Éigse Michael Hartnett Poetry and Literary Festival 2012 is an exciting and wide ranging festival of literary and arts events that vibrantly celebrate the life and work Newcastle West’s most famous son, poet Michael Hartnett (1941 - !999).

The President of Ireland Michael D. Higgins will be the keynote speaker at this year’s Éigse Michael Hartnett, which takes place in Newcastle West, Co. Limerick from April 26th – 28th.

His Excellency will launch the annual three-day literary and arts festival in The Arra Suite of the Courtenay Lodge Hotel, Newcastle West on Thursday evening, April 26th at 8pm sharp.

As a published poet in his own right, Michael D. Higgins has visited Newcastle West and Éigse Michael Hartnett on several occasions so it is a signal honour to be welcoming him back as President in the first few months of he assuming the office.

Undoubtedly there will be keen interest in the President’s address which is bound to be stimulating, challenging, thoughtful and pertinent.

The opening night will also feature the presentation of the Michael Hartnett Poetry Award by the Cllr. Mary Harty, Cathaoirleach of Limerick County Council.

This year’s recipient is Dr. Stiofán Ó Cadhla for his collection An Creideamhach Déanach. The Hartnett Award is jointly funded by Limerick County Council and the Arts Council and is one of the country’s most prestigious and valuable poetry prizes with a purse of €6500.

While the President will be officially launching the festival on the Thursday night, the festival’s community programme will start bright and early on Thursday morning, April 26th with County Limerick Writer in Residence Helena Close reading in various post primary schools and drama high jinks with actor/writer Biddy O’Loughlin happening in the county’s primary schools.

Dance as never seen before will feature in the heart warming and unmissable Hearts, Wheels and Horses on Friday morning with dance facilitator Mary Hartney.

Éigse Michael Hartnett is also delighted this year to have Co. Limerick’s first professional integrated dance company Spoken Dance perform at various venues and times over the weekend, with accompaniment in music and song by Colum Sands. Other community events include storytelling in the Community Hospital for the elderly, puppet shows, music on the streets and in the pubs.

This celebration of the creative breath that is contemporary Ireland is also at the heart of Éigse’s literary programme. Friday night’s reading brings together two distinguished poets and voices, Fleur Adcock, originally from New Zealand and now living in the UK and Ireland’s John F Deane. After the reading, Biddy O’Loughlin, all the way from Australia, is sure to raise some laughs with her acclaimed one woman show ‘The Girl Who Thought She Was Irish’.

Saturday morning opens with Christy Kenneally delivering the Michael Hartnett Memorial Lecture with the intriguing title ‘The People Who Fell to Earth’. Saturday afternoon features the immensely popular Hartnett Viva Voce and all poets, bards and haiku masters are invited to participate.

In a new departure in this year’s programme, Belfast born actor Stephen Rea will read some of his favourite poems, including a selection from Michael Hartnett’s work: he will be partnered in song by Rita Connolly. This event is aptly programmed ‘Bright Night of Two Moons’.

Book launches are grist to the mill of any literary festival and the festival is privileged to be hosting the launch of Paddy Bushe’s latest collection ‘My Lord Buddha of Carraig Éanna and James Harpur’s Angels and Harvesters.

Both Bushe and Harpur are previous winners of the Michael Hartnett Poetry award and their collections will be launched on Saturday afternoon by John F Deane. Another exciting launch is that of Pat Walsh’s book A Rebel Act: Michael Hartnett’s Farewell to English. Poet and Éigse committee member Gabriel Fitzmaurice will be doing the launching honours on Friday afternoon.

The final event or Cruinniú Deireanach of Éigse Michael Hartnett 2012 is an informal open lively gathering of audience and guests in which Éigse closes with song and poem.