From Derry to Dublin and Cork to Galway there are Spoken Word Events happening all over the country this month. Here are just some to look forward to.

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The Glasshouse Poetry Open Mic in Galway is a monthly poetry event held in a cozy room which is secluded from the rest of the establishment with exclusive access to a bar, couches, sound system, and bathrooms. Glasshouse Poetry Open Mic has been runs on the first Wednesday of the month. Running this month on the 6th November in Electric on Abbeygate Street. This is a brave, comfortable, fun place to relax (or get rowdy depending on the poem), enjoy some poetry, feel some feelings, make some friends, and maybe have a pint and some food. The curator and host of the night is traveling performance poet, Beau Williams. Williams is the 2018 All Ireland Slam Champion who is scheduled to be the MC of the 2019 All Ireland Poetry Slam Final on the 8th of November.

The 13th All Ireland Poetry Slam Final will be held in Sinatra's Bar in The Arlington Hotel in Dublin this year after being hosted by Cathal Holden in Galway last year. Three finalists from each province will be competing to become the All Ireland Slam Champ 2019. The poets taking part in the 2019 All-Ireland Poetry Slam Final from Leinster are Birdwoman, Ciara Ní É, and Sheila Ryder; from Connacht, Conor Quinlan, Ikenna Anyabuike, and Rachel Ní Leannáin; from Ulster, Niall O' Mianain, Elizabeth McGeown, and Michael Wilson; from Munster Cathal Holden, James Crickard, and Shanna Lee Lynch. There will also be a performance by guest poet and 2017 All Ireland Poetry Slam Champion Nuala Leonard.

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Also on the 6th of November in Derry Hollie McNish @ WE ARE POETS 19 with support from slammer Michael Wilson, author of Bedlam's Best and Finest and winner of this year's Belfast Book Festival Slam. The WE ARE POETS 19 programme features poets Hollie McNish and Natalya O’Flaherty. It consists of workshops, exhibitions and live performances designed to promote the voices, needs, rights and well-being of young people in the community, highlighting their contribution and supporting their participation and confidence to develop skills and MAKE CHANGE HAPPEN. In association with YOUTH 19, Derry City and Strabane District Council.

Pioneering poet, writer and spoken word artist Hollie McNish gives a unique performance in the stunning First Derry Presbyterian Chruch as part of Verbal Arts Centre's WE ARE POETS 19 programme. Author of Papers, Cherry Pie, Why I Ride, Nobody Told Me and Plum, Hollie runs Page to Performance and won the 2016 Ted Hughes award for New Work in Poetry. As part of the Verbal Arts Centre's WE ARE POETS 19 programme, Abridged magazine occupies The Bunker for one night only to host a unique performance by Natalya O'Flaherty @ WE ARE POETS 19 on the 27th November, one of the most exciting voices on the Irish spoken word scene.

McNish is not the only UK award-winning spoken word artist to perform in Ireland this November. Following the release of her highly anticipated new album The Book Of Traps And Lessons, critically acclaimed recording artist, poet, novelist and playwright Kate Tempest has announced a headline show for Dublin’s Vicar Street on the 15th November. Tempest is a spoken word performer, poet, recording artist, novelist and playwright from the UK. She has been awarded the Ted Hughes Award for her work Brand New Ancients and was named a Next Generation Poet by the Poetry Book Society.

On 17th November WeAreGriot present Talkatives: A Rhythm and Poetry Slam in The Workman’s Club, Dublin. It is described as ‘hip-hop cypher meets poetry slam’ or ‘Def Jam poetry meets rap battle’. Nine individuals have been selected to compete head-to-head in a classic poetry slam style competition, where all slam rules apply. Of the nine performers there are four rappers and five poets who will perform for a few rounds and be judged based on their flow, their content and their delivery. Three judges will be present that evening, with the fourth judge selected from the audience on the night.

Cork’s weekly poetry event Ó Bhéal is held each Monday from 8.30pm to midnight, features poetry films, a poetry challenge, guest poets and an open mic for original poetry, storytelling and acoustic music. Guests this month include: Miriam Gamble, Grace Wilentz and Siobhán Daffy, and Ellen Dillon. The seventh Ó Bhéal Winter Warmer Weekend Festival of Poetry will run Friday the 22nd and Saturday 23rd of November featuring twenty-three poets from seven countries at the arthouse cinema and music venue The Kino (Washington Street). This year’s line-up includes Liz Berry, Aifric MacAodha, Trevor Joyce, Yolanda Castaño, Gabriel Rosenstock, Zsuzsa Emese Csobánka, Ciara Ní É, Amanda Bell, Anne Frater and Danielle McLaughlin. There will also be a closed-mic set for ten local poets.

The Irish Writers Centre’s Takin’ the Mic returns to Dublin Book Festival for an evening of poetry and prose on 15th November. Hosted by Ciara Ní É, Irish language poet and founder of REIC, and special guest Oisín Fagan the evening will feature guest performances as well as the usual open mic for writers, spoken-word artists, comedians and musicians. Takin’ the Mic is a bi-monthly open mic night hosted by the Irish Writers Centre.

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Also in Dublin this month as mentioned above Ciara Ní É founder of REIC, brings this bi-lingual spoken word event to Club Chonradh na Gaeilge on the 21st November. REIC is a bilingual spoken word event featuring poetry, rap, music, storytelling, and everything else you can think of! It is an open space where performances as Gaeilge are welcomed.

On the 28th November The New Romantics’ Chosen Families event will take place in The Fourth Corner, Dublin. The New Romantics is a monthly queer-forward poetry, spoken word and prose night taking as its central premise updating the themes of historical writers to a new era. Their events are always free in for new and established writers to come and read to an audience for the first time, sound out new work, or just talk about their interests in a welcoming environment. This month the theme is celebrating the gift of chosen families.

Information for all these events and more November spoken word events can be found on the Boundless & Bare Gig Guide Page

Spoken Word Poetry Events in November