Hello All, The Committee wishes to explain a simplification of our membership/subscriptions policy.

We are very grateful to everyone who has contributed over the years, be it monthly or annually and be it large amounts or small amounts, but we think it is fairer and much simpler in future for everyone to pay annually, at the same time and by the same methods. We have decided that we are going to start from scratch commencing 1st September 2024.

The annual subscription to remain/become a member of Armagh Theatre Group will continue at £30 pa minimum (there is no problem if you wish to contribute more, that is your option and is much appreciated) payable on the 1st September each year.

Payment can be made either by:-  Bank Transfer: A/c Name: Armagh Theatre Co Ltd. Sort Code 90-20-47. A/c No. 40166793. Make sure you give your name in the reference. Or by cheque: made out to Armagh Theatre Co Ltd and sent (or handed to) Tim Hanna, The Treasurer, Armagh Theatre Group, 1 Tower Hill Close, Armagh BT61 9HY

Members who have already paid in 2024 i.e. since 1st January 2024 will have their subscription rolled over and will not be due to pay again until 1st September 2025.

All paid up members will be entitled to vote at AGM and to become members of the Committee if so elected.

The annual subscription is vital to offset a proportion of the cost of our annual overheads, namely insurance, heating oil, electric, entertainment licence, website, auditing fees and general upkeep of our building. If you currently pay by direct debit or standing order you will need to cancel these arrangements as in future annual payment will be by either Bank Transfer or by cheque as outlined above.  

OR YOU MAY DONATE TO Armagh Theatre Group any time by;

The ATG Paypal Giving Fund donation link is
https://www.paypal.com/GB/fundraiser/charity/3998501

Jamacian Dub poetry from poet/artist Raquel McKee and smooth blues sounds from Armagh's Garage Band

started and finished our Open Mic in Abbey Lane last Friday night. 

Also great contributions from Theo Sinton, singer/ musician; Jay Rafferty poet;  Joseph Conlon stories;

Mark Brownlee, author and poet; Rachel Toner, excerpt from short story;   and Malachi, 'It's all going to shite' 

With our highly anticipated raffle prior to a session from The Garage Band the quality of entertainment on the 

night was unsurpassed... and all for £5!!! 

Absent on the night and sorely missed by all was Dymphna and gang. Dymphna is layed up in hospital presently

and is aggrieved to have missed the craic as are we missing Dymphna's. She hopes to be out soon but meantime 

is entertaining the ward patient's and staff and assures me she is gathering new material for September's OMN.

Sending all our best wishes to Dymphna and all those regular Open Mic-ers presently unable to attend. 

                                                                   ******

Work continues on the extension and fingers crossed will be open for our next Open Mic September 27th when we

will host the WINNER'S FINAL of our poetry competition 30-3-100.

Judged by renowned poet David Braziel and open to previous winners of our monthly competition the deadline

closes on 15 Sept for entries. 

                                                                 *******

Flash Fiction Armagh continues as part of the Armagh Cider Festival in Crannagael House this Thurs 5th..another sell out !

We are screening the All Ireland Final  on the big screen in Abbey Lane  for all our members and friends who wish to see it.

Starting 2.30pm doors open with live coverage from 3pm. 

Free viewing-  Bring your own tipple- Nibbles-   guess the half time and end of match scores £2 line.

Wear your colours and cheer on your county for this historic match.

LIMITED SEATING 

Just to remind our regular audiences, Fridays Open Mic  has the later start of 9pm

This is to accommodate the John Hewitt bursuary students. Doors open after 8pm.

Sp guest , poet Gaynor Kane- Super raffle on the night - £5 in and BYOB Limited seating! 

The final poetry competition since January at our  Open Mic's resulted in a joint presentation of Highly Commended

certificates for Ellen McKenna and Joe McGinley with the overall winner and cash prise of £30 Jay Rafferty.

Below are their respective entries. See notice of a 'Winner's take All'  competition also.

Winner of June's competition Jay Rafferty's entry. 

In Italy they Serve Beer at McDonald’s

We spent January in an intimate city,

a haunted city, where the old brick

buildings are made of the grave

-stones that once stood in their place,

a city burned and built up more times

than Micky D’s have served Happy Meals,

a city with more antiquities in its river

than in most countries national museums.

So, naturally, we found the nearest Irish bar.

At four AM, we spilled out to the street,

half cut and stumbling and starving.

The pubs poured us last dregs out.

We learned who was with who

by the metronome sync of their legs.

You and I, poor pilgrims in the Holy city,

went to find God or the Golden Arches.

Whichever showed up first.

