Happy 10th birthday, Inklings
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Kevin, Brendan and Monica (Martin), Samantha, Nicola and Louise.Image 2 of 7
Gloria, Deirdre, Ruth and Mary Frances.Image 3 of 7
Anita O’Brien.Image 4 of 7
Mary Egan Campbell (photographer).Image 5 of 7
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The cake.Image 7 of 7
Louise, Chele, Brendan Martin (performing), Pat, Anita and Brendan Mahon.Cry if you want to… or drink wine, overindulge in iambic pentameter, add a harp, a cake, do it on Culture Night – those were the ingredients that made up the event to mark the 10th anniversary of Inklings Creative Writing Group, Mullingar.
From beginnings on September 5, 2016, Inklings now strive, drive, dive, revive, survive, arrive, and thrive. How? People – people willing to engage the blank page to accommodate all sorts of perspectives, Brian Mcloughlin, one of the Inklings founding members said.
Tribute was paid to Brendon Colvert, who attended the first meeting and is now in Portiuncula Nursing Home and, though frail in body, is lucid in mind. Brendon instilled respect in the group ensuring every voice deserves time to be heard.
Also acknowledged were those who ignited Inklings with their passion to publish a novel and or poetry collection, including Louise Ryan, Chele Crawley, Jimmy O’Connell and Jeanette Everson among the recently published. Also commended was Samantha McKenna and Laurence Meehan of Nexa.ie for lighting the fuse on the inaugural Mullingar Literary Festival, now a yearly event.
Tears have been shed and hot air has been espoused in the meetings, Brian said.
On the anniversary night, there were contributions from 22 members in story and in rhyme, including As Gaeilge from Mary Egan Campbell and Kevin Moore. Contributors were: Aisling Ryan, Brendan Mahon, Derek Walsh, Gloria Shannon, Liam Manning, Deirdre Bigley, Jacqui Wiley, Martina Maloney, Kevin Moore, Brendan Martin, Monica Martin, Pat Kenny, Jeanette Everson, Ruth O’Neill, Gary Guilfoyle, Mary Francis Cox, Laurence Meehan, Louise Ryan, Nichola Doyle, Tony Viney, Mary Egan Campbell
Anita O’Brien provided the harp overture and interlude, also playing the piano. Young harp student Muireann Maxwell contributed.
Among those thanked were The Annebrook House Hotel for being such genial hosts to Inklings and the Westmeath Examiner for the weekly column.
At the end of the night, a cake was devoured, and Brian Mcloughlin, the group’s midwife, was showered with flowers – metaphorically.
Inklings Writing Group meet on Tuesdays at 11am and Wednesdays at 7.30pm in the Annebrook House Hotel, Mullingar. Lovers of writing are welcome.