Words Become Music

'Words Become Music' is a unique evening of poetry and music from poets Mary Branley and Eithne Hand and their collaboration with folk band GreenBird. The evening will also feature performances from The Kobe Trio and also GreenBird in their own right. Both poets will perform selected poems to GreenBird's soundscapes and original music. It's an occasion which celebrates poetry by giving it a musical backdrop and creating something new and appealing to audiences. The aim is to emphasise and enhance the magic in the words. GreenBird have already collaborated with both poets for Culture Night 2022, and with Mary on several other occasions including her recent book launch and the 100 year celebration of poet Leland Bardwell, both at the Hawk's Well and at the Skerries Book Festival. Eithne Hand is no stranger to the Hawk's Well and performed in 2018 with Stephen James Smith. Her first poetry collection, 'Fox Trousers' was launched in 2021.

The music end of things will see GreenBird performing a set of their original songs. The band uses poetry as a starting point for their powerful sound which is rooted in folk but with hints of classical and jazz too. Expect tuneful songs that use verse from a wide range of well known poets including Christina Rossetti, Sara Teasdale and even Shakespeare.

The Kobe Trio will also perform some brand new material and also tunes from their acclaimed recent debut album that was launched just before the start of the pandemic and named '"One of the Finds" of 2020 on BBC Radio Ulster.