It was the latter. We ate nuggets and burgers

(no pickles grazie) at the Trevi Fountain, tossed

fries to the hungry pennies in its pools, got some odd stares

from the carabinieri, neither of whom offered to help me back

to my feet once I fell flat on my face. I wonder

if there’s a paving-gravestone with an impression

of my mug yet, like a fresco, a silhouette

in ketchup. Or if there’s stale fries floating still

in the fountain’s tank, too far from

a pigeon’s beak or a tourist’s belly.

 ***************************************

Ellen McKenna's Highly Commended entry.

Life is What You Make It.

Our existence can be so boring.

The same routine, day after day,

Treading the hamster wheel of life.

We start off,

We get up, go to school, sleep, repeat.

We mature,

We get up, go to work, sleep, repeat.

We retire,

We get up, do nothing, sleep, repeat.

Yet we are told that variety is the spice of life,

So that is my remedy for the banality of life.

I try to

Do something different each week,

Plan things to look forward to,

Learn something new, that takes a bit of effort,

Open my mind to fresh ideas.

Life is too short to be curtailed

By petty restrictions of our own making.

So, we should all break out of our boxes,

Add variety to our lives,

Then enjoy them to the full. 

                                                                                   ******************************************************************* 

Joe McGinley's Highly Commended entry. 

The spice of life

It’s said that variety is the spice of life, but me I’m not so certain

Just yesterday I went to buy a coat and came home with a pair of curtains

Why o why is there so much choice, it’s enough to drive you up the wall, the day’s of small, medium & large are gone, & so is one size fits all

The lady behind the counter said I don’t think we have them in stock, I said it’s either me or the moths but I’m down to my last pair of socks.

Her reply was very quick she said when I get home I should check online, see I remember hanging them out & I’m dam sure they’re not all mine

So if you want to make your life more interesting & it’s variety your after,

Get yourself down to the open mic for it’s jam packed with fun & laughter.

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A big thank you for all who entered our competition over the last months. The quality and variety of writing was a treat to read and at times

difficult for the judges to agree on. It offers those writers a chance to read their poetry, soak up the live reaction from the audience and get some recognition for their efforts. Hopefully this will spur you on to and keep poetry live! 

We are to hold a 'Winner takes All' competition for all those who received Highly Commended cert's or who won outright over the  last months. This will be judged by an invited and well know poet and the winning prize of £100 presented at September's Open Mic. 

Previous winners and HC certificate winners will be notified by email  with all the details to enter. Check your junk in the coming days. Good luck!

A feeling of anticipation and excitement was in the air as dozens of supporters gathered for our mid summer

Open Mic in Abbey Lane Theatre. 

Special guests for the evening were representives of Ukrainian Community in N.Ireland, Inna Shynkevich and

singer Anastasiia Bershadska. Both ladies gave a portrayal of life in Ukrainian through it's culture, song and scenery.

With a short video showing the beautiful vast country not depicted in recent world media and their painful exile from 

their homeland to the welcome they have received since settling in Co.Armagh. Anastasiia sang a traditional song

called 'I'm Free' and a haunting folk song to end their presentation with sustained applause from the audience. 

 Our Open Mic's contributors included new young talent in Daniel McGouran, Aislinn Whyte and Kayleigh McCool, all singer/musicians.

The poets this week were Roisin McVeigh, Ellen McKenna,Joe McGinley, Mark Brownlee and Jay Rafferty. Singing 'Caledonia'  was Sinead Hughes and on guitar singing was Dennis McCloskey and Thomas Healey. From Abbey Lane to Stormont, Dymphna was in fine form with her yarns and her poem she launched in Stormont Buildings . Kayleigh came back on again to wrap up another variety filled evening in Abbey Lane Theatre. Next OMN 26th July in association with John Hewitt International Summer School in Armagh.

Members and friends of Armagh Theatre Group are cordially invited to the launch of this year's 37th John Hewitt International Summer School at Market Place Theatre 12.30 pm tomorrow Wed 19th June. 

Guest for the launch will be the new Lord Mayor Sarah Duffy and the Chair of John Hewitt Society Mr Frank Ferguson.

Apologies are sent  from Paul McAvinchey for the short notice.

Attendence would be gratefully welcomed.

To acknowledge the passing last week of North Belfast poet Gerry Dawe 1952-2024.

The Ulster poetry family have lost another gem.

The Lost by Gerald Dawe

After the denunciation they came piling in,
Even the static of my clothes hurt,
The handle of a door stung like a bee.

I couldn’t walk it off in the skiffs of rain
Along the dreamy sea coast that late spring,
They dogged me, my blunderings,

Like Chinese whispers, twitching curtains,
And the birds in the trees scattered
While those I once knew gave only

A blank stare to my salutations,
Wisps of cloud rose skywards
Through the Velux I’d grown used to

And the empty yards all shadow
And shade. Further afield,
The followers stormed the sacred gate

And all the lost were named.

Gerald Dawe’s most recent collection, The Last Peacock, was published in 2019.