Poetry Off the Page: Spotlight on Ireland’s Spoken Word Scene
Free public event at UCD brings performance poetry centre stage with readings, discussion, and open mic
Poetry will leap off the page and onto the stage this April as Poetry Off the Page: Past, Present, Future invites the public to explore Ireland’s vibrant spoken word scene. Hosted in collaboration with University College Dublin and spoken word agency Boundless and Bare, this free event will take place on Thursday, April 24th, 2025, from 3:30–5:30pm in the FitzGerald Debating Chamber at UCD.
Bringing together some of the most resonant voices in Irish performance poetry, the event features live performances by Emmet O’Brien and Stephen James Smith, followed by a roundtable discussion that delves into the evolving landscape of poetry performance in Ireland. The panel will include notable figures such as Paul Casey (Ó Bhéal), Lucy Collins (UCD), Claire Palzer (University of Vienna), and Melissa Ridge (Boundless and Bare)—each bringing unique insights from both artistic and academic perspectives.
Audience members will also have the chance to share their voices during an open mic session, closing the event with a celebration of community participation and creativity.
The event aims to honour the rich heritage of performance poetry in Ireland, reflect on its present, and look ahead to its future, offering a space where poets, academics, and the public can converge. Organiser Claire Palzer explained:
“My hope is that this event will contribute to the ongoing conversation about poetry performance in Ireland and highlight how vibrant the space is here. And to demonstrate that, we have two invited poets – Emmet O’Brien and Stephen James Smith – as well as an open invitation for the open mic!”
Poetry Off the Page: Past, Present, Future is part of a wider European research initiative, Poetry Off the Page, a five-year project exploring the role of poetry performance in the UK and Ireland. It is funded by an ERC Consolidator Grant and the START-Prize of the Austrian Science Fund (FWF).
Admission is free, and all are welcome to attend and participate. Registration is now open.