Friday Writer's Group present moving poetry at Central Library

A collection of poetry has been produced as a result of a creative writing project supported by the HSE’s mental health services in Waterford.

'A Flake of My Soul', by the Friday Writers group and facilitated by poet, Lani O’Hanlon in collaboration with HSE Senior Occupational Therapist Eileen Byrne, was launched in the Central Library last week as part of the Well Festival of Arts and Wellbeing.

Co-ordinated by Aisling Kennedy, from the Waterford Healing Arts programme, and supported by Rethink Ireland and Creative Waterford, the Friday Writers group have been meeting at the Réalta Centre for Arts and Health, University Hospital Waterford over recent months. 

Participants, who availed of the opportunity through the HSE’s mental health services locally, were new to writing and throughout the group’s meetings, participants learned to explore the world around them and to use their observations to write poetry.

Speaking about 'A Flake of My Soul', Eileen Byrne, Senior Occupational Therapist, Waterford/Wexford Mental Health Services, HSE, said: "This group of Friday Writers explored our senses and worlds, inside and out. They wrote about and described treasured family objects, music memories and the physical actions of everyday tasks. Under the guiding, nurturing and fostering direction of Lani O’ Hanlon, each writer grew in confidence and skill as they created and shared pieces of their own writing each week."

"They developed their writing craft, from free-writing sessions to the editing process," said Ms Byrne.

She went on to comment: "Stories shared became sharing a piece of oneself, cultivating creativity and experiencing a sense of accomplishment and pride for work done, the acceptance of good days and bad, and expressing curiosity and encouragement towards each other’s work.”