Marie Connor

Yesterday afternoon, during Heritage Open Days , Fermanagh Creative Writing Group took up residence in Enniskillen Castle Museum’s Barrack Storeroom. We had a great time hosting an Open Mic Afternoon for writers – and listeners were eagerly invited in. Many of our members read their work and we also welcomed several other writers from the local area who shared stories and poems with us,

Seamas MacAnnaidh

including authors Seamas MacAnnaidh and Rosemary Gilchrist.

Writers and members of the public (some of whom dropped in while they were visiting the museum) all enjoyed the afternoon.  

 
 
Tony Viney, our MC, kept the programme moving smoothly. Group members had been cautioned to observe time limits for their readings so that everyone who wished would be able to participate.
 
Diane Jardel

Mindful of this, our member Gordon Williams restricted himself to several 50 word stories to kick off the readings. We heard funny poems, serious poems, epic poems and the whole gamut of short stories too. The audience never knew what to expect next when a writer stepped up to the podium but they were never disappointed.

 

Diane and Jacques Jardel manning the food table

Holed up inside on a rainy afternoon we needed sustenance to fortify us before we stepped up to the mike. So we had a table laden with caffeine fixes (tea and coffee) and an assortment of nibbles that included sweet sushi, loads of biscuits, wheat free cake and very sticky, gooey cake. The health conscious and sugar junkies were all catered for.   

We went home at the end of the afternoon with our appetites for food and literature sated. And we weren’t bothered by the rain as we were still turning over in our minds all the stories and poems that we’d heard.
Ian Butler
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Wayne Hardman