Thursday 23 February 2012

The Old Triangle

There are a few Poetry Ireland events coming up and I'm just flagging that there are an awful lot of men and few women. It's a good cause and all but why? Are there no Poetry Divas? Are the organisers all men?


Sunday 26 February @ 8pm

The Irish Penal Reform Trust, in association with Poetry Ireland, presents a benefit event with Shaz Oye, Tony Curtis, GREENSHINE (Noel Shine, Mary Greene, Ellie Shine) Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill, Eddie Cahill, Brian Maguire, Karan Casey, Niall Vallely, Peter Sheridan, Leanne O'Sullivan, Christy Moore, Jimmy Kelly, Tom Crean, Brian McCarthy, Theo Dorgan and Paula Meehan.
The Abbey Theatre, Abbey Street, D1
T 01 8787222 W abbeytheatre.ie

5 comments:

Destination Infinity said...

To write poetry, one needs to be exposed to extreme grief. Maybe that is the reason we find more men writing poems than women :)

Destination Infinity

Words A Day said...

Why?
Could tip toe around making a few pc guesses but I wont - its sexism full stop. Time for some penal reform...?

Emerging Writer said...

DI - I'm not so sure...extreme joy maybe
WAD - penal? Did you misspell?!

Theo Dorgan said...

On the grounds that facts are always helpful, here are a few: The Old Triangle was not a Poetry Ireland event, it was independently organised by Paula Meehan and myself as a benefit for Irish Penal Reform Trust. Poetry Ireland were strong supporters, much appreciated by IPRT and by us. It was a powerful and inspiring night, not least because it was animated by the energies of so many strong and gifted women, together with men who are one and all long-time campaigners for and supporters of equality. Paula and I worked with a large team almost entirely composed of women to make this event happen, women who together with Shaz Oye, Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill, Karen Casey, Mary Greene, Ellie Shine and Leanne O'Sullivan, stellar performers on the night, must surely be as bemused by your comments as Paula is, and I am. Finally, IPRT has a long-established and particular emphasis on the rights and needs of women prisoners. I hope I'm not being heavy here, but there's an old adage: comment is free but facts are sacred. Always good to have the facts.

Emerging Writer said...

Hi Theo, Thanks for you comments. I'm sure it was a great evening and I was happy to promote the event on my blog. I hope you had a massive, enthusiastic, involved audience.
The names from the Poetry Ireland site though were dominated by men. This inequality in readings, publication, etc etc is relentless. There is no shortage of wonderful women poets, audiences and (I'm guessing) purchasers and yet they (we) are under-represented time and time again. I'm fed up with it and I'm not the only one.
Of course this is not restricted to the literary world but can't we make more of an effort now?
That's all.