Genius poet celebrated in Birr Theatre at launch of Poetry Trail

THE life and work of a great local poet, Susan Langstaff Mitchell, was celebrated in Birr Theatre & Arts Centre on Sunday afternoon.
"A Town Reads Mitchell - A poetry trail for Birr" was officially launched during the event and a short film was shown, which featured ten local people reading ten of Mitchell's beautiful poems. Created by Jackie Lynch & Rosalind Fanning and funded through Anam Beo by Creative Ireland and supported by Offaly County Council, this new trail is a fantastic addition to the town's heritage and tourism offering.
It's a trail of ten evocative, strong, romantic poems by Mitchell, who lived for several years in Birr during the late 19th century.
Mitchell's creative writing still very much resonates today and shows a poet working at the top of her craft.
The selected poems are printed and mounted on attractive panels at various locations around the town including the library railings, Mill Island Park pathway, Wilmer Road/Connaught Street, Chapel Lane and more. "We have already seen and spoken to people taking moments to read them," said Rosalind, "and we wish that many more will enjoy and be moved by them.”
There was a warm round of applause on Sunday for these creative ladies' latest project for the enhancement of the town, and for the short film of ten Birr people reading a poem each.
Jackie and Rosalind warmly thanked Creative Ireland for the funding and Heritage Officer Amanda Pedlow for her support.
They praised artist and facilitator Julie Spollen of Anam Beo for setting out the designs and fonts and mounting the panels of the poems, as well as designing the map and looking after the invitations.
“It is always an exihilarating pleasure to have our idea-sparking conversations with fellow artist and friend, Jackie,” said Rosalind in praise of her collaborator. “She is always a steadfast partner in our projects for Birr, though for someone who has three jobs, plus family and other commitments, she may well be feeling 'this is the last!' But I hope not.”
Jackie and Rosalind thanked the town councillors “who listened to our presentation - some years ago now - and gave first funding to our Famous & Notables Trail, from which this project is partially born; and thank you to the supportiveness of the Birr Chapter of The Irish Georgian Society.”
Rosalind said Susan Langstaff Mitchell was a pioneering Irish writer and journalist. Jackie said there's an excellent biographer of her by Hillary Pyle, called “The Red Headed Rebel”.
Mitchell was a poet, playwright and mystic; the author of satirical songs and writings, who became a part of the political, nationalist movement of the time, after the Easter Rising. Her circle of friendships and artistic and literary collaborations included The Yeats family and Countess Markievicz, among many others.
“She was born in 1866 in Carrick on Shannon,” said Rosalind, “where she is heralded with a monument. When her father died in1872, the large family was split up and sent to live with good relatives. Susan was sent to aunts in Dublin but later came to live here in Birr. That house - of her aunts - Jackie and I could not be sure where it was; but likely, its foundations are under the Post Office in the square. She is remembered with one of our plaques, on Rosse Row, at Walcott House, where the respected Mitchell family lived, in that fine house. It is rather likely that she attended the opening performances of this magnificent theatre with them."
Rosalind said the Birr poet Eileen Casey wrote that there is a universal quality in Mitchell's work which is relevant in all ages. Rosalind read out one of the poems displaying this universal quality:

“The Age of Time”
“We who know Time's little ways
Crouch here hiding from the days.
We have reason for our fears,
Each new season brings new tears,
Curious Time goes babbling by.
Lie low, friend, don't catch his eye.
What - he sees us, out and shake him.
Faith it's all the way we take him,
Time is any age we make him.”

Jackie said she first came across Mitchell when she saw the Pyle biography in Ann Marie Deery's bookshop in Birr many years ago. Jackie strongly recommended the Pyle book, which is available in Birr Library.
Jackie said she attended a poetry reading in Tin Jug Studio, Birr a couple of years ago and Mitchell was one of the poets that was read. “It was obvious when talking to several of the attendees afterwards,” she remarked, “that Mitchell had struck a strong chord with them. It occurred to us that some sort of commemorative effort would be appropriate. The Poetry Trail was born. 18 months ago we got in touch with Creative Ireland and Julie Spollen in Anam Beo who have been very supportive.
“We also decided to make a short film of ten, true people of Birr reading out a poem each by Mitchell, and we want to deeply thank them for their involvement.”
The readers were Finbar Spain, Patti Nee, Val Johnson, Robert Alexander, Mary O'Gorman, Ann Ritchie, Jack Feehan, Gerry Dolan, Pauline Lynch and John O'Callaghan. Each reader was given a beautifully produced bag (containing a portrait and poem) to mark the occasion.
Jackie said Mitchell spent several formative years in Birr and fell in love here. Tragically, her Birr lover was killed when fighting in a military campaign in India.
Rosalind and Jackie also thanked Emma Nee Haslam and the staff of Birr Theatre for hosting the launch and for being such excellent hosts.