May's Open Mic Special Guests

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Created: 16 May 2024

We are delighted to confirm this months' special guests as Seonaid Murray and David Jackson.   

Both Seonaid and David are accomplished musicians based in Belfast. Seonaid has visited Abbey Lane on numerous occasions facilitating workshops, more recently last year with Creative Lives poetry project along with Colin Hassard.

David, a new face to Abbey Lane Open Mic, will accompany on guitar while Seonaid plays sax. 

Come and enjoy the music, poetry, stories and songs at Abbey Lane Theatre Armagh on MAY 31st . Doors open 7.30pm ;£5 at door BYOB ;Slots of 5 mins available on the night for participants. Poetry competition and prize Raffle.  All welcome.

Seonaid Murray is a Saxophonist and Community Musician. She studied English Literature and Music at Bath Spa University and Community Music at the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance at the University of Limerick. She plays with several bands including; Colin Reid's TS4 Quartet, Colin Hassard's Dirty Words and The Vintage Revue. Seonaid is currently the Creative Places, Edenderry Coordinator working for Creative Lives and facilitates a range of freelance Community Music workshops locally.

David Jackson joins Seonaid on guitar - David is a DJ and Guitarist. Seonaid and David worked together on the Moon Base project at The Black Box in Belfast and through the Moon Music group, for and by people who identify as disabled recorded 3 original albums of music collectively! 

ATG Publishing launch 'IMPACT' in print

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Created: 13 May 2024

April's Open Mic with Down's Danny Doran

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Created: 29 April 2024

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.

April's Poetry competition results and themes for May.

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Created: 28 April 2024

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?)

Last chance for Toxic Relationships

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Created: 23 April 2024

https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/armaghtheatregroup. 

Due to overwhelming demand a final performance of Toxic Relationships has been set for Thurs May2nd in 

Abbey Lane Theatre. Tickets are already selling so dont miss this chance to see Byddi Lee's new play prior to

the Group travelling to the Science & Tech Festival in Dingle Co Kerry. 

Click on the link above and give yourselves a treat.

Danny Doran April's Open Mic special guest

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Created: 09 April 2024

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.  

'Toxic Relationships' a sell out!

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Created: 08 April 2024

All performances now sold out for Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Thank you all for your support and wishing  you enjoy Byddi Lee's new play and it's very relevant message.

March's Open Mic a good Friday night out

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Created: 01 April 2024

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 themes for 30-3-30 poetry competition

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Created: 01 April 2024

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.

March 30-3-30 poetry competition & April's themes

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Created: 31 March 2024

Winner of this month's top prize is Matthew Toner with his poem 'Regret'  (Split Milk) theme.

Matthew was presented with his winnings by ATG secretary Byddi Lee.

Regret, its a word we all know, it can sometimes be big, sometimes small and sometimes it can be about nothing at all. You said the wrong thing at the wrong time to the wrong person, you bought the wrong gift, you were the right person in the wrong situation, 

Life can both help or hinder your view of regret, the longer you live, the less you might fret about the past, or you may start to ponder, wonder and worry that this feeling might never go away, but life is too short to dwell on such things, mistakes they all were at least we hope. It's easy to reflect on the past, but try not to dwell on it too much or you may be doomed to repeat it. Instead look to the present the future the now, all will be ok, we'll be fine, somehow. 

By Matthew Toner. 

Highly Commended certificate for March awarded to Dublin based American Brett Lemick with 'The Lines we Draw'

on our 'Split Milk' theme.

The Lines We Draw   By Brett Lemick. 

Bursts of bubbling slap joy won’t wait, they erupt with or without you.

Friends dance around fires As you read the warmth from a screen.

Revelry echos into empty shot glasses, Smoke waf ting from their matching shirts.

The campfire-crackle fades As you lower the volume from under wrinkled sheets.

A faceless figure roots against you.

Of course, you think — again, you say.

Programming planned to harm, Distance designed to divide.

This isn’t you. You wouldn’t construct a room so small.

You wouldn’t break the tap that showers happy lit tle cells, Born to bounce out of line.

But you did. You do.

APRIL's themes  1) Inner thoughts (Which one's should we listen to)

                              2) Fears and Courage (Experiences)

                              3) My Afterlife (Is there one?)