A poet in the family

Time for some family bragging.  Julie Morrissy, right,  – my niece, as it happens – was one of several poets taking part in the Poetry Ireland Introductions series at the Irish Writers’ Centre on Tuesday, as part of the International Literature Festival.  The other readers included Eamon MacUidhir (who used to be Eddie Maguire, my colleague at the Irish Press, a million years ago!) Simon Lewis, Jennifer Matthews and Michael Naghten Shanks.  Julie’s been published in The Honest Ulsterman, The Dalhousie Review and Dear John, among others  And she’s just been shortlisted for the Melita Hume Prize – for a full collection by a poet under 35.  Julie did a Masters in Creative Writing at UCD and is about to take up a place on the PhD programme at the University of Ulster. Lucky them!

There were several memorable moments during the reading – Eamon MacUidhir’s fornicating snails on the underside of a bridge after Hurricane Charlie or Jennifer Matthews’ hilarious investigation of graffiti in Skyscrapers are Gay but I’m sticking with Julie’s glorious tribute to that most humble of kitchen implements, the euphonious mandolin slicer.

Julie will be reading on the Poetry Programme, RTE radio, this Saturday at 7.30pm.