NEWSLETTER

28
Kiltimagh Student Suzanne Wins Much More
Than Sligo Poetry Competition
A Winning Tribute.
To me, self expression is everything. It’s
what helps you to release emotions,
but it also makes you the individual that
you are. Everyone expresses themselves
in different ways, for me, it was always
writing raps and poetry. The very first
time I ever wrote a rap, in that moment,
something completely changed in me.
I was finally free from all the problems
that were once weighing me down,
because I left them on that page. It’s not
just a hobby, but a means of survival. It’s
being able to turn something so tragic,
into something so beautiful... all through
the power of words. I
was on a train to Dublin
with my favourite
English teacher, Fiona,
destination being the
national Library for an
award ceremony on
National poetry day.
Weeks previously, the
best Co- Ordinator
in Pat Howley, told
me about a William
Butler Yeats poetry
competition that Sligo
Youthreach were hosting.
Pat encouraged
me to enter a poem I
had once read to him,
a tribute I wrote for my friend Danielle's
18th birthday, so I entered, not thinking
I’d even be shortlisted. Until one day Pat
called me into his office and told me my
poem was picked out of 3 contenders,
winner being announced in Dublin the
following day (which was a total lie!)
Turns out I had won first place all along,
but Fiona and Pat kept it a secret right
up until a was in the National library.
Colm Keegan the famous Dublin poet
who judged the competition was the
one to tell me. I could never come close
to explaining how much that moment
meant to me, but its truly something I
will never forget. I'm so grateful Fiona
and Pat kept it a secret cause it really
helped me to appreciate the moment
even more. Colm Keegan read out an
introduction and next thing I was walking
up to the stage to read out my poem in
front of a room full people. If the grim
reaper, your one from the exorcist and
the clown from It all teamed up to wake
me up in the middle of the night... nothing
would compare to how terrified I was
when I reached that stage, but I read out
that poem with strength and pride in my
voice because although I was reading it
for Danielle, I was reading it for everyone
in that room that had ever lost someone
they loved, with a message behind the
words... You never really have to say
goodbye to someone you lose, because
they're always with you, waiting for the
day you meet again. The ceremony in
the national library wasn't the actual
award ceremony for the William Butler
Yeats competition. During the summer
Anthony and I along with a bus from
ballinrobe attended it in Sligo with most
of the teachers from all youthreaches
across Connacht. I really enjoyed this day
because we got to see all the winners
from all the different parts to the competition,
the drawings, 3D sculptures and
all the entry's for the poetry competition.
Everyone that entered had unbelievable
talent. Colm Keegan hosted a poetry
workshop for everyone there which I
really got a lot out of, his main tip when
it comes to writing poetry, is to use as
much emotion as you possibly can. I also
got to read out my poem again and to
collect first prize of an iPad mini, which
I've got so much benefit from. After
the ceremony I was interviewed by the
voice of the travellers about my poem
which was a great experience. After the
ceremony in the national Library Colm
asked me to perform my Poem at a poetry
festival the weekend after and again
for culture night in September, both
gigs went very... (I didn't collapsed into
a seizure on the stage so that's well for
me) but above all I got the opportunity to
do what I love doing and to experience
a whole new thing.
I've since become
good friends with
Colm and whenever
there's poetry festivals
or workshops
on he always invites
me up for them.
It's a great comfort
to know I could
seriously consider
pursuing writing
poetry as a career
someday. I'd like to
say a big thank you
to Pat for telling me
to enter my Poem in
the first place cause none of this would
of happened without his encouragement
and also to Fiona for her support and
encouragement and for bringing me all
the way up to the national library and
back, I am very very grateful to you both.
As for my poem... it was always so much
more then a poem. It was a story of the
legacy of the most beautiful person, with
the most beautiful soul... And I'd already
won first prize before this competition,
by getting the chance to know her.
By Suzanne Doolan.