This month's winner of the cash prize is Mary Jbara with her poem ' Under the Surface' and our Highly Commended certificate

recipient is Paula Craig with her entry 'Picture from the Past'. Both poets presented by our MC for the evening Rachel Toner.

Mary Jbara's entry 'Under the Surface' 

Paula Craig's Highly Commended entry 

'Picture from the Past'

Picture From the Past

I found a picture from the past on paper creased and curled,

Faces fixed in amber watch from another world.

Beribboned little girls donning aprons freshly starched,

Dwell deep in dusty drawer, unaware how time has marched.

Sweet smiling seraph, Sophie; you’d reached the age of four,

I knew from family folklore, you’d see not one year more.

Throughout my childhood days, your name was hushed when spoken,

A spirit infant born with a heart already broken.

If ever proof was needed of how swifty decades pass,

Is my father’s mother captured as a vibrant, lustrous lass.

No forehead etched with worry or hair of mottled white,

But lithely limbed and flaxen with eyes that glittered bright.

It had never come to mind that she could have been so young,

A fragrant, worthy rival of the flowers she stood among.

Seated on a bench beneath the willow-shaded garden,

Grim Victorian parents, that time forgot to pardon.

Him with handlebar moustache; stiff stare and sombre suit,

Her with lace about the throat and polished, button boot.

Scarcely did they know about the wars that darkly loomed,

This steely, stoic couple were a generation doomed.

Studying this old snapshot marred with age and stain,

Forsaken in a cabinet, yet it’s where I got my name,

I think that I am feeling or the conclusion that I’m drawing,

There is something atavistic, that is in us, always gnawing.

It only takes a prompt – the surface to be scratched,

To unveil our gems of history, time had safely stashed.

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The 30-3-30 Poetry Competition Themes for June's OMN

1) The Spice if Life

2) Life Before Technology

3)On Shakey Ground .

Usual rules apply ; Maximum of 30 lines ;3 themes, choose one or all; £30 cash prize  30-3-30 

Send your entries to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with all poems titled and  as an attachment in the email. Your name ONLY

in the body of the email .  Deadline for entries June 23rd midnight. Attendence at the Open Mic on 28th is requested if shortlisted.

Those shortlisted will be informed by email on Mon 24th. Judges decisions are final. We wish you all the best with your entries.

Our themes for May’s 30-3-30 poetry competition are;

1)Under the surface (what lies beneath)

2) Strange conversations (did they really say that?)

3) My planet.(Do we have a toxic relationship with our planet?)

Deadline for entries Sunday 26^th midnight . Next Open Mic 31^st May

The cash prize winner and Highly Commended certificate winner will be presented during the evening so we ask all entrants of the competition to endeavor to attend. 

The languid style of Danny Doran and the honey tones of his singing had Abbey Lane enthralled

as he started April's Open Mic last Friday. 

A songwriter, musician and comic of vast experience Danny is also the driver of the 'Happiness Cafe' in 

South Down area helping people affected by Dementia and Alzheimer symptoms. We were delighted to

have Danny as our guest on the night.

Hot on his heels our contributors to Open Mic kept up the high standard set by Danny with poets, musicians,

singers and storytellers all entertaining us for over 2 hours.

Poets/writers on the night Joseph Conlan ;John Henderson; Rachel Toner; Mark Brownlee; Molly Maguire;

Mary Farran, Ellen McKenna; Joe McGinley; Brett Lemick; Liam McIllvanna and Malachi Kelly.

Musicians/ singers Dennis McCloskey; Theo Sinton ; Thomas P K Healy and Danny Doran once again.

Dynphna Ferran completed the evening with her usual (unusual) humour and witty poetry. 

Along with our poetry competition '30-3-30 ' and loads of prizes in Abbey Lane's famous raffle a wonderful night's

entertainment was enjoyed by the big audience.... and all for £5 pp.  

Next month's Special guest is saxophonist and community musician Seonaid Murray May 31st Abbey Lane Theatre

Armagh.

WINNER for April's competition as presented at the Open Mic was Ellen McKenna with her poem 'Inner Musings' using the theme Inner thoughts.

Highly Commended certificate went to Joe McGinley for his poem 'If I had not chosen' in Courage and Fear theme.

Here we see Rachel Toner our MC presenting the delighted winners. Well done to all on the short list. Seanin Hughes, Brett Lemick and

Liam Mcillvenna

Inner Musings by Ellen McKenna

My thoughts depend on the mood I’m in,

What features in the news each day,

My interactions with people,

The myriad tasks that need completion.

They flit between topics,

Some like butterflies, sunny and beautiful,

Others like wasps, barbed and judgemental.

My thoughts are mine alone,

Influenced by my age, my upbringing,

My opinion of right and wrong.

Spinning and whirring within the confines of my being,

Often not ‘woke’ or politically correct.

It is therefore fortunate that

No one can yet see into my mind

And read my inner thoughts.

'If I Hadn't Chosen ' by Joe McGinley

                                 *

If I hadn’t chosen between courage & fear

I’d definitely still be sitting down

Instead im standing up here.

I questioned the facts whether written or said,

And courage prevailed were fear would have fled.

Sometimes courage like pride comes right before a fall

But fear just prevents you from even trying at all.

So, if you ever have to choose between courage and fear,

Choose what you love, it’s why we’re all here. 

****************************************************

May's poetry competition themes are

  1)Under the surface (what lies beneath) 

  2)Strange conversations (did they or I really just say that?)

  3)My planet (do you have toxic relationship with the planet?)

