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EDITORIAL
In a recent literary programme on RTE television it was remarked by one of the contributors that it was peculiar, to say the least, that the particular poet under review was little known outside Cork. The poet under review is an excellent poet, but living and writing in Cork, as the presenter said, was like "being in Siberia". There is truth in that.
The Munster Literature Centre was founded six years ago and its function was, and still is, to promote and preserve the work of established writers of the past, to inspire the creative and imaginative writers of today, and the aspiring writers of tomorrow. We have done that.
We have organised readings, lectures, an annual festival of literature, exhibitions featuring portraits of Munster writers and artists, schools programmes and numerous other cultural activities. During our literary festival, we have presented the work of some of our leading Irish writers. We have organised an exchange programme with writers from Wales and we are now in the process of arranging an exchange programme with Mexico and Galicia in Spain.
All this has been achieved by voluntary labour, a dedicated staff at the Munster Literature Centre, token funding, sporadic support from the business community and little or no help from our political representatives in Cork.
In Cork we pride ourselves on our literary heritage and are forever quoting from the likes of Frank O'Connor, Seán O'Faolain and Daniel Corkery - but what is seldom, if ever, mentioned, is that many of these writers, though born in Cork, were forced to leave it. The only one who remained was Corkery and his work is neglected here and largely ignored abroad.
We at the Munster Literature Centre have now reached the stage when we feel that we too are neglected and there is little point in continuing to promote literature in Cork. This Newsletter will possibly be our last. Our Artistic Director, Mary Johnson, who has worked tirelessly, on a voluntary basis, over the last six years, has announced her intention of resigning from the Centre. The annual literary festival, due to take place in February, may have to be cancelled due to inadequate resources.
We thank the Arts Council in Dublin, Cork Corporation and Fas, who have supported us over the years. We certainly could not have existed without them. Had we depended on the business community in Cork and our political representatives in Dáil Éireann, we would have ceased to exist years ago. But enough is enough. We have badgered the politicians. We have written countless letters to members of the business community. We could fill the National Library with letters of promise - but the politicians are more interested in votes and the business community is obsessed with the spectre of the Celtic Tiger and the clouded literature of profit.
A sad day for us, a sad day for Cork, but we have done our best. |
