Late bloomers turn life into literature in new anthologies – The Irish News

Two old friends were in touch last week: Brigid Brady from Meigh in Co Armagh and Leo Convery from Portglenone in Co Antrim, both people who have found their voice on paper and both appearing in new books featuring work by writers’ circles.

Leo is no stranger to this page with his life stories and his verse. He came to writing late in life and is an example of someone who had no idea he had a talent for putting pen to paper, and when he did, in June 2009 at the age of 70, the doors of creativity opened and, as he told me, the words flowed.

“I reckoned with my dyslexia I couldn’t write, couldn’t spell, I scribbled and often couldn’t even make out my own writing. Then I realised you don’t need to be good at English and punctuation to write a book or a poem, it’s the story that matters.”

And there are plenty of stories in Making Words Work, the second anthology from the Portglenone writers, with proceeds going to local charities. Leo himself writes of the Green Desert, lamenting the changes in tending the fields, cutting the turf, the multitude of sky larks and the corn stubble left after harvest – but there’s no rotation of crops any more, just an empty grassy green desert.

Art McAleer remembers Bondi Australia and his attraction to Denese a Dutch girl with generous assets ‘struggling to remain behind a low lace petticoat’ and Betty Hueston tries to make custard just like her boyfriend’s mother but it doesn’t really work, when he asks her what she’s making, “Its custard, I told him, how many lumps do you want.”

A remarkable book full of great stories and poems all reflecting life and times around Portglenone, and a book which will travel with you to read anywhere at any time. The writing group gets together weekly on a Monday evening. More information from publisher Damien Clarke on 07719340808.

Much the same in Co Armagh with Harvest The Light, an anthology by the Wordsmiths of Teac Mallon, Meigh, which celebrates the area and the people. I visited Teac Mallon, ‘the house of the Mallon family’, set in the small village in the shadow of Slieve Gullion and received a warm welcome from Brigid Brady, who is the spirit behind this enterprise, from small beginnings to the book launch this month.

I learned that in 2012 she and her sister Maura McKevitt set up the Gullion Creative Arts Centre in the old milking parlour at the family home, and over the years, many guests have enjoyed the craic, including President Mary McAleese, the songs, the dancing and above all the creativity.

A homely house where there was always a cup of tea on the go, as I found out. The bus stop outside the gate meant people could drop in after shopping, work, or school; it indeed became a welcoming place for everyone.

Out of the arts centre developed Teac Mallon, creative writing classes, and it was obvious that there was a lot of talent amongst local people and others who joined from other parts of the Island, including Belfast and Dublin.

When reading out their ‘homework’ every month, someone said they thought ‘there’s a book in us’ and the work began gathering contributions from each member with Paddy Creedon masterminding the design and publication, “Like a good footballer he kept his eye on the ball,” was Brigid’s tribute.

Each writer has selected a colour photograph or a sketch to accompany and enhance their work, and there is such a variety of subjects, Tibetan Bells, Sam Maguire, ode to a mother, to grandchildren, another in memory of Father Gerry Reynolds of Clonard Monastery and one written following the death of a well known Irish storyteller, it came from Brigid’s pen.

“He was to travel to an all-Ireland storytelling event, which he was looking forward to but he was taken ill and hospitalised. When asked what to say to the audience about his absence, he said, ‘Just tell them Gene Carroll WILL NOT recite tonight’.”

In her poem Carroll Will Not Recite Tonight, Brigid writes of his death. Such was the impact of the poem, she was asked to read it at Gene Carroll’s funeral.

Their anthology was launched over two days at the end of July, and to date, book sales have raised £3000 and counting, with proceeds going to PIPS and Pieta charities, reducing suicide and self-harm.

A series of readings celebrating the unique landscape of Oriel southeast Ulster will be held across Ireland in September and October, ending at the Linenhall Library in Belfast on December 2 between 6.30pm and 8.30pm.

Available at bookshops in the area for a donation of £10/€12, also available online from Amazon.

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