Now that I have had a day or so to reflect upon our eighth Forge at Gort literary gathering at Gort, Co. Galway - and among all of those poets, and supporters who are deserving of heartfelt thanks is, of course, Eileen at Gort Public Library - I am personally very moved by the effort of travelling long distances endured by some participants and audience, and the overwhelming generosity of some others who, so unselfishly, sponsored us. The festival survived not because of The Arts Council (whose representative, having promised to come down and see us, pulled out at the last minute) or Poetry Ireland, who now seem a Dublin-only organisation and within that city, only for the benefit of a few, but in spite of them. We all may have to accept that neither organisation is particularly interested in literary events outside the capital and can offer us little in the future. Goodwill and enthusiasm enough can be found on our own doorsteps. It may be that for too long we have been dependent upon these organisations. We have forgotten, perhaps, the vigour and cultural energy to be found within our own communities, and the big-heartedness that will always overcome the politics and narcissism of a few. The festival this year showed me yet again that poetry can enthuse and energise people, that it is still a vital force that cannot be corporatised or turned into an industry. We were not the only literary event failed by Poetry Ireland this year, nor the only organisation against which The Arts Council turned its many faces. Id venture that things may get worse. So we would do well, for the health of our own poetry and that of others who ought to be heard, to ignore propaganda about Poetry Ireland being a home for poets. And to ignore the Councils media sound-bites about literature being important, and so on. They arent talking about us. It should not be forgotten that, having asked the Western Writers Centre in Galway to organise and set up a forum on literary cooperation in the West, the relevant Arts Council representative didnt even bother to turn up at it, nor has their promised report being published - hard to produce a report, one supposes, when one wasnt even there. But how utterly irrelevant these impertinences are when compared to the generosity and support that produced The Forge at Gort yet again this year. My sincerest thanks again to everyone who made it happen. Well do it again next year, all being well. God bless to all who took part, bought books, discussed, played music. Long may the Muses smile on you. FRED JOHNSTON
Posted on: Tue, 01 Apr 2014 02:50:46 +0000