Boyne Writers Group

The latest issue of Boyne Berries was launched in the Castle Arch Hotel, Trim on March 19th, 2009 by Trim-born novelist, Pat Dunne.

The large attendance of members, contributors and friends was welcomed by Writers Group secretary Michael Farry who thanked them all for attending. He said that Boyne Writers Group were delighted to be able to continue publishing the magazine and thanked Meath Co Council Arts Office which had provided a grant to help the venture.

He pointed out the range of material in the magazine, prose and poetry and the fact that contributors were not only from Ireland but also the Uk, the USA, Africa and Europe. He welcomed novelist Pat Dunne as a Trim native and as a writer and invited him to officially launch the magazine.

Pat began by saying he was conscious of the fact that he was in the company of prize-winning and published writers as well as some who had taken up writing relatively recently. But as an internationally published author who was nevertheless a latecomer in getting his own work published he hoped that all sides would find something of interest in what he had to say.

He went on to describe how his urge to write went back to childhood and of how his first published piece - on Trim Castle - had appeared in a weekly encyclopedia when he was twelve. But as it turned out it took over thirty years from the time he left Trim CBS to fulfil his dream of having his first book published in 2000.

Despite having four novels published to date and being half-way through his sixth just now, he humorously described how insecurity can beset the writer at the start of a new book and how confidence can evaporate at various stages along the way. The novelist also has to live on a building-site of words for a year or more while assembling the structure, sometimes having to knock parts of it down and start all over again - so by the time a hundred-thousand-word novel gets published, many multiples of that number have been written.
It was little wonder that writers had to hide themselves away from the world for long periods.

He felt that the best medicine for 'writer’s isolation' was interaction with other writers and getting work published - exactly what Boyne Writers Group offers. Reading through Boyne Berries 5 he'd been struck by the quality and scope of the writing throughout the magazine, by how confident so many of the voices were and how boldly they engaged with the world we live in today.

He then revealed that over the years until he completed his first novel it was writing poetry that had kept him connected to the creative process. And it had given him special pleasure to feature Meath poet Francis Ledwidge's June as the postscript to his novel The Lazarus Bell.

In conclusion, having been director of Trim Swift Festival last year, he commended Boyne Writers Group for running a satirical writing competition in association with the festival again in 2009. It showed how a group like Boyne Writers can nurture writing of all kinds, in this case helping to revive a literary form whose time had come again.

Samples from Boyne Berries 5

The Heron

In the realm of the flagger and the fern
Along the riverbank in dull July
I came across a solitary heron

Motionless against the waterfall
On stilts it stood
In sober grey and white
A sculpture in some stately entrance hall

A monarch of the marshland and the bog
Day dreaming in the weed strewn river bed
Of a gudgeon or an unsuspecting frog

Measuring the wriggling tadpole's tracks
The movements of the minnow and the fry
Shepherding a shoal of sticklebacks

Suddenly in the blinking of an eye
Or the thought of teeming uplands far away
Sent it soaring
Like some prehistoric fly

Tommy Murray

Eclipse

A constellation of uncertainties
have darkened my father's world and so he

falters on the well known terrain of
daily routine and grapples with the

huge spaces between the rituals of
sleeping and eating. Whenever we are

together I search for signs of him,
but the black hole enveloping his

memory is too dense to penetrate,
so the gradual eclipse continues

and I am left with a shadow of the
man who first illuminated my world.

Adrienne Leavy

Connections

Even though it has in its own way bowed to the red tops, before it goes tabloid, the paper of record flaunts its class ridden reader's values unashamedly for all to see. The women are "professional" looking for "professional men". Males claim they are "genuine" and "honest". So many M&F's are fond of hill walking that I am now considering staying at home on a Sunday. I like being chatted up and ogled but if my wife thought I was out with a bunch of would be swingers the locks would be changed when I got home.

I am surprised by the wants and talents of the large selection of M&F's available in "Connections" in the Irish Times on a Friday. I wonder if there is a code, a secret language, or even a secret society with its own rituals involved. Maybe I am being facetious and all the ads are legal, honest, decent and truthful. I admire the honesty and sincerity of the "33 year old Tipperary male seeking a female between 18 and 30 for drinks smoking and pubs". I am impressed by the innocence of the 47 year old Munster Female who wants to meet a sincere gent for "intelligent intercourse and possible romance". I can only imagine a dim witted male anxious to please ringing offering to show her his intelligence.

Lots of the women seem to infer they want a lusty holiday and are willing to travel. Many describe themselves as "organised" but appear slow to let someone see the hovel they live in. Many are looking for someone "genuine" as if this gives them an insurance against a bed-hopping Casanova who will break their heart.

The invitations to party come thick and thin. "Attractive articulate American seeks cultured competent" or "Soft Blonde witty widow seeks like minded professional M for companionship and more". Should this not read overweight cuddly bottle blonde, giggly pint drinker wants partner for pub crawls and to cook her breakfast.

A "genuine guy" of 48 is a "separated single dad fond of swimming and the horses". He's looking for a "lovely lady" for "what could be wonderful". Perhaps for his audition she will need to demonstrate her prowess with a vacuum cleaner? A "61 year old manual worker" is looking for a "30 to 60 year old for a relationship". Even if the 30 year olds who apply in their hundreds meet a man with a great collection of porn mags and who is on the sex offenders register, they'll be safe; he's a "non drinker". Together they can watch "Fair City" and "Winning Streak" or blow her tenner at bingo after a wild weekend of Dutch visits to restaurants and early nights after the Sodality. I don't know if it is me but is there not something seedy in a man trying to meet a girl half his age.

An "outgoing lady of 69" is looking for a mature gent for "friendship, travel, dining out, good conversation and maybe more". The "more" intrigues me what is she offering, knitting lessons or day trips on her free bus pass?

The Friday paper overflows with adjectives from M&F"s looking for a connection. "Bubbly" I wonder can this really be fat and annoying or "Curvy", perhaps more pint than hourglass. Describing themselves as "honest" could mean they can't synchronise their brain and their mouth. When someone asks "Does my bum look big in this?" They answer truthfully.

"Self employed" could be the Avon Lady or a "Professional" in the world's oldest profession looking for a few extra shillings from any vulnerable people she meets through the ads. The 46 year old F who advertises as "reasonably attractive" looking for a middle aged fun loving male who is "athletic and toned" has a better chance of winning the lottery twice in a row.

I know it can't all be bad so I struggle to find an ad to entice me to get in touch. "The hills are alive, Honest Male of 43, athletic build, likes hill walking, golf and eating out. Seeks older male 70+ for good times" Oh God no it's too seedy sounds like its preying on someone lonely. I notice the "hill walking" again, it makes me nervous of spending time in the Mournes. Anyway he may swing the wrong way for me. Down the page is another: "Yearn for the Med? Happy, independent, grounded, petite Female Blonde, plans to travel & spend more time abroad, seeks caring soul mate to walk the walk" Maybe it should read little gold digger too lazy to hill walk wants lonely sugar daddy to take her away for dirty weekends.

I suppose the way forward is to place my own ad if the Irish Times accept it.

Non Professional middle aged, balding, cuddly M with most parts working, lots to say and great sense of fun wants a nice slim nurse to split the bills and understand him. No Bacardi Drinkers or smokers, needs ironing and listening skills plus driving licence, wife notified.

Paul Egan