Grace Wells announced as Ennistymon’s Poet Laureate

Little boy opens a pop up book full of letters of the alphabet — Pictured at the launch of Poetry Town, a new all-island poetry initiative from Poetry Ireland, is Aidan Byrne (10). Poetry Town will see more than a hundred free, poetry-related activities take place in 20 towns across the island of Ireland between 10th and 18th September 2021. To find out more, visit poetrytown.ie. Picture: Marc O’Sullivan.

Family hold up letters that read Poetry Town — Pictured at the launch of Poetry Town, a new all-island poetry initiative from Poetry Ireland, are Kathleen and Michael O’Loughlin with their grandchildren Billy Byrne (11), Aidan Byrne (10) and Conor Byrne (7). Poetry Town will see more than a hundred free, poetry-related activities take place in 20 towns across the island of Ireland between 10th and 18th September 2021. To find out more, visit poetrytown.ie. Picture: Marc O’Sullivan.

17 August 2021

Poetry Ireland has announced the names of the Poet Laureates selected as part of the Poetry Town initiative, which will see more than a hundred poetry-related activities take place in 20 towns across the island of Ireland between 10^th and 18^th September 2021.

Ennistymon in Co Clare will be among the Poetry Towns, with activities for the town being organised by Poetry Ireland in partnership with Clare County Council Arts Office. Grace Wells has been appointed as the Poet Laureate for the town.

All Poet Laureates announced today are either from the respective local area or have strong connections with it, and have been commissioned to write a poem honouring and reflecting their Poetry Town and its people.

As part of the week-long Poetry Town celebrations next month, each Poet Laureate will reveal and present their poem to the people of their Poetry Town at a series of flagship online events, one of which will be hosted in each town. Each event will also feature contributions from other local poets, artists and musicians (further details about these events is available on the Poetry Town website).

Details of the Ennistymon programme of events can be found here.