Seán Dunne literary WEEKEND
WE LOOK FORWARD TO WELCOMING YOU TO OUR 2026 SEAN DUNNE LITERARY WEEKEND. THIS PAGE WILL BE UPDATED MID TO END OF MAY WITH MORE DETAILS AND REGISTRATION FORM
PLEASE CHECK BACK HERE OR VISIT OUR FACEBOOK PAGE FOR UPDATES
CRANES & KIMONOS
A WAXED LEMON SUMMER READING
Friday 12th June
Time: 6.30pm – 7.30pm
Venue: Lafcadio Hearn Japanese Gardens
Tickets : FREE EVENT
(Open to Public).
Please arrive at 6.15pm
To open the Seán Dunne Literary Weekend, The Waxed Lemon presents “Cranes and Kimonos”—a summer reading in the beautiful surroundings of the Lafcadio Hearn Japanese Gardens. Taking its title from Dunne’s iconic poetry tribute to Hearn, this one-hour music and poetry event brings together contemporary voices to share work from the journal’s archives alongside their new poetry. Join us as we celebrate the enduring influence of Seán Dunne on Waterford’s literary landscape.
GATHERING OF WRITERS & WRITERS GROUPS
GATHERING OF WRITERS –
OPEN MIC
Saturday 13th June
Early Afternoon
Time: 2.30pm
Venue: Lafcadio Hearn Japanese Gardens
Tickets : FREE to Pre Registered Writers and Writers Groups. Please PreRegister by Emailing Us Here and provide your Name and Contact, and if you are taking part in any or all of the following:
WRITERS SHOWCASE
READER – OPEN MIC
LISTENER
GATHERING ALSO OPEN TO GENERAL PUBLIC (Normal Garden Entry Applies – Adults €8). BUY GARDEN ENTRY TICKET
Please check back again or see
updates on our Facebook Page.
We’re delighted to let you know that The Gathering literary event will be happening again this year in The Lafcadio Hearn Japanese Gardens in Tramore. The Gathering will take place on Saturday 13 June at 2.30pm in the Transition Garden at the Japanese Gardens, and we very much hope you can join us again this year.
The Gathering is a literary event which aims to bring writers from all over the south east together, for inspiration, ideas, collaboration – and fun. First, there is the Writers’ Group Showcase, when representatives of writers’ groups and writing initiatives will share details of their activities. Then there will be an Open Mic, when writers of all levels will be invited to share a poem or a short piece of prose with our warm and friendly audience.
More information will be released soon on the Lafcadio Hearn Japanese Gardens Website and Social Media.
A form will be available here for writers and writers groups to register free from 15th May.
We look forward to seeing you then.
The Gathering will once again be MC’d by local writers Mary Howlett and Derbhile Graham.
DERBHILE GRAHAM
Derbhile Graham is a creative soul in love with words in all their forms. She is also mad about spoken word and is involved in organising the SpeakEasy poetry and open mic event in Waterford. She also previously helped organise the Speak Up spoken word events in Tramore and Waterford, which aimed to give confidence to people who were new to performing their writing. She is proud to be MCing the Literary Gathering at the Sean Dunne Writers’ Weekend for the fourth year running, along with Mary Howlett.
MARY HOWLETT
Mary Howlett is a writer from Waterford. Her work is published in Southword, The Honest Ulsterman, Waxed Lemon, Drawn to the Light Press, Poem Alone, Swerve Magazine, A New Ulster, Poetry Bus 12, The Get Real, Steel Jackdaw, Southlight 37, Literature Today, Frogmore Papers, Soul Rice, Allegro, N&H Journal, Amethyst Review, Dodging the Rain, Galway Review and elsewhere. She has been Highly Commended in the Cathal Buí and 12th Bangor Poetry Competitions.
HAIBUN WORKSHOP WITH GER DUFFY
Sunday 14th June
Time: 11.00 am – 1.00pm.
Venue: Lafcadio Hearn Japanese Gardens- Meeting Point –
Transition Garden .
Tickets : €25 per person
BOOK YOU TICKETS HERE NOW
For updates please check back here or visit our Facebook Page.
HAIBUN WORKSHOP
The HAIBUN is a Japanese poetry form dating from the seventeenth century created by Japanese poet Matsuo Basho. The HAIBUN has never been more popular as a poetic form to try out. It consists of a prose poem (or prose sections) with a haiku, which can precede it or follow at the end. Often haibun prose is descriptive and steeped in nature and the landscape. We will be looking at and discussing examples of modern haiku and haibun. We will have time to explore the gardens, making notes, before we write our draft. This workshop will guide you through the process of creating a haibun, from rough notes to a polished draft. The final section of the workshop will be a feedback session based on the Haibuns created. Workshop notes will be provided with further reading.
GER DUFFY
Ger Duffy’s poems have been widely published in Ireland and the UK including Poetry Ireland Review, Southword, Crannog, PN Review, Under the Radar, The London Grip, 14 Magazine and many others. Her pamphlets have been finalists at The Patrick Kavanagh Awards, The Fool for Poetry Chapbook Competition and The Poetry Business Awards (UK). She was winner of The Desmond O’Grady International Poetry Award and the Redline Poetry Competition. She was selected for Poetry Ireland Introductions in 2025. She is creator and host of The Poetry Lounge Reading Series at Waterford Gallery of Art and co-editor of Three Pillars Poetry Press.
Celebrating Sean Dunne
Discussion and Private Screening..
Sunday, 14th June
Time: 2.00pm – 3.00pm
Venue: Lafcadio Hearn Japanese Gardens
Tickets : LIMITED FREE AUDIENCE SEATS CAN BE BOOKED IN ADVANCE (To Book a Free Limited Audience Seat) Email us
Email: seandunneaward@gmail.com
We are delighted to host an afternoon event in memory of the Waterford poet, Sean Dunne.
This year, we are lucky to have some members of his family, poets and friends to discuss his life and work.
His writings in response to Lafcadio Hearn are on display throughout the gardens and participants will have an opportunity to view these after the event.
A UNIQUE SCREENING…
We are also delighted to show the documentary -Sean Dunne, Waterford Poet 2010,
the screening of this rarely seen documentary will be a highlight for this
afternoon’s celebration.
Following the screening there will be a discussion on the life and poetry of Sean Dunne and his legacy, with members of his family and friends and fellow poets. Audience members will be invited to ask questions. We look forward to meeting you there.
WRITERS & WRITERS GROUPS
TO BOOK A FREE PLACE for The Writers Gathering (individual writers or groups) on Saturday 13th JUNE see below .
To Register email address below with your name or name of group (and approx numbers).
Please also let us know if you are taking part in the Writer’s Showcase, Reader – Open Mic, Listener or a combination of these.
Email: seandunneaward@gmail.com