SoundEye Festival
Encyclopedia
The SoundEye Festival of the Arts of the Word is an annual festival dedicated to poetry and other artistic practices predicated on the power of word and text. It is held in Cork City, taking up the best part of a week in late-June to mid-July. It is one of Ireland’s largest poetry events, with up to 40 poets reading and a major international contingent at recent festivals.
(b. Dublin 1947), about whose house in the historic Shandon district of Cork City the festival revolves. Joyce, who co-founded New Writers’ Press with Michael Smith
in 1967, with whom he had published a number of collections of poetry, went through a period of almost twenty years silence from the late seventies. His return to writing corresponded with an invitation to a literary conference in the U.S. In Joyce’s own words:
"In '96 I was invited to a huge Assembling Alternatives conference in New Hampshire. There I met a number of Irish poets for the first time, though I did already know some by name. There were Maurice Scully
, Catherine Walsh
, Billy Mills
, Randolph Healy
and Geoffrey Squires
. I also met Tom Raworth
, and learned that he travelled under an Irish passport. These Irish connections, while they might seem trivial to some, were of great importance to me, since I had long given up hope of any new wave of exploratory poetry coming out of Ireland. Their presence in New Hampshire among the hundred-plus poets there from the wider anglophone world indicated the existence of a living meshwork of poets, informed readerships and intelligent critics, which I hadn't suspected.
The following year I was approached by Catriona Ryan, a post-grad student in Cork. She wanted to talk to me about my work, and how I seemed a lone voice in Ireland. I told her, and Matthew Geden, a fellow post-grad whom she'd enlisted, about the Irish poets I'd heard read in the U.S., but who were almost never invited to read in Ireland. We added in the name of Michael Smith
, with whom I'd founded New Writers' Press in Dublin in '67, and preparations for the first Cork Alternative Poetry Festival kicked off. I provided names and contact details, Catriona and Matthew did the work. That first year, we started with brief papers by Billy Mills
, Alex Davis and myself, and had two sessions of readings. It was small, but seemed already perfectly formed."
The festival’s initial impetus petered out in 2000, with its gradual separation from University College Cork, but its subsequent revival was greatly boosted by European Capital of Culture
funding in 2005, the year in which it also began to collaborate with contiguous arts events through the involvement of Fergal Gaynor, who was then co-curating the Cork Caucus. A cabaret event and involvement with local initiatives like The Avant and Sonic Vigil continue this line of development. In 2010 James Cummins and Rachel Warriner, who had programmed a section of the festival linked with their Default magazine, took over the largest part of the festival’s organisational duties.
’ poetry. The festival has, indeed, embraced its liminal associations, to the point of including textual art on the very edges of the poetic: e.g. video art, performance, sound poetry, conceptual art. It also sees itself, however, as part of an Irish poetry tradition stretching back to New Writers’ Press and the journal The Lace Curtain
in the late-sixties, institutions that provided space for emerging poets of all kinds (Paul Durcan
, Eiléan Ní Chuilleanáin
and Michael Hartnett
, for instance), as well as the representatives of Ireland’s thirties modernists (Brian Coffey
, Denis Devlin
and Samuel Beckett
).
Accordingly SoundEye has hosted readings by a wide range of poets across the years, from Ireland, the anglophone world in general, and even occasionally from non-anglophone nations.
History
To a great extent the festival originates with, and continues to be directed by, the experience of poet Trevor JoyceTrevor Joyce
Trevor Joyce is an Irish poet, born in Dublin.He co-founded New Writers' Press in Dublin in 1967 and was a founding editor of NWP's The Lace Curtain; A Magazine of Poetry and Criticism in 1968....
(b. Dublin 1947), about whose house in the historic Shandon district of Cork City the festival revolves. Joyce, who co-founded New Writers’ Press with Michael Smith
Michael Smith (poet)
Michael Smith is an Irish poet, author and translator.A member of Aosdána, the Irish National Academy of Artists, Michael Smith was the first Writer in-Residence to be appointed by University College, Dublin and is an Honorary Fellow of UCD. He is a poet who has given a lifetime of service to the...
in 1967, with whom he had published a number of collections of poetry, went through a period of almost twenty years silence from the late seventies. His return to writing corresponded with an invitation to a literary conference in the U.S. In Joyce’s own words:
"In '96 I was invited to a huge Assembling Alternatives conference in New Hampshire. There I met a number of Irish poets for the first time, though I did already know some by name. There were Maurice Scully
Maurice Scully
Maurice Scully is an Irish poet who works in the modernist tradition. Scully was born in Dublin & educated at Trinity College.Scully's books include Love Poems & Others , 5 Freedoms of Movement , Steps , Livelihood , Sonata, , Tig and Humming...
, Catherine Walsh
Catherine Walsh (poet)
Catherine Walsh is an Irish poet. She was born in Dublin, and grew up there and in rural Wexford. She is the founder and co-editor of hardPressed Poetry with Billy Mills...
, Billy Mills
Billy Mills
William Mervin Mills or "Billy" Mills, also known as Makata Taka Hela , is the second Native American to win an Olympic gold medal....
, Randolph Healy
Randolph Healy
Randolph Healy is an Irish poet and publisher.Healy was born in Scotland and moved to Dublin at the age of 18 months. After leaving school at the age of 14 to work in a number of jobs, he returned to full-time education and graduated in mathematical sciences from Trinity College, Dublin. He now...
and Geoffrey Squires
Geoffrey Squires
Geoffrey Squires is an Irish poet who works in what might loosely be termed the modernist tradition.-Early life:While born in Derry, he grew up in County Donegal, Republic of Ireland...