This month's special guest for Open Mic is the versitile and talented Danny Doran. As well as a great entertainer

Danny is known for his art work, wood carvings and his tireless work for Dimentia and Altzheimers charties in Newry and south Down.

We will be delighted to welcome Danny back to Abbey Lane on 26th April  as guest and to continue our support for local artists and writers.

If you have a song, poem, instrument, story or yarn there is a slot for you on stage in the friendly Abbey Lane Open Mic...the best in Armagh.

Come along for 8pm start, BYOB, £5 at door, 5 minute slots for entertainers , in house poetry competition and famous raffle.  

Our Guest Artist the brilliant Steve Lally enthralled the audience at this month's Open Mic with tales of ghosts, orchards, apples and the counting of souls. With balls of gold and wakes and rising dead that kept us glued to our seats. Mingled with beautiful poetry to finish the first half of the evening. Thank you Steve and come back soon.

Our Easter raffle followed with some delighted visitors winning wine, prosecco and collectable gift tea pot along with 6 lucky, luckly people sitting on tickets for Easter eggs!  After the brawl for the eggs things calmed down to have the results of the poetry competition.  This month's winner Matthew Toner from Armagh and Brett Lemick from Dublin. Congratulations to both. 

 Sue Divin belts it out

Our Open Mic had a great variety of participants. Musicians Dennis McCloskey; Eoin Kelly and Sue Divin. Singers Fergal Donnelly; Frances Lavery; Kate McConville and Bridie Heaney. Poets Mark Brownlee ; Brett Lemick; Malachi Kelly; Mary Farren and Matthew Toner and Ann Gilmartin storyteller. We also had a poem entry from a young Nigerian poet Oladejo Abdullah Feranmi which was read by Malachi and much appreciated by the audience. 

Next month's Special Guest is singer songwriter from Newry, DANNY DORAN, and in asking for a bio Danny said,

''It's not so much what Ive done it's a case of what I've not done. We were the only group that appeared on Opportunity Knocks that got boo'ed by the clappometer ''   

Well Danny,  Opportunity Knocks again and I'm almost sure there will be no booing from the Abbey Lane audience when you visit on the 26th April.

 DANNY DORAN April's guest.

April's poetry themes for our FREE 30-3-30 competition are

1) Inner thoughts (Which one do you listen to?)

2) Fears and Courage (life's experiences)

3)Afterlife   (Do you believe it exists, hope there is?  What's it like)

Our next Open Mic is on 26th April in Abbey Lane Theatre Armagh.

The cash prize winner and Highly commended certificate winner will be presented during the evening so we ask all entrants of the competition to endeavour to attend. 

Judging takes place after the deadline of 19th April and we will email those shortlisted for their availability. Unattendence means we go down the shortlist in accordance of the judges decision.

Rules of 30-3-30 are simple. Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. [BEFORE midnight 19th April]

with your details and attachments (poem, its theme and title only).

30 line maximum in any format  -  3 themes with relaxed guidelines  -  £30 cash prize for winner : 2nd) Highly Commended certificate.

Entry is FREE and you can present for one or all themes.

Winning poets will read their work after presentation and be published on our website and FB page. www.armaghtheatregroup.com  or Armagh Theatre Groupatg FB. 

Good luck everybody and best wishes.

ATG Open Mic @ Abbey Lane Theatre Armagh BT61 7DW.

As the count down continues to the start of 2024's series of Open Mic's in Abbey Lane I'm delighted to announce we will be hosting the Armagh launch of 'Swirling Violets', Conchur White's exciting debut album . 

Performing songs from his album Conchur will kick off the night at 8pm

Presently the hottest talent from Co Armagh Conchur has been generating rave reviews on radio, print and social media throughout Ireland,  Britain and mainland Europe. So Abbey Lane Open Mic on 26th will, once again, be the place to be.

And that's not all folks!  Our Open Mic, poetry competition, and famous raffle will follow.  So come early, BYOB and remember limited seating, £5 entry and expect a cracker of an Open Mic Night...........sure where would you get it?

Audience members from Armagh, Tyrone, Monaghan, Antrim and Down attended Abbey Lane Theatre for the eager  'Return of Hassard' on Friday night last and were not disappointed.

Like a good red wine improves with age Colin's fully bodied performance certainly whetted the appetite of his many fans. 

Along side Colin we had a full compliment of participants for the Open Mic and here are those  brave and talented people;

Mark Brownlee; bard; Matthew Toner, poetry;Sandra McDonnell-Hill poetry,'  Steven Butler, guitar instrumentlist/ songwriter;John Henderson, poetry; 

Stevie C, guitar/ songwriter; John Mc Andrew, story; Cathy Carson, spolken word poet; Tim Hanna, short Radio play script( with Felim Rafferty and Malachi -sound affects. We had the poetry competition presentation (see previous post) and the all important raffle during the break.

Second half commenced with our special guest Colin Hassard and performed a great set for a trilled audience. Always hard to follow but April Flynn, short monologue was perfect. Next Terry Colon singer and all round geg;Fionnuala Cassidy, poetry; Jay Rafferty, poetry; Adam Trotter , monologue; Frances Lavery, singer; Rachel Toner, poetry; Steven Butler, guitar solo; John McAndrew 30 word poem on war; and finally (no show without Punch) Dymphna and her 30 word poem on Changed times before she finished the night with her famous yarns.

Next Open Mic 28 th April 8pm £5 in , BYOB, 5 min slots available and first timers very, very welcome. Limited seating.

In the great tradition of Co Armagh bards Donald McKenna is up there with the best. Here he regales us with his poem 'The Tragic tale of Tim McCann'  at June's Open Mic Night in Abbey Lane Theatre while the summer heat soared to 30o