Spring was unusual. We experienced situations and emotions we rarely did before. In these circumstances, we discovered new means of communication and turned to old methods to find comfort and solace.

​

The Irish were super-spreaders in the poetry pandemic. Old poems were rediscovered, and new ones were commissioned. Elderly people were connected to poets by phone and poetry readings were aired via Zoom. Poems were read on the evening news, on morning radio shows, appeared on the front page of newspapers and all over social media.

​

Inspired by these achievements as well as by our commitment to Irish poetry, we are launching a new initiative: a 15-week online poetry translation workshop for up to 12 participants.

​

We will focus on contemporary poets. Some of them are well-known (Seamus Heaney, Derek Mahon, Paul Muldoon, Eiléan ni Chuilleanáin, Paul Durcan, Medbh McGuckian), others hardly heard about in Hungary. It would be a great opportunity to draw attention on the likes of Pearse Hutchinson, Thomas Kinsella, Brendan Kennelly, Eamon Grannan, Ciáran Carson, Eavan Boland, Peter Fallon, Peter McDonald, Michael Donaghy, Sinéad Morrissey, Leontia Flynn and Stephen Sexton.

​

Going online will make it possible for Hungarian participants to join not only from Budapest but from all over the country and even from abroad. To make it accessible to anyone interested, we are offering the workshop free of charge for the participants, with the kind support of the Irish Embassy.