A poetry competition with a difference is being organised as part of this year's Sean Dunne Literary Festival in Waterford.
In April the city will again take time out for a weekend to remember the writer who died suddenly six years ago at the age of 39.
This year's events will begin earlier than usual, when the award-winning "slam poetry" group, Baffle, brings its particular brand of madness to the city in advance of the festival.
From tomorrow week, March 15th, the bards of Baffle, from Galway, will base themselves in the Hibernian Bar on Bolton Street every Thursday for an impromptu session of poetry, pandemonium and porter.
Waterford Corporation's arts officer, Mr Conor Nolan, says the event should attract those who have a bee in their bonnet, want to get something off their chest or just want to indulge in "some seriously pointed poetry".
To kick things off, the opening-night theme is the recently upgraded John Roberts Square, still known to some denizens of Waterford as Red Square, in the city centre. Whether you like the square or loathe it, the invitation is there to put pen to paper and make your views known in words that rhyme or, at the very least, sound something like poetry.
The event begins at 8 p.m. with a video presentation by Baffle of its work followed by some short readings of the members' work. Then it's "open season" on John Roberts Square, says Mr Nolan.
The event will continue each Thursday, and first-time poetry writers are particularly encouraged to attend. The quirkiest poems will be selected to go forward to Waterford's first full poetry slam at the Hibernian on Sunday, April 8th. The event will form the finale to the festival, which opens on Thursday, April 5th.
