Last night, Trinity Literary Society (Lit Soc) gathered in the GSU common room in House Seven, to celebrate the 20th birthday launch of the Attic, the society’s creative writing journal. As guests began to arrive, they felt compelled to share their writings in a friendly and supportive environment. Indeed, the room’s red sofas and colourful paintings proved artistic enough to stimulate creativity. Speaking to The University Times, Ruth Atkins, Lit Soc Chair and Editor of this year’s edition, said that everybody who has joined the society during Freshers’ Week is extremely passionate about creative writing. This was the reason why it was very hard to select just a handful of poems and short stories.
After offering a few glasses of wine, addressing a crowd of more than 30 people, Deirbhile Brennan, incoming Lit Soc Chair, thanked all the contributors, encouraging them to read their works aloud. Next, Ruth Atkins approached the stage, congratulating the chosen writers and sharing her gratitude to the editorial team for their support. She then briefly recounted the Attic’s story. Being founded in 1997, its original name was Fighting for the Sofa. It was named the Fridge a year later, only sticking with the current name since 1999.
The first four speakers were introduced. Jeremy Haworth’s first poem dealt with his trip to India with his wife. As he was reading it, the audience was catapulted into New Delhi’s sluggish alleys throughout which men and animals monotonously walk. His second poem “Ascension’ was inspired by a trip to Skellig Michael island. Seventenn kilometres from Kerry, the poem emphasising its primitive “ossified” landscape.
Next, Christopher Joyce approached the stage. Thanking the crowd, he noted that his poem was “odd”, because it was about an everyday life experience with his neighbour whom he caught having sex with his girlfriend. Following this performance, Fergus Tremar Menendez read his short story about a foreign student in Ireland sympathising with his housemate who turns out to be death’s embodiment. Surprisingly enough, however, the two quickly became friends, by sharing the same taste in music. Speaking to The University Times, Menendez recounted that while his own experience in college inspired him, his story was also replete with supernatural aspects. The first set of readings ended with Colleen King’s flash fiction on a calm train station at night, against the fast-paced city during the daylight.
After a 10-minute break, another four speakers got their chance to take the podium. Kelly O’Brien’s first poem dealt with Dublin’s geography and weather, with its endless rain, the bumping shoulders in Pearse station and the esoteric rhythm in the streets. Her second work, called “Teachings”, emphasised the importance of good parenting. Next, Catarina Oliva-Beal read just a section of her longer short story about a silver ring. Familiar links and love contributed to give the piece a unique identity, also through the use of some Italian words and expressions such as “nonna” (grandmother), “ti amo” (I love you) and “sei tutto per me” (you are everything to me). Then, Robert Keogh approached the stage. Defining his first poem as “bizarre”, he shared his witty ode from the perspective of the Irish potato, also hinting at the Great Famine’s hardship and the changing needs of the modern food industry. His “Age of Cultural Appropriation” was inspired by a conversation with a friend about the conflict between mainstream and hipster lifestyles.
Finally, after a round of applauses, Florence Heap read an extract from her short story about a man named Quentin’s discovery of a two-hundred-year old Amazonian skull in his house. The second round of readings ended with two poems which were not published in the Attic. Firstly, Griffin Hansen’s “January” successfully mingled everyday life with existentialist concerns during a dark January day. Then, Sean Pearson’s “Sometimes I Steal am Steel”, which was recently published in Icarus, provided space for romantic and sensual tones to find a perfect balance. Already a Cave Writings contributor, Pearson recounted the movie Blue Velvet gave him an inspiration for this “love-letter”.
After another ten-minute break, the final two contributors shared their writings. Louis Roberts, reading informally from his phone, recited his poem called “Cotton Wool” which struck the audience with its use of medical and biological terms such as “vitrectomy” and “tapeworm”. Leo Connoll’s “The Day The Lightning Struck Twice” accounted for the birth of hip-hop as an international musical phenomenon when, on July 13th 1977, a huge blackout paralysed New York for two days. This passionate and theatrical reading was the perfect way to conclude the literary evening.
Approaching the stage once more, Brennan thanked again her guests both for their contributions and their passionate support. She then invited those present to keep on sharing creative writings by attending next Thursday’s Lit Soc speakeasy.
