For more than eight years, Poetry in the Park has been a heartbeat of creativity in Listowel — a gathering where poets, singers, musicians, storytellers, and even the occasional juggler come together to share words, music, and laughter.

Founded by Mike Gallagher, the group has met every third Sunday of the month at Kerry Writers’ Museum, building a community that is as warm as it is diverse. 

This September, Poetry in the Park celebrates an extraordinary milestone — its 100th session — coinciding with the Listowel International Storytelling Festival 2025..

To mark the occasion, the group will welcome much-loved Irish poet Stephen Murphy as a special guest.

Poetry in the Park is more than an event. It is a testament to resilience (growing even through the challenges of Covid-19), camaraderie, and the enduring power of shared creativity. As Mike himself says, in Poetry in the Park “we are all guests; we are all stars.”

PHOTO: Poetry in the Park at Listowel International Storytelling Festival 2024. Photo Credit: Noel Sweeney.

Poetry in the Park by Founder Mike Gallagher

Hello, I’m Mike Gallagher and I would like to tell you about Listowel Poetry in the Park which I founded more than eight years ago – in fact, we will be celebrating our 100th session on 21st of September. This coincides with the Story Telling Festival and we are delighted to have been  asked once more to be part of the festival.                                                                                                      

Listowel Poetry in the Park brings together writers, singers, musicians and jugglers on the third Sunday of each month at 2pm in the Kerry Writers Museum.                

The atmosphere has been described as relaxed, invigorating, welcoming, encouraging, amiable, even at times, boisterous and gut-wrenching; and, indeed, it can be all of these. However, the most common reaction, I feel, is that sense of camaraderie and togetherness you get from being in the company of good people. This feeling, I believe, was nurtured and reinforced during Covid 19. 

Zoom meetings presented a challenge to many of us but we stuck at it and I’m proud to say that our numbers actually increased as the pandemic tightened it’s grip, an indication of how isolated people felt at that time and of how much our efforts were appreciated.

We do not have featured artists or guest stars; in PitP we are all guests; we are all stars.  However on this very special occasion we will feature one of Ireland’s most popular poets, Stephen Murphy for whom  Listowel people hold a special grá. 

PHOTO: Acclaimed poet Stephen Murphy at Poetry in the Park at last year’s festival. Photo Credit: Noel Sweeney.

We are as diverse in our outlooks and voices as we are in our whereabouts, scattered as we are throughout Listowel’s vast hinterland, in Killarney, Killorglin, Tralee and Ballyferriter in Kerry; Kilmeedy, Shanagolen, Rathkeale and Broadford in Limerick and Mallow and Charleville in Cork. These gatherings of artists from so many diverse locations, environments and influences is a major strength of the group encouraging a cross-fertilisation of styles, idioms, lore and experiences.

So, we hope to see you on Sunday, September 21st at 2pm in the Museum; Indeed, we would love to have your company on every third Sunday throughout the year.