Patients and staff in Irish Hospitals to receive a 'Menu of Poems' for Poetry Day on 28th April

To celebrate Poetry Day On Thursday 28 April 2016, a Menu of Poems called ‘Soul Food’ will be distributed throughout Irish hospital wards, waiting rooms and other healthcare settings for patients, visitors and staff to enjoy.

The poetry was selected by award winning poet Colette Bryce. Bryce will be visiting Ireland for the Cúirt International Festival of Literature, to read at an event and to launch the Poems for Patience Series at University Hospital Galway.

UL Hospitals Group is among the organisations taking part in the initiative and the poetry is being distributed across its sites at University Hospital Limerick, University Maternity Hospital Limerick, Ennis Hospital, Nenagh Hospital and Croom Orthopaedic Hospital.

“Hospital can be an intimidating place for patients and visitors and we are keen at UL Hospitals to make our facilities more welcoming and empathetic,” said Hugh Brady, Chief Financial Officer, UL Hospitals and chair of the Arts Committee at the hospital group.

“At UL Hospitals, we host regular art and photography exhibitions as well as musical performances and other arts and cultural events. The Menu of Poems is an event we have been delighted to participate in for the past two years. Reading and reflecting on poetry can help us cope with illness and positively aid in recovery. We hope our patients and their families enjoy the poems selected for this year,” Mr Brady added.

Menu of Poems 2016 is produced by Galway University Hospitals Arts Trust in collaboration with Arts and Health Co-ordinators Ireland, Poetry Ireland and HSE Health Promotion and Improvement. Over 10,000 people in healthcare settings will receive the 2016 Menu, which includes poems by Emily Dickinson, Ian Duhig, Louise Glück and Yehuda Amichai. The Menu is also available to anyone working in a healthcare facility to print and distribute in their own locations.

Since its conception in 2009, Menu of Poems has been a positive development in the lives of both patients and those who work in healthcare settings across Ireland. The poetry is circulated on meal trays in hospitals and participating healthcare providers are organising readings and workshops for Poetry Day.

Margaret Flannery, Arts Director at Galway University Hospitals Arts Trust, said: ‘It’s been a pleasure to work with Colette Bryce on Soul Food, Menu of Poems this year and I hope the collection will provide a moment of escape for whoever comes across them on their journey in hospital on Poetry Day.’

Maureen Kennelly, Director of Poetry Ireland, said: ‘Poetry Ireland is delighted to be involved with the Menu of Poems project once again this year and to partner on an initiative that brings poetry to people’s bedside. Our mission is to connect people with poetry and make it part of their everyday life.’

The following hospitals and centres are participating in Menu of Poems 2016: Arts for Health Partnership Programme, West Cork; Arts in Health at Cork University Hospital; Arts Initiative in Mental Health Sligo Leitrim; Galway, Mayo Roscommon Community Health Office; Galway University Hospitals Arts Trust and Saolta Health Care Group; Kildare Arts and Health Programme; Naas General Hospital Arts Committee; National Centre for Arts and Health, Tallaght; South Tipperary General Hospital; South Tipperary Mental Health Services; St. Luke’s General Hospital, Kilkenny; St. Luke’s Hospital, Dublin; University Limerick Hospitals Group; Waterford Healing Arts Trust; West Cork Mental Health Services Arts and Health Programme and Wexford General Hospital.

For more information on Menu of Poems 2016, email guhartstrust@hse.ie

For information on Poetry Day Ireland visit http://www.poetryireland.ie/