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| Pictured at the Ennis Book Club Festival in County Clare at the conclusion of the Caring for Carers 2nd annual poetry competition: (Back L-R) Terri O’Mahony (Competition runner up from Ballinacurra Gardens, Limerick City) Tracy King Kinlan (Runner up from Quilty, Co Clare), Noelle Dalton (Competition winner from Askeaton, Co Limerick) Brigid Barron and Mary McMahon of Caring for Carers Ireland; (Front L-R) Poets Joseph Woods (Director of Poetry Ireland) and Paula Meehan. Photograph by John Mullins |
Family Carers throughout Ireland have participated in the second annual Caring for Carers Ireland poetry competition, the winners of which were announced at the Ennis Book Club Festival in County Clare during the weekend.
The nationwide poetry competition asked Family Carers to compose poems on the theme of ‘Springtime’, representing renewal and new life.
Noelle Dalton from Askeaton in County Limerick received first prize for her poem ‘Twilight’. Runners up included Gaia Charis from Castletownshend, County Cork, Tracy King Kinlan from Caherush, Quilty, County Clare, Terri O'Mahony from Ballinacurra Gardens, Limerick City, and Barbara Roche from Glenina, Ennis, County Clare.
Brigid Barron, Research and Program Manager with Caring for Carers Ireland, explained that the purpose of the competition is to highlight the significant contribution made by thousands of Family Carers to Irish society.
“Recognising the role of Family Carers in the home is crucial,” Ms. Barron said. “This form of care is the foundation of formal health and social care systems. Family Carers are a distinct group who provide care and also, very importantly, require care themselves.”
Ms. Barron continued: “Family carers spend a lot of time caring at home and that often gives them time for reflection. The poetry submissions received by Caring for Carers and our co-organisers, Clare County Library and the Ennis Book Club Festival, have been excellent, very touching and expressive.”
According to Helen Walsh, Clare County Librarian: “The library is delighted to have been able to support this initiative. Caring for Carers Ireland carries out invaluable work throughout the country and the County Library has a particular interest in socially inclusive events such as this.’
Caring for Carers Ireland is a national non-governmental organisation supporting Family Carers. Its primary objective is to ensure that policy makers are aware of the key issues which impact on the lives of 161,000 Family Carers and influence their abilities to continue to provide care. For further information visit www.caringforcarers.org or contact 065-6866515.
Winning Poem
“Twilight Zone” by Noelle Dalton
I look across the table at the man I love so much
I long for recognition and a fond and loving touch
But he’s lost in dark dementia, not knowing what to do
My tall and handsome husband and he’s only sixty-two.
I look into those lovely eyes and see within confusion
He’s wondering if it’s really me of is it an illusion.
The simplest tasks just prove too much
I try to help and not to rush.
He’s angry now saying “what’s wrong with me?”
“I’m all mixed up in my memory”
I turn away to hide my tears
And think of all those bygone years
When in the heady days of rock ‘n’ roll
He used to top the bill
He sang in all the ballrooms from Crossmaglen to Waterville
With Elvis songs, the Hucklebuck
And Country and Western too
We danced for hours and had such fun
For just a bob or two.
We walk into the garden
Spring is here, the birds are building
The daffodils wave in the breeze
And there’s a whisper from the trees.
I tell him he should bake a breath
Fresh air is good and helps our health.
He starts to sing that lovely voice
The words are there, it is so nice.
So deep within the darkness that talent still exists
The words and music he so loved continue to persist
His audience is now just me
His competition the birdsong in the tree.
Life right now should be so good
More time together doing things we never could,
Our children grown more time to spend
We should be together until the end.
I must not look too far ahead
It only fills my heart with dread.
No matter what I must go on
Live for today yesterday’s gone.
Don’t waste the time or ask ‘why me’?
Just know life has no guarantee.
The nationwide poetry competition asked Family Carers to compose poems on the theme of ‘Springtime’, representing renewal and new life.
Noelle Dalton from Askeaton in County Limerick received first prize for her poem ‘Twilight’. Runners up included Gaia Charis from Castletownshend, County Cork, Tracy King Kinlan from Caherush, Quilty, County Clare, Terri O'Mahony from Ballinacurra Gardens, Limerick City, and Barbara Roche from Glenina, Ennis, County Clare.
Brigid Barron, Research and Program Manager with Caring for Carers Ireland, explained that the purpose of the competition is to highlight the significant contribution made by thousands of Family Carers to Irish society.
“Recognising the role of Family Carers in the home is crucial,” Ms. Barron said. “This form of care is the foundation of formal health and social care systems. Family Carers are a distinct group who provide care and also, very importantly, require care themselves.”
Ms. Barron continued: “Family carers spend a lot of time caring at home and that often gives them time for reflection. The poetry submissions received by Caring for Carers and our co-organisers, Clare County Library and the Ennis Book Club Festival, have been excellent, very touching and expressive.”
According to Helen Walsh, Clare County Librarian: “The library is delighted to have been able to support this initiative. Caring for Carers Ireland carries out invaluable work throughout the country and the County Library has a particular interest in socially inclusive events such as this.’
Caring for Carers Ireland is a national non-governmental organisation supporting Family Carers. Its primary objective is to ensure that policy makers are aware of the key issues which impact on the lives of 161,000 Family Carers and influence their abilities to continue to provide care. For further information visit www.caringforcarers.org or contact 065-6866515.
Winning Poem
“Twilight Zone” by Noelle Dalton
I look across the table at the man I love so much
I long for recognition and a fond and loving touch
But he’s lost in dark dementia, not knowing what to do
My tall and handsome husband and he’s only sixty-two.
I look into those lovely eyes and see within confusion
He’s wondering if it’s really me of is it an illusion.
The simplest tasks just prove too much
I try to help and not to rush.
He’s angry now saying “what’s wrong with me?”
“I’m all mixed up in my memory”
I turn away to hide my tears
And think of all those bygone years
When in the heady days of rock ‘n’ roll
He used to top the bill
He sang in all the ballrooms from Crossmaglen to Waterville
With Elvis songs, the Hucklebuck
And Country and Western too
We danced for hours and had such fun
For just a bob or two.
We walk into the garden
Spring is here, the birds are building
The daffodils wave in the breeze
And there’s a whisper from the trees.
I tell him he should bake a breath
Fresh air is good and helps our health.
He starts to sing that lovely voice
The words are there, it is so nice.
So deep within the darkness that talent still exists
The words and music he so loved continue to persist
His audience is now just me
His competition the birdsong in the tree.
Life right now should be so good
More time together doing things we never could,
Our children grown more time to spend
We should be together until the end.
I must not look too far ahead
It only fills my heart with dread.
No matter what I must go on
Live for today yesterday’s gone.
Don’t waste the time or ask ‘why me’?
Just know life has no guarantee.
