The Arts Office of Kilkenny County Council is delighted to announce the publication of the eighth issue of the very popular KILKENNY POETRY BROADSHEET. The aim of the publication is to give local writers a platform for their work. Each poem selected is included in the broadsheet which is available for free from the Arts Office.

This years editor is Catherine Phil MacCarthy. Her collections include How High the Moon (Poetry Ireland, Sense of Place Award, 1991, a joint book), This Hour of the Tide (1994), the blue globe (1998), Suntrap (2007), and a first novel, One Room an Everywhere (2003). She was awarded a bursary in poetry from the Arts Council, in 1994, 1999 and 2007/8. Writer in Residence for Dublin City, (1994), University College Dublin (2002), she leads workshops at the Irish Writers Centre. She is also a former editor of Poetry Ireland Review.

About MacCarthy, the poet Eamon Grennan has said, "her poems reveal an imagination aware of the strength and delicacy of the body as well as how mind and body are in endless, responsive dialogue with each other."

From the 144 poems submitted by 53 poets, 17 poems from 17 poets were selected in this year's publication. Selected poets include previously published broadsheet poets Michael Massey, Frances Cotter, Jack Cuddihy, Nuala Roche, Frank Marshall, Violet Madden, Geraldine Coleman, Anne O'Connor, Brid Ryall with new names featuring including Niamh Mulvey, Tomas Ceitinn, Jeffrey Gormly, Myra McAuliffe, Caroline Delahunty, Monica Fleming, Anne Beck and Terry Brophy. The design and illustration of the broadsheet was undertaken by artist Ale Mercado.

The launch of Kilkenny Poetry Broadsheet Issue 8 will take place on Thursday 15th May at 6pm in No. 72, John Street, Kilkenny.