A fine farewell

After a day of meetings with their mentors, students donned their finest and headed for Markree Castle for the residency's farewell dinner.

It was a magical evening of fine food, conversation, laughter,

fantastic readings by the students in their 

final residencies,

and a room full of the camaraderie which, of all of the amazing aspects of our residencies, is by far the

very best part of the Carlow University MFA Program.

  

"Stories, not atoms"

It may have been the last day of lectures, but there's no such thing as least when it comes to our visiting authors.  Poet Michael Coady and short story writer and biographer Angela Bourke inspired students in the final of our Irish residency's lectures.  In an uncoordinated coalescence, both quoted poet Muriel Rukeyser, suggesting that "the universe is made of stories, not atoms," which served to encapsulate the theme of the entire eleven days.

Click here to watch part of Michael Coady's reading:

Later, Mr. Coady joined some students in their apartment for an impromptu poetry reading.