploring those connections, organisers hope the festival will create a space where people can reflect on the words that have accompanied them through different stages of their lives. Poems for consideration in The Poems We Keep can be submitted through the festival website or by emailing [email protected]. Tickets for the Between the Lines Poetry Festival are available through Eventbrite.