Poetry Slam Tonight at 9.30pm

Limerick to Rock at Cuisle Poetry Slam

Limerick delves into the strange and wonderful world of Slam poetry on Saturday the 18th October 9.00pm at the White House as part of the Cuisle International Festival of Poetry.
So just what is Slam, or as its increasingly being called performance poetry? Former winner of the Cuirt Grand Slam in Galway Trish Casey explains, “A Slam is a performance poetry competition. Performance poetry is the rock n’ roll of poetry - performed, chanted, rapped or ranted, it is a free-style form of spoken-word expression. Marc Smith coined the term “performance poetry”. He started the Uptown Poetry Slam at the Green Mill Tavern, Chicago, in 1987. Before Performance Poets were the Beat Poets of the 60’s and long before the Beat Poets were the Bards, and before the Bards were the spoken-word traditions of all cultures. We come from an ancient line.” She said.

So what can we expect at the White House next Saturday? Well For those who haven’t experienced one before, a slam is a performance poetry competition in which poets perform for not more than three minutes, sometimes, but not always, without the aid of the page in front of them. A panel of judges usually chooses the winner. Each judge scores the poet out of ten, and then both the highest and lowest score are disregarded; and the middle three scores totted up. Three cash prizes and a plaque for the overall winner is on offer.

To participate in this years Slam all you have to do is arrive on the night to the White House and give your name to the M.C. Barney Sheehan. Alternatively you can send on your name to the Limerick City Arts Office, City Hall, Limerick by the 17th October requesting inclusion or you can email your intention to participate to sdeegan@limerickcity.ie Once your name is on the list you will be called on the night with everybody else to make your contribution.
Further info: Tel 087 2996409.


How To get There
The White House pub is located in the centre of Limerick City at 52 O'Connell Street. Its exact location is on the corner of Glentworth Street and O'Connell Street, opposite the Ulster Bank and the Bank of Ireland. It is approximately 5 minutes walk from the train and bus station - exit the station and go down Davis Street, pass Taits Clock continue on down Glentworth Street and the White House is on the right hand corner at end of street.
Map http://www.limerick.com/streets/map.html