Forest Music Launch

Last night I attended the launch, in Drogheda, of Susan Connolly's new collection, Forest Music. Fittingly, with a title like this, published by Shearsman UK, there was not only the music of Susan's poetry on display, but she was ably supported by her talented family. Her son played some really unusual sonic pieces on guitar inspired, he told us, by the work of Preston Reed. His father then later played some gorgeous music on the piano, including a new piece that featured the clarinet, inspired by the island of Inis Mor, over on the western seaboard.

But this is to side-track from Susan's work, which was given a rousing introduction by Dr Geraldine Stout. Geraldine is well-known for her work in and love of archeology, particularly in the Boyne Valley area, and was a natural speaker on Susan's behalf; they both share a great passion for the past of this uniquely endowed area. The collection itself features poems about many well-known landmarks from around Drogheda, such as the Maiden's Tower at Mornington and Knowth, Dowth and Newgrange.

The launch was very well attended, despite the nasty weather last evening, and many, many copies were claimed and signed by Susan's fans, friends and family. Me included. I look forward to reading this long-awaited collection with great interest, for I've always liked the honesty and the quiet core at the heart of Susan's work. Besides that, Susan was one of the first poets I know to take my work seriously and that's no small part in my poetry past.

If you're interested, do pop along to the link and buy, or watch out for Poetry Ireland's email newsletters for the Dublin launch, which I believe will be held in May.