Upcoming Athlone event to celebrate poet John Ennis

A special event will be held in Athlone Library as part of the All-Ireland Drama Festival Fringe next week to mark the 80th year of poet John Ennis.

John was born in Westmeath in 1944 and has published twenty one books of poetry.

The critic Sean Dunne has said of John, “he leaves many other poets looking watery and confined to limited forms, like people who never stir out of the house”.

His work has received numerous awards and, in 2010, was substantially represented in the Harvard Anthology of Modern Irish Poetry. John’s archive is held at Princeton University.

The event to mark his 80th year will take place on Wednesday, May 8, at 3pm in Athlone Library.

It will include readings by Christa de Brun, Gearoid O'Brien, Tadhg Carey, Noel Monahan, Arthur Broomfield, Jackie Gorman and Eleanor Hooker.

This is a special event as part of the All Ireland Drama Festival Fringe celebrating a life spent in poetry and someone who has contributed so much to the craft.

Copies of his new book 'Poems for Alina' published by Book Hub Publishing will be available on the day at the event. Susan McKenna of Book Hub Publishing commented: “John Ennis has been described by none other than Seamus Heaney as ‘perhaps Ireland’s most undeservedly neglected living poet.’ Our work with him over the years seeks to address this and bring his work to a wider audience.”

John Ennis is also an activist and has been green-starred for his contribution to Amnesty International. In 2019, he published an anthology of poems for Palestine, Turangalîla-Palestine. He edited Green Carnations/Glas na Gile in 2021.

Athlone poet Jackie Gorman, who is involved in the development of the event, commented: “John Ennis is an extraordinary poet, educator and humanitarian. In addition to producing a wide array of work himself, he also has the generosity of spirit to encourage other poets who are starting out along the path. We are all grateful to share in John Ennis’s work and to now celebrate his achievements.”

* All are welcome to attend this free event in Athlone Library, on Wednesday, May 8, at 3pm.