All-Ireland Poetry Day has been marked for October 2, 2008 to commemmorate the 30th anniversary of Poetry Ireland. This looks like one grand event.

Arts Council of Ireland/An Chomhairle Ealaíon has provided a grant to allow Poetry Ireland to organize a poetry reading in every county. Both Irish and English poets will be featured at each event and at least three poets will read in each county. That’s mighty spectacular. The plan is to pair well-known poets with lesser known poets and performance poets too. Some of the events in Ireland on that day will include:

• Deirdre Brennan, David Butler and Derek Coyle reading in the George Bernard Shaw room at the Carlow Central Library
• John F. Deane, Rutger Kopland and Fiona Sampson will read in Dublin at the Unitarian Church; this event is sponsored by Dublin City Arts Office
• Galway City Museum will feature Celeste Auge, Louis de Paor,
  Ted Deppe, John Walsh, Michael O’Loughlin and music, with settings of poetry performed by Judith Mok and John Feeley in addition to the city and the county mayors reading their favorite poems
  In Limerick County, Michael Coady and Jo Slade and newly appointed Poet in Residence Eileen Sheehan will read at the library in Newcastle West
• The Factory Performance Space in Sligo will present Mary Branley and Eva Bourke and musician Steve Wickem

This is one of those events, like former U.S. Poet Laureate Robert Pinsky’s Favorite Poem Project, that should be a must for all working poets in Ireland. I wish I lived in Ireland so that I’d have the chance to attend.

To get the full schedule with times and locations and featured poets for every county, visit Poetry Ireland’s website.