Gort’s literary associations to be celebrated at 10th Forge festival

THE Forge Literature Festival kicks off for the 10th anniversary of the Western Writers’ Centre (Ionad Scribhneoirí Chaitlín Maude) on Friday and Saturday, March 30 and 31.
This is the fifth year of the festival, which was established to commemorate the town of Gort’s associations with the Irish Literary Renaissance. This year’s festival is varied and features, among others, the internationally acclaimed traditional wire-strung harp player, Siobhán Armstrong. 
“It’s wonderful to be celebrating 10 years of the centre,” said founder and director, author and critic Fred Johnston. “The Forge at Gort has been received very well indeed and has proved itself to be a modest literary landmark, as well as highlighting the town itself.”
But the festival is still in need of sponsorship. Although Fred Johnston remarks that the town of Gort has always been favourable and generous with sponsorship, the festival could not continue without it.
“Already an eminent poet has provided financial sponsorship but more is required. Anyone interested in sponsoring an event at the festival, or sponsoring advertising or accommodation should contact the Western Writers’ Centre (Barbara Quinn) at 091 564822 or westernwriters@eircom.net,” he added.
Mr Johnston also payed tribute to events and festival’s co-ordinator, Barbara Quinn and to the centre’s chairman, Aoife Nic Fhearghusa; without whom, he added, the festival could not have happened.
The schedule includes an opening ceremony at 6.30pm on Friday, March 30 in Sullivan’s Royal Hotel with Fiona Echlin, poet and music by Claire Sawtell and Mary O’Sullivan. At 8pm, Gerry Hanberry will read from his latest book on the family of Oscar Wilde.
Saturday’s events begin at 10am with a poetry workshop with Fred Johnston, also in Sullivan’s. At midday, story-teller and folklorist Eddie Lenihan will be in the public library followed at 1pm by Clare Three-Legged Stool Poets in O’Grady’s Bar and Restaurant, The Square. At 2pm, Mary Ellen Fean and Knute Skinner, will read from their work, also O’Grady’s. ‘Tea With George Moore’ takes place in the Family Resource Centre on Church Street at 4pm.
At 5pm, The Gallery Café is the venue for a lecture on AE George Russell by Pearl Finn. The festival concludes with a concert at 8pm on Saturday night in the library with music from Siobhán Armstrong and Roisín Elsafty with poets Ciarán O’Driscoll and Martin Dyar.