Ashton Students publish in The Unfinished Book of Poetry 2015

Sarah Hayden, Fianna Nolan, Diarmuid O’Donoghue, Michael Shiel Lantry, Annie Walsh, Evelyn Sheehan, Ms Ryan Transition Year Coordinator

Transition Year students at Ashton School recently participated in poetry writing workshops, facilitated  by Sarah Hayden, Assisting writer and poet, as part of the Cork City Libraries and Schools Project, supported by the Arts Office, Cork City Council.   Students, Evelyn Sheehan, Annie Walsh, Fianna Nolan, Diarmuid O’Donoghue, and Michael Shiel Lantry considered  and discussed emotions, politics, violence, nature and many other topics, as they honed their individual skills and craft as writers of poetry.  Ashton students were most appreciative of the support of Sarah Hayden,  who is Associate Lecturer in Visual Cultures at Goldsmiths College, University of London, and who also lectures in English, History of Art and Women’s Studies at U.C.C.

Sarah Hayden said that ‘Ashton students were always ready to engage and develop themselves’, borne out in the outstanding work of the students published in ‘The Unfinished Book of Poetry 2015’. Liam Ronayne Cork City Librarian, said it was ‘a continuing pleasure to witness these  young writers flourish at this crucial stage of their imaginative development’.  The anthology was  launched by Lord Mayor Mary Shields at Cork City Library, who commended both the City Council for its ongoing support of the programme, and the participating students for their inspiring work.   Students read their work to an invited audience, and received  plaudits and due credit for the diligence of their work, and artistic endeavour.   T.Y. Co-Ordinator  Ms. Margaret Ryan congratulated Ashton students on being ‘published writers of poetry’.  An enormous achievement, for any young person.