“Where the Lines Meet”: A Night of Irish Poetry Launching Two New Poetry Collections from London-based Irish Poet, Martina Evans Northern Irish Poet, Michael McCann
Join us for what promises to be a night of sublime poetry from two wonderful Irish Poets, both who’ll be launching their new poetry books.
Drunken Driving By Martin Evans – ‘A Poetry Book Society Choice’
Drunken Driving is the funny and subversive sequel to Martina Evans’s narrative poem The Coming Thing, set ten years on. Imelda, now a young mother, is married to Carl. When she gets a job in the X- ray Department at Pentonville Prison and learns to drive, her previous preoccupations with life and death and abuse of power are intensified within the prison walls.
The sonnets are ‘cuffed’ by quotes from Dracula and prison security rules, providing ironic commentary on the main narrative exploring issues of control. This timely collection delivers dark comedy as it raises serious questions about human society during the present international prison crisis, with the UK prison system on the verge of collapse.
‘Drunken Driving is a masterpiece. Evans’ poetic voice is in full force here – compulsive, gripping, bristling with rage, intensely dark but also very funny. Through Imelda’s eyes, Evans’ shows us 90s Pentonville Prison – the X-rays of drunken drivers, the dark room and its chemicals, the dubious and dodgy men on all sides – prisoners, guards, doctors, her husband, and Dracula who lurks behind every line, threatening to surface in the faces of those she encounters. This is good, uncanny, galvanising stuff. I couldn’t put it down.’ Ella Frears (Poet and Artist)
Lives of the Saints by Mícheál McCann
‘Mícheál McCann’s debut collection, Devotion , is a stately book — courtly, even.’ Declan Ryan in The Irish Times.
In that rapturously received first book the author applied a modern setting, sensibility and set of references to a classic Irish lament. In his new collection Lives of the Saints he builds on biographical details of Christian figures and situates them in contemporary states of experience and emotion. Centrepieces of this eclectic collection are an ode to a recycling centre and ‘The Impossible Request’ in which the poet’s grandmother forgets that he has told her that he is gay (‘I know, pet, I know’) and asks if he has any girlfriends yet. Assured in its risks, vigorous in its enthusiasms, from its first ecstatic injunction Lives of the Saints is a collection to make one think and feel, then think again.
Doors: 7pm; Start 7.30pm
Tickets: £7
About The Two Poets
Mícheál McCann is a poet from Derry City. He has published two pamphlets of poems, and most recently a collection, Devotion, with The Gallery Press in 2024. Devotion was Highly Commended in the Forward Prizes for Poetry 2024 and named a book of the year by RTÉ and The Irish Times. He is a poetry critic for The Irish Times, and he lives and works as a secondary school teacher in Belfast.
Martina Evans is an award-winning Irish poet, novelist, journalist and teacher. She grew up in the village of Burnfort, in County Cork, her first poetry collection of Poetry, The Iniscarra Bar and Cycle Rest, was published in 1995, and her debut novel, Midnight Feast, in 1996. Midnight Feast won a Betty Trask award, and Evans was awarded a two-book contract for further novels. But even as she made a name for herself in the fiction world, she felt impelled toward poetry. Accolades for her poetry collections include the Ciampi International Poetry Prize; recognition as a Poetry Society Book Choice and a Times Literary Supplement Book of the Year; and Grants for the Arts, Irish Arts Council, and Arts Council England awards. Evans’ book of poetry, Now We Can Talk Openly About Men (2018), was named one of the Books of the Year by The Observer, TLS, and The Irish Times, and shortlisted for the 2019 Irish Times Poetry Award and the Pigott Poetry Award. Her collection ‘American Mules’ (Carcanet 2021) won the Pigott Poetry Prize 2022 and was a TLS and Sunday Independent Book of the Year. The Coming Thing (Carcanet 2023) was a TLS and Irish Times Book of the Year for 2023. It was shortlisted for the Derek Walcott Prize for Poetry 2024 and the inaugural PEN Heaney Prize. Evans has held two Royal Literary Fund fellowship from Queen Mary, University of London and was a Royal Literary Fund Advisory Fellow from 2014-2022. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and poetry critic for the Irish Times.
Both Martina and Mícheál will do book signings following this event and their books will be available to buy at the ICC on the night. Martina’s book Drunk Driving is published by Carcanet Press. Mícheál’s book “Lives Of Saints’ is available to buy from The Gallery Press.
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Community Poetry Anthology Launch
The Irish Cultural Centre's community Poetry Group proudly present their first publication, 'Irish Ties'. This poetry anthology is a compilation of poems written during their weekly poetry meet-ups, led by John Hurley, on Tuesday mornings in the ICC's library. There will be poetry recitals, Irish dancing, and a couple of tunes from our wonderful community Singing Group! The entrance fee includes a copy of the poetry book and canapes on arrival.
Wed 03 June 2026
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