Galway University Hospitals Arts Trust Announces Winner of First Poetry Competition

To mark the tenth anniversary of the ‘Poems for Patience’ project, Galway University Hospitals Arts Trust launched a poetry competition in 2013.  The Trust was delighted with the incredibly high standard and the huge response from poets.  The winning entry is called ‘The River’ by Jane Clarke.  Jane will be presented with a copy of her poem in a poster format and will read it at the ‘Poems for Patience’ launch on Friday 26 April on the Arts Corridor of University Hospital, Galway as part of the Cúirt International Festival of Literature.
 
Originally from Roscommon, Jane Clarke now lives in Co. Wicklow. She has had poems published in Mslexia, Envoi, The Irish Independent, The Stinging Fly, Cyphers, The Shop, Southword and accepted for Poetry Wales, Ambit and Rialto. Jane was short listed for the 2013 Hennessy New Irish Writing Awards, she also won Listowel Writers Week in 2007 and the iYeats in 2010.
 
Jane’s poem will be displayed along with twenty one other poets selected this year by poet Matthew Sweeney.  Matthew will introduce the poems, including works by W.S. Merwin, Vona Groarke, Paul Muldoon, Elizabeth Bishop, Sharon Olds and many more.  There will also be a poem by Dennis O’Driscoll in this year’s selection; Dennis selected the ‘Poems for Patience’ series in 2011 and sadly passed away suddenly in December 2012. 
 
The poetry is circulated throughout the waiting areas of University Hospital Galway and Merlin Park University Hospital.  The concept of poems in waiting rooms was piloted in London in 1998.  Poems were commissioned on the theme of waiting.  Galway University Hospitals Arts Trust’s first series of ‘Poems for Patience’ in partnership with the Cúirt International Festival of Literature was launched at the festival in 2004.  For the duration of this year’s festival, the poems will be on display on the Arts Corridor, University Hospital, Galway.  
 
The ‘Poems for Patience’ launch will take place on the Arts Corridor, University Hospital Galway at 11.00am on Friday 26 April.  ‘This Never Happened II’ a collection of poetry and stories by patients, staff and visitors to Galway University Hospitals and edited by Kevin Higgins, Writer in Residence at Galway University Hospitals will also be launched.   The event is coordinated by Margaret Flannery, Arts Director, Galway University Hospitals Arts Trust.  For further information contact guhartstrust@hse.ie or 091 544979/087 1250461.