The 2019 All-Ireland Poetry Slam Final took place in Sinatra’s Bar in the Arlington Hotel last Friday, 8th November. Melissa Ridge speaks with 2019/2020 All-Ireland Champion Shaunna Lee Lynch about her new title and her experience getting to first place.

Shaunna Lee Lynch with the All-Ireland Poetry Slam Trophy — **Shaunna Lee Lynch** with the All-Ireland Poetry Slam Trophy

Originally from Cork City, Shauna Lee-Lynch moved to Dublin to study Drama in DIT and travelled to Hong Kong to work before returning home to live in Cork. She has been performing spoken word for two years after attending Ó Bhéal, a weekly poetry event in Cork City. She explains how she felt inspired by the community of artists she found herself surrounded by and the support shown for new writers and performers and has found herself stepping out of her comfort zone.

“I’ve been lucky enough to have had a lot of opportunities to perform my work over the past two years and have become more and more confident in performing. I’ve performed at lots of different events around Ireland and abroad.”

Lynch took part in the All Ireland Poetry Slam competition last year but didn’t make it to the final on a timing error. “Last year I competed in the Munster Slam but did not make it until the final 3, possibly because I went over on time quite a bit without realising it, which is cause for marks to be deducted.

I was very disappointed as I was very eager to make it to the All-Ireland last year. Because of that disappointment I decided this year to not emphasize on the winning and just leave it up to fate, and the judges, and enjoy it. So my thoughts going into it were ‘whatever the outcome is, it doesn’t define the worth of your work just give a good performance’.”

The night of the final, Lynch found herself in high spirits after an intense Munster Heat where she was surrounded by competitive poets. “Everyone was very supportive of one another. At the Munster Slam the atmosphere was very tense as everyone was very focused and anxious whereas here it felt a bit like the pressure was off as we had already made it this far. It was a bit nerve-wrecking waiting for the results in between rounds but there was a great sense of camaraderie between the poets and that certainly took the edge off.”

Lynch says: “I would love to tour around Ireland. I’m delighted to have this title as it will give me more opportunities to perform around the country and support my applications to perform at larger events and festivals. I spent a lot of this year working on a play I wrote, which is now coming to an end so I plan to spend some time working on new poems over the next month and then organising some performances.”

2020 will be an exciting year for Lynch with a tour around Ireland on the horizon and the opportunity to represent Ireland and compete in the World Poetry Slam in Paris.

“I’m very excited and proud to represent Ireland. Having spoken to some of the poets who have previously represented Ireland in the European Finals, it sounds like a great experience and opportunity to meet artists of different cultures and show what Ireland is about in 2020.”

“Wishful Thinking” play by Shaunna Lee Lynch — “Wishful Thinking” play by **Shaunna Lee Lynch**

Shaunna Lee Lynch is currently performing in the play “Wishful Thinking” , to which she is the playwright, and co-producer of. It is presented by Strive Theatre and continues its run until the 16th November in the Cork Arts Theatre.

Meet the 2019/2020 All-Ireland Poetry Slam Champion