Strokestown Part 3

Okay, after a relatively early 12.30am finish on Saturday night, it was up early for the 10am readings at Strokestown House. We actually hadn't intended to do every event on the Sunday but every reading had something enticing so we did the lot. I particularly enjoyed the dry wit of Skye's Aonghas Macneacail and Elisabeth Rowe's brilliant take on the Periodic table.
In the early evening, we were treated to a special performance of Tom loves a lord, written and acted by the sickeningly handsome and multi-talented Martin Dyar before the big competition came to its finale.
Ten poems, all very different. In all honesty, you could have permed any three from about seven of them and nobody would have grumbled with the result. I was wavering between Mike Barlow and Jo Bell but I'm invariably wrong, so there was no surprise when Jane Routh (above) was announced as the winner.
Afterwards, it was another session in Anthony Beirne's for the final of the Pub Poetry Competition. Somehow Jo Bell read for one of the pubs but she was blown out of the water by a lady called Maureen (I think) extolling the virtues of Strokestown Farmers Market. The stuff of legend.
Back to the Percy French again for a couple more. 2.30am finish
Monday morning and I'd had my fill of poetry and Guinness. Back home to reality. Great seeing old friends again - Bernadette, the Rickards, Margaret and Noelle, Melissa, Kay, Shane and the committee, Martin and Caroline, Dee, Declan etc - and making many new ones - Triona, Ciaran, Tim amongst others.
Roll on next year!