Irish Language Conference examines legacy of Limerick Poet Michael Hartnett

Limerick Poet Michael Hartnett

Irish Language Conference examines the legacy of Limerick Poet Michael Hartnett

A major Irish language conference on Limerick’s poet Michael Hartnett will take place in Mary Immaculate College on Friday, May 24, the first ever scholarly conference dedicated to the poet who died almost twenty years ago.

The conference, which is free and open to the public, will bring scholars and poets together to celebrate the Irish language legacy of the poet dubbed ‘Limerick’s Lorca’ by Séamas Heaney.

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Speaking in advance of the event Dr Róisín Ní Ghairbhí, Lecturer in Gaeilge, MIC, and event co-organiser along with colleagues Dr Stephen Newman and Tony Ó Floinn said “It is only right that this first major celebratory event of the life works of Hartnett should take place in Limerick and we are very much looking forward to welcoming speakers and visitors from throughout Ireland to this free event. We are particularly delighted that, along with the talks and exhibition, we have an exciting poetry reading, Cith Filí, to celebrate the poet’s legacy”.

The Cith Filí poetry event takes place at 4.15 pm and is supported by Conradh na Gaeilge, Luimneach. Mícheál Ó Siochrú, much loved Irish teacher of generations of St Clement’s schoolboys will be joined by Rita Kelly, Newcastlewest’s own Mike Mac Domhnaill and Seámas Barra Ó Súilleabháin, MIC postgraduate student and a rapper and spoken word poet who is fast creating a name for himself as an emerging voice in Irish poetry. Mícheál Ó Siochrú was a friend of Hartnett and his own latest poetry book, Scáil an Scéil will be launched at the conference.

Niall Hartnett, son of the poet says “I think that my father would have been coy but undeniably proud that his Irish language work is being recognised and celebrated in this way in his much loved native county of Limerick. He had high expectations of the language when we moved back to Limerick in 1974. I hope his work as Gaeilge will continue to inspire the people of Limerick to embrace the language.”

The conference, which features talks on such diverse topics as Hartnett’s mysticism and the cultural festivals Féile na Féile and Féile na Máighe, is being organised by Roinn na Gaeilge, MIC, and takes place at Mary Immaculate College, Friday, 24 May from 9 am – 5.30 pm. This is a free event and open to the public.

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