Gerard Manley Hopkins Festival Poetry Reading

Monday, 27th July 2026 - 5:00 pm

Walker Building, Newbridge College, Kildare

Tickets: €Free

The Gerard Manley Hopkins International Literary Festival, in association with Poetry Ireland, presents Poetry Ireland Reading with Dermot Bolger, Donald Gardner and Desmond Egan.

The event will take place on Monday, 27th July at 5 pm in the Walker Building, Newbridge College, Newbridge, Co. Kildare. Admission: free.

Dermot Bolger was born in Dublin. He began writing poetry in his early teens. Bolger has said that “As a poet, I am interested in people's inner thoughts and states.” As well as being a poet, he is also a novelist, and a playwright, known for exploring Dublin's working-class suburbs, deeply personal family histories, and urban transformations. His acclaimed poetry collections feature works such as Other People's Lives (New Island Books, 2022).

Donald Gardner is a poet, performer, and translator whose witty, surreal voice has captivated audiences from London and Amsterdam to New York and Dublin. Known for his inventive performances and distinctive poetic style, his work is playful, sharp, and unforgettable. His New and Selected Poems: 1966-2020 was published in 2021 (Grey Suits Editions).

Desmond Egan is from Athlone but lives in Kildare. Despite preferring a reclusive life style, he has come to be seen as a poet of major importance and has received the IBAM Irish Books and Media Award in Chicago. He has published many outstanding collections of poetry and has been described as ‘the most translated Irish poet’, with bestselling collections published all over Europe, in Russia and China. Among various honours, he has received The National Poetry Foundation of USA Award. His lates publication is Laptop (Goldsmith Press, 2024.

Each poet will read for about 20 minutes, and there will be music on what promises to be a special occasion, generously supported by Poetry Ireland. For further information, email:abbottviv@gmail.com / Website: http://www.gerardmanleyhopkins.org/