. I also met Tom Raworth
Tom Raworth
Tom Raworth is a London-born poet and visual artist who has published over forty books of poetry and prose since 1966. His works has been translated and published in many countries. Raworth is a key figure in the British Poetry Revival. He lives in Brighton, England.-Early life and work:Raworth...
, and learned that he travelled under an Irish passport. These Irish connections, while they might seem trivial to some, were of great importance to me, since I had long given up hope of any new wave of exploratory poetry coming out of Ireland. Their presence in New Hampshire among the hundred-plus poets there from the wider anglophone world indicated the existence of a living meshwork of poets, informed readerships and intelligent critics, which I hadn't suspected.
The following year I was approached by Catriona Ryan, a post-grad student in Cork. She wanted to talk to me about my work, and how I seemed a lone voice in Ireland. I told her, and Matthew Geden, a fellow post-grad whom she'd enlisted, about the Irish poets I'd heard read in the U.S., but who were almost never invited to read in Ireland. We added in the name of Michael Smith
Michael Smith (poet)
Michael Smith is an Irish poet, author and translator.A member of Aosdána, the Irish National Academy of Artists, Michael Smith was the first Writer in-Residence to be appointed by University College, Dublin and is an Honorary Fellow of UCD. He is a poet who has given a lifetime of service to the...
, with whom I'd founded New Writers' Press in Dublin in '67, and preparations for the first Cork Alternative Poetry Festival kicked off. I provided names and contact details, Catriona and Matthew did the work. That first year, we started with brief papers by Billy Mills
Billy Mills
William Mervin Mills or "Billy" Mills, also known as Makata Taka Hela , is the second Native American to win an Olympic gold medal....
, Alex Davis and myself, and had two sessions of readings. It was small, but seemed already perfectly formed."
The festival’s initial impetus petered out in 2000, with its gradual separation from University College Cork, but its subsequent revival was greatly boosted by European Capital of Culture
European Capital of Culture
The European Capital of Culture is a city designated by theEuropean Union for a period of one calendar year during which it organises a series of cultural events with a strong European dimension....
funding in 2005, the year in which it also began to collaborate with contiguous arts events through the involvement of Fergal Gaynor, who was then co-curating the Cork Caucus. A cabaret event and involvement with local initiatives like The Avant and Sonic Vigil continue this line of development. In 2010 James Cummins and Rachel Warriner, who had programmed a section of the festival linked with their Default magazine, took over the largest part of the festival’s organisational duties.
Character
In keeping with its initial purpose of creating a forum for serious writers consigned to the margins for reasons of the adventurousness or innovative quality of their work, SoundEye has tended to be associated with ‘modernist’ or ‘avant-gardeAvant-garde
Avant-garde means "advance guard" or "vanguard". The adjective form is used in English to refer to people or works that are experimental or innovative, particularly with respect to art, culture, and politics....
’ poetry. The festival has, indeed, embraced its liminal associations, to the point of including textual art on the very edges of the poetic: e.g. video art, performance, sound poetry, conceptual art. It also sees itself, however, as part of an Irish poetry tradition stretching back to New Writers’ Press and the journal The Lace Curtain
The Lace Curtain
The Lace Curtain was an occasional literary magazine founded and edited by Michael Smith and Trevor Joyce under their New Writers Press imprint...
in the late-sixties, institutions that provided space for emerging poets of all kinds (Paul Durcan
Paul Durcan
Paul Durcan is a contemporary Irish poet.-Early life:Durcan grew up in Dublin and in Turlough, County Mayo. His father, John, was a barrister and circuit court judge; father and son had a difficult and formal relationship. Durcan enjoyed a warmer and more natural relationship with his mother,...
, Eiléan Ní Chuilleanáin
Eiléan Ní Chuilleanáin
Eiléan Ní Chuilleanáin is an Irish poet born in Cork .-Life:Eiléan Ní Chuilleanáin is the daughter of Eilís Dillon and Professor Cormac Ó Cuilleanáin. She was educated at University College Cork and The University of Oxford. She lives in Dublin with her husband Macdara Woods, and they have one...
and Michael Hartnett
Michael Hartnett
Michael Hartnett was an Irish poet who wrote in both English and Irish. He was one of the most significant voices in late 20th century Irish writing and has been called "Munster's de facto poet laureate"....
, for instance), as well as the representatives of Ireland’s thirties modernists (Brian Coffey
Brian Coffey
Brian Coffey was an Irish poet and publisher. His work was informed by his Catholicism and by his background in science and philosophy, and his connection to surrealism. For these reasons, he is seen as being closer to an intellectual European Catholic tradition than to mainstream Irish Catholic...
, Denis Devlin
Denis Devlin
Denis Devlin was, along with Samuel Beckett and Brian Coffey, one of the generation of Irish modernist poets to emerge at the end of the 1920s. He was also a career diplomat.-Early life and studies:...
and Samuel Beckett
Samuel Beckett
Samuel Barclay Beckett was an Irish avant-garde novelist, playwright, theatre director, and poet. He wrote both in English and French. His work offers a bleak, tragicomic outlook on human nature, often coupled with black comedy and gallows humour.Beckett is widely regarded as among the most...
).
Accordingly SoundEye has hosted readings by a wide range of poets across the years, from Ireland, the anglophone world in general, and even occasionally from non-anglophone nations.