‘Ireland Is’ - A New Spokenword and Live Music Tour
‘Ireland Is’ to shine a light on multifaceted and contradictory Ireland of today
Poetry Ireland are delighted to announce details of ‘Ireland Is’, a series of five spoken word and live music performances, which will take place in Dublin, Limerick, Cork, Galway and Longford this autumn.
The tour will run on consecutive dates from 27th September to 1st October 2023, and feature a line-up of acclaimed poets, including Colm Keegan, Felispeaks, Hollie McNish, Danez Smith, and Erin Fornoff, as well as guest performances by musicians JyellowL (Dublin), Strange Boy (Limerick), Olympio (Cork), Síomha (Galway) and SOAK (Longford).
Through their performances, the artists will shine a light on the Ireland of today and explore themes of identity and social justice, including issues of race, gender, body image, relationships, feminism, equality, love, resilience, and more.
Commissioned by Poetry Ireland, co-produced with SoFFt Productions, and funded by the Arts Council, the performances will take place in the following venues:
Axis Ballymun, Dublin, on Wednesday, 27th September, 8pm;
Lime Tree Theatre, Limerick, on Thursday, 28th September, 8pm;
The Everyman Theatre, Cork, on Friday, 29th September, 8pm;
Black Box Theatre, Galway, on Saturday, 30th September, 8pm;
Backstage Theatre, Longford, on Sunday, 1st October, 8pm.
Speaking at the announcement of ‘Ireland Is’, Director of Poetry Ireland, Liz Kelly said: “With this spoken word tour, we are offering audiences a diverse and profound mix of voices and perspectives that explore the Ireland of today in all its complexities. The tour takes its name from Colm Keegan’s list poem ‘Ireland Is’ and – like the poem itself – the performances will present us with an opportunity to reflect on Ireland’s multifaceted and contradictory identity; one which is glorious, beautiful, multicultural, open-minded, welcoming, and – at the same time – the opposite of all these attributes, too.
“We are thrilled to gather a group of exceptionally talented poets and musicians, who will bring their unique perspectives and styles to this tour. ‘Ireland Is’ promises raw, honest and thought-provoking expressions of the human experience and asks us to question and engage with the world around us. We invite everyone to join us for one of these poignant performances, which celebrate the power and energy of the spoken word.”
Poet Colm Keegan added: “A poem can be a great start to a conversation; after reading my poem ‘Ireland Is’ in many different settings, including prisons, homeless hubs, primary schools, youth clubs and nursing homes, I’ve found that people always want to add to it. Poems can be powerful catalysts for self-expression and creativity, and I really look forward to sharing the stage with Felispeaks, Hollie, Danez and Erin, and the guest musicians in each location, and to find out what Dublin is, what Limerick is, what Cork is, what Galway is, and what Longford is.”
Tickets for ‘Ireland Is’ are priced €18-21 and can be purchased directly from the venues or through the below links -