Writers from the West Rhyme and Dine in Paris

national | arts and media | news report Monday January 08, 2007 15:15 by Fred Johnston - Manager - Western Writers' Centre - Ionad Scríbhneoiri Chaitlín Maude westernwriters at eircom dot net 34 Nuns Island, Galway 091.533595

A group of writers visited the French capital

Organised by Co. Clare writer Brian Mooney from an original idea by Fred Johnston

A group of West of Ireland writers led by Brian Mooney attended a reading at Le Café Montmartre, Paris, recently, as guests of 'Les amis de la poésie en Ile-de-France.' The writers involved were Brian Mooney, Geraldine Hetherton, Fred Johnston (Director of the Western Writers' Centre) and Murdoch Lothin, and they were joined in Paris by long-time Irish resident and poet, Derry O'Sullivan. The reading was followed by dinner. It is anticipated that this event will mark further exchanges between the groups and others. The writers paid for their own travel and accomodation and did not rely on arts' funding organisations. Anyone interested in becoming involved with such exchanges should contact Fred Johnston at 087.2178138 or through the Western Writers' Centre.