Icarus, Trinity’s literary magazine and Ireland’s oldest creative writing journal, was successfully launched last night at the home of Poetry Ireland on Parnell Square. The second and penultimate issue under the editorial stewardship of Leo Dunsker and Will Fleming is a collection of poetry and prose written by Trinity staff and students, with this edition also proudly featuring the work of Dublin poet Trevor Joyce and author, poet and lecturer Catherine Walsh.
A change in venue announced the intent of the new edition to make its mark as the launch moved from the previous intimacy of Nealon’s upstairs to the high ceilinged grandeur and sparsity of the performance space in Poetry Ireland’s Georgian townhouse.
The physical edition, with its evocative front cover designed by Nathanaël Roman, dominated the front room upon entry as a crowd gradually formed, drawn inexplicably to the thirteen bottles of wine hiding in the corner. With a copy in one hand and a plastic cup of drinkable wine in the other, mingling commenced and as chat propagated, potential readers were rounded up, with some evidently reluctantly recruited and coerced by the hosts.
Mingling complete, for now, the not unsubstantial crowd moved through and became audience as contributors revealed themselves and they, along with other readers shared their work. Some chose to read what they had published in the edition while others offered up new work for the occasion. Ed Salley, along with uncredited collaborator Fionn McAllister, read two of his published poems before adding some new poetry, part of a sequence which editor and host Leo Dunsker would later expand upon in his own reading slot. Jenny Moran, too, presented a new piece of undesignated poetry/prose explaining to the crowd that she no longer liked the poem that was printed in the issue in their hands. Readings from the other editor in chief Will Fleming, editorial assistant Seán Pierson, Louis Roberts, and Benjamin Keatinge rounded off proceedings, with Keatinge’s lyrical representation of the Greek city of Salonika in his poem “In the City of Ghosts” a particular highlight of the evening.
As Dunsker ably held court, thanks were given, appreciative applause rang out and the audience were once again tempted by wine and the opportunity for further mingling in the impressive surrounds. As Dunsker himself said in an exclusive interview, “It went well,” and nobody in attendance could argue with that. The evening was relaxed yet professional, helped along in equal measure by its enthusiastic audience and participants, and free wine.
As sequels go, this was an experience akin to Empire Strikes Back or The Godfather II so all pressure will be on the team to ensure a continuation of form in the third installment in the Fleming/Dunsker Icarus era. On last night’s evidence, it remains uncertain what direction the final issue of the magazine will take.
In the meantime, issue 67.2 will more than suffice and can be found scattered strategically throughout the Arts Block.
