Iggy McGovern reading

Suzie O'Riordan reading her winning poem - 'Joy' - from the Schools' Poetry Competition (with Margaret Cotter, Kanturk Arts Festival)

'JOY', by Suzie O’ Riordan - Overall Winner

If I could hold her now, I would,
Wrapped in her white cotton blanket.
And I’d watch her little blue eyes flicker
Until they close.
I’d listen to her hum as she dreams
Her songs so sweet,
A bundle of joy,
Whose smile can make your heart melt.
Only four weeks old,
Yet she is so beautiful.
My place is with her
My heart skips a beat,
Whenever she holds my finger.
I would be happy forever
If I could hold her now.

Vincent McDonnell (Kanturk Arts Festival Writer in Residence), Luke O'Riodran (Third Place, Schools' Poetry Competition), Margaret Cotter (Kanturk Arts Festival), Suzie O'Riordan (Winner, Schools' Poetry Competition), Iggy McGovern (Reader)

'RAY OF SUNSHINE', by Jessica Lynes - Second Place Winner

Walking in the steps of a ray of sunshine
Guiding me through the dark nights
And brightening up my rainy days.
Walking in the steps of a ray of sunshine
Making me see things differently
And understand the meanings.
Always looking up to her
No matter how tall I’ll grow,
My ray of sunshine.

.......................

'WINTER MORNING', by Jessica Lynes

The world is silent this morning
The fiery sun rises to light the white woods
And banish the harsh darkness
With the light it has stored through the night before.
The air bites my rosy cheeks
When I go out to do my daily tasks
Of loving and taking care of my fellow companions.
A friendly whinny greets me,
Followed by an exciting lick,
As I open the doors to freedom
Until dusk comes again.

'THE FROST', by Luke O'Riordan - Third Place Winner

It is silent this cold morning.
As I wake from my slumber
And open my curtains,
I think what a wonderful day to be alive.
I slowly open my window and reach out
And capture a piece of the world in my palm.

I can hear my mother calling
And now I must go.
As I zoom out of my own world
Back into the harsh reality of the real world
I step back, and then walk away.
And I think: How wonderful it is to be alive.

.......................

'THE ILLNESS'. by Luke O’Riordan

It was early August 2008

When my mother caught that chilling illness

And I found myself all alone.

People gave me their sympathy,

Which I always refused.

Now, when I remember those days,

I think what a fool I was

To think myself all alone.

Today things are better

The illness is all gone.

Now everything is positive

Because I have realised

That if you make it,

Through the dark night

There is a brighter day.

None of us is all alone.

................................

'HIDEAWAY', by Luke O’Riordan

There is a special place just for me
A small hideaway from the world
Where I can do what I want.
It can be silent or loud,
Whatever I want it to be.
It is as if no one can touch me there.
There is a special place just for me.

This place provides comfort,
This place provides thinking time;
I can sit on my chair,
Or sleep on my bed.
I can do anything I want.
There is a special place just for me.

The place I will always love is my home
It is a special place just for me.

'A STREAM OF INSPIRATION', by Mary McCarthy

My mother’s homeland lies beyond the hills.
It is a Kerry farm with a stream at one end,
Far away from roads, far away from towns,
Far away from life and all of its sounds.
Generations have walked through the fields
Down to that stream and told it their fears.
A line of forestry is all you see
When you go down to that miniature sea.
Or at least that’s what it seemed like
When I first saw the stream
As the five year old daughter
Of a previous walker;
A quiet, young tributary,
Before it reaches the river
And loses its secret beauty.
But the most wondrous sight,
Is when cattle come to drink,
And a newborn baby calf
Is rescued before he drowns.

I’m under the bed,
Lying on a spiky, scarily blue carpet
Where the spiders have
made their home.
I know that sounds quite odd
But that’s what I call home.
No small pet rabbits
Eating my homework,
Or wanting more carrots,
Or dogs howling,
Or babies crying,
Or parents sighing.
But there’s one small problem.
I hate spiders.

.........................................................................

'MY TWIN SISTER', by Siobhan Gillies

I admire my twin sister
Because she’s always there for me;
She understands me better than others
Because we are practically the same person.

As the light breaks through my curtains
Like the sun peeping between two hills,
And pierces the darkness of my room
I can see more clearly
My wooden chests and drawers.
And tiny specks of dust begin to rise
Like balloons rising up into the sky.
My alarm clock begins to near nine
And I make the most
Of my last few moments of peaceful rest.
I am about to embark on another day.

I admire those who look different,
Who strive to make a scene,
With bright outfits and big hairstyles;
They don’t care what people think.

My friends and family inspire me too
But not by how they dress.
With the actions they take every single day
They help me to live my life better.

The people who make something of themselves
I also admire them.
They use their talents to help people.
I hope someday I’ll be like them as well.

I admire a lot of people
For what they do each day,
For what they do makes them different,
And that is how they inspire me.

The world outside is muffled
Now it is just me.
A click
I am spoiled for choice.

I feel as though I’m floating
My finger guides me there
To that place that is my own.
Music is the only language,
The melody, the lyrics;
I am free,
Exhilarated is the word,
Speechless…

My place is a place
Where I like to be;
It’s where I go
If I want to be alone.
Rustling leaves,
The wind on my skin,
Me and my dog
Running through the trees
Back the farm
Up the passage;
That’s the place where I like to be.