Peter Costello
July 22 to 28, Newbridge College Theatre, Newbridge Co. Kildare
“A bright gem in the literary world!” according to Patrick Samway SJ, this year the 34th G. M. Hopkins Festival is to be held. This is a very real triumph of poetry, art and music over world-closing circumstances. Poet Desmond Egan, the founder and moving spirit of the festival, with his band of helpers and supporters have brought one of Ireland’s major summer cultural events through the Covid crisis to (hopefully) the renewal of “normality”.
Hopkins Festival 2022 Programme is now available, and the full details can be found on-line by searching G.M. Hopkins Festival 2022. The Hopkins event is the only festival devoted to aspects of Catholic culture in its widest relations with poetry and spirituality in Ireland, and deserves wide support.
The Hopkins Festival Opening will be presided over by UK Ambassador, Paul Johnston, a token of the continuing cultural relations between Ireland and its neighbours.
Among the events there will be a Traditional Irish Music Concert; a Creative Writing Workshop directed by Patricia Cleary Miller (Rockhurst University Kansas ); an international poetry reading; Barry McGovern appears giving his acclaimed interpretation of the works of Samuel Beckett (“An act for our times!”, said one critic); and above all a multilingual translation workshop, and with a fine international array of speakers. Come along on the day of your choice.