On Saturday August 18th 2021, Irish Poet Niall McDevitt kicked off the ICC’s screening of “Crock Of Gold; A Few Rounds With Shane MacGowan”, with a reading of his poem ‘A Quartet for Lysaght’ which he wrote especially for the great Irish Punk-Poet, Singer, Songwriter and frontman for The Pogues, Shane MacGowan!
The screening certainly started off with a bang, as McDevitt shared tales about meeting MacGowan and then read his poem of ‘homage’, to the beat of his bohdran.
Dublin born McDevitt is an established Poet in London, the author of three collections of poetry. His poem for Shane MacGowan, ‘A Quartet for Lysaght’ was recently published in ‘MU Magazine’ (Issue 3 Summer of 2021.)
The people who attended the screening in the ICC’s new cinema were especially delighted to be able to see this exceptional film in a venue where Shane had actually played live with his band ‘The Popes’.
“CROCK OF GOLD; A Few Rounds With Shane MacGowan” is the rollicking feature documentary, by the ‘rock n roll’ film director Julien Temple, which shines a spotlight on life of MacGowan.
Produced by Johnny Depp it combines interviews, previously unseen archive footage, drama and specially commissioned animations (by the legendary illustrator Ralph Steadman) to present the life of the legendary poet, singer and songwriter.
Due for major Cinema release just before Lockdown, the film was quickly released onto DVD and screened on the BCC; but those who saw it on Saturday night, at the ICC, will appreciate that it’s stunning originality and creativity is made to be watched in a cinema, on a big screen!
About Niall McDevitt;
Niall McDevitt is the author of three collections of poetry, b/w (Waterloo Press, 2010), Porterloo (International Times, 2013) and Firing Slits, Jerusalem Colportage (New River Press, 2016).
He is also known for his ‘poetopographical’ walks such as The William Blake Walk, An Arthur Rimbaud Drift, A London Chaucer Pilgrimage, A Walk on the Wilde Side and many others.
In 2013, he read at Yoko Ono’s Meltdown. In 2016, he performed his poetry in Iraq at the Babylon Festival. In 2020, he participated in The Bard at Flat Time House.
Niall occasionally blogs at poetopography.wordpress.com
