New generation of slam poets inspired by the Irish language

Poets from all over Ireland recently gathered in west Belfast for a unique event called Slam Filíochta, which means Poetry Slam in Irish. This competition was held at the Cultúrlann venue as part of the Liú Lúnasa festival. The event was started nine years ago because there was a strong need for a place where poets could perform in the Irish language. Caoimhe Ní Cathail, the organizer, explained that before this event, there were not many opportunities for slam poets to share their work in Irish. She believes the contest has inspired a whole new generation of poets to use the Irish language in creative ways.

Slam poetry is different from traditional poetry because it is performed in front of an audience, making it a public and lively event. Poets stand in the center of a crowd and recite their poems out loud, often competing to see who can impress the audience the most. Each year, the competition has a different winner. This year, Pádraig De Cléir won with a poem about artificial intelligence helping him meet a deadline. Pádraig lived in London for several years and spoke good Irish, but he did not feel comfortable using it until he moved to Belfast. He said the Slam Filíochta helped him improve his Irish and gave him confidence to write and perform in the language. He enjoys writing in Irish because it is fun and allows him to be creative in a structured way. He feels proud to express himself through Irish and thinks there is already enough poetry in English.

Ciara Ní É is another poet who has been involved in the event for eight years. She won the competition last year and was a judge two years ago. Ciara also organizes bilingual spoken word events around Ireland. She said that the contest is not just about winning, but about being in a room with people who understand and appreciate Irish poetry. The audience and other poets know the special references and stories in the poems, which makes the experience even more meaningful. Ciara believes that writing poetry is a normal part of Irish culture, whether it is for a birthday, a joke, or to remember someone. She is excited to see more young people using Irish to express themselves and connect with others. Séamas Mac Eochaidh started learning Irish at age 11 and finally performed at the contest this year after watching it for five years. He said words come more easily in Irish and that both the arts and the language are for everyone. He likes seeing people come together to celebrate Irish poetry and culture.