[spectre] Billy Collins & the Ballymaloe Prize

[Séamas Cain]

The Steven Barclay Agency :

Dear Kathryn Barcos, Associate Director,

It is my understanding that your Agency represents the poet Billy Collins.

Billy Collins is the judge for the *€10,000 *poetry prize (Ballymaloe)
administered by *Moth* magazine in Ireland.  This Irish prize gets about
3,000 entries, according to "The Irish Times" magazine section.  So far so
good.

But ... hold on, Billy can't read Irish (i.e., Gaelic)!

So we have a prestigious Irish poetry prize which in effect rules out all
entrants who write in Irish?  *Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill* cannot enter, *Colm
Breathnach* cannot enter, *Louis de Paor* cannot enter, *Biddy
Jenkinson* cannot
enter, *Gabriel Rosenstock* cannot enter, *Gearóid Mac Lochlainn* cannot
enter, *Dairene Ní Chinnéide *cannot enter, *Proinnsias Mac an Bhaird* cannot
enter, *Seán Ó Leocháin* cannot enter, *Áine Uí Fhoghlú* cannot enter, *Áine
Ní Ghlinn* cannot enter, *Colette Ní Gallchóir* cannot enter, *Ailbhe Ní
Ghearbhuigh* cannot enter, *Liam Ó Muirthile* cannot enter, *Aifric Nic
Aodha* cannot enter, *Máire Mhac an tSaoi* cannot enter, *Séamas Barra Ó
Súilleabháin *cannot enter, *Derry O'Sullivan* cannot enter, *Art Ó
Maolfabhail* cannot enter.

I think Billy should be told about this.

Let's see, who else can't enter?  How about *Seán Ó Curraoin*?  No,
disqualified as another Untermensch.  Not good enough.  How about *Seán
Hutton, Aogán Ó Muircheartaigh, Bríd Dáibhís, Cathal Póirtéir, Colette Nic
Aodha*, *Críostóir Ó Floinn, Greagóir Ó Dúill, Liam Hodder, Liam Prut,
Máire Áine Nic Gearailt, Mícheál Ó Ruairc, Paddy Bushe, **Diarmuid Ó
Curraoin**?*

How about *Pádraig de Bhál, Pádraig Ó Fiannachta, Micheál Liostún, Pádraig
Ó Snodaigh, Pól Ó Muirí, Rita E. Kelly, Rody Gorman, Ruaidhrí Ó Tuathail.*

<http://coisceim.ie/trathaoillenanean.html>Why can't they enter?  They are
living Irish poets, no?

How about *Alan Titley*, *Caitríona Ní Chleirchín*?  How about *Doireann Ní
Ghríofa?  Ceaití Ní Bheildiúin?  Mícheál Ó hUanacháin?  Gearóid
Denvir?*  *Tomás
Mac Síomóin?* * Peadar Ó*  -

ah look, I think Billy would get the point at this stage?

He could do a great service to Irish and other minority languages
*by insisting that*
*a bilingual co-judge be appointed.*

Are you able to pass my message on to Billy Collins?

Please let me know.

Many thanks !!

Séamas Cain
http://www.priosma.net
http://seamascain-writernetwork.org
http://www. <http://www.mnartists.org/Seamas_Cain>freewebs.com/seamascain

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