SpeakEasy hosts final poetry event of 2024

The final SpeakEasy Poetry and Open Mic event of 2024 takes place on Friday, November 22, and features talented Belfast poet, Scott McKendry.

Scott will read from his new collection, GUB, and other works at the event, which takes place in Phil Grimes Pub at 8pm.

Scott’s poems will be accompanied on the night by the jazz soundings of Shane Murphy on guitar and Darren Dreelan on clarinet.

The duo met in college in Waterford in 2015 and have been playing together ever since. Both play multiple guitar genres, ranging from jazz to pop to classical, with each other and with other ensembles.

Paul Muldoon, who is Ireland’s Chair of Poetry, chose Scott McKendry for his Poet of Promise Award, and Scott was also the recipient of the Patrick Kavanagh Award in 2019.

Scott is the author of a pamphlet called Curfuffle (Lifeboat, 2019) as well as his collection GUB (Corsair, Little Brown).

As always, local writers at all stages in their writing lives are invited to come and read a poem or a piece of short prose at SpeakEasy’s open mic session.

The SpeakEasy Poetry and Open Mic event has been running successfully for over two years. It has hosted the Booker nominated author Colin Barrett, former Irish ambassador to the United States Dan Mulhall and Luke Morgan, winner of the Lawrence O’Shaughnessey Award, amongst many others.

SpeakEasy is supported by The Arts Office, Waterford City and County Council and takes place six times a year. 

It also receives support from The Granville Hotel and Phil Grimes Pub.

All are welcome to attend the upcoming final Poetry and Open Mic event of the year, on Friday, November 22. 

Entry on the door is €5, cash only.