Laois Writers Book Launch – Proceeds to Cuisle Centre

On Friday 25th November, 2011, the Laois Writers Group will launch their first anthology, “Pulse of Life”. There will be an international dimension to this anthology of short stories and poetry, as the members of the group not only come from Ireland but also Mexico and England.

The  group  have  been  together  for  18  months, and earlier this year the members  decided  to   launch  their  writings  in  an  anthology, the  proceeds  of  which  will  be   donated  to  the Cuisle  Centre  in  Portlaoise.

Launching the book will be Ms Pat Moylan, Chairperson of the Arts Council of Ireland.  Pat  is  a  native  of  Portlaoise  and  she  has  been  a  major  figures  in  the  arts  in  Ireland  for  many  years. She  was  the Artistic  Director  of the  Andrews  Lane  Theatre  in  Dublin  for    18  years  where  she  created  a  vibrant arts  venue ,  nurturing  new   writing  and  fostering  the development   of  new  talent  in   acting, directing  and design.

As  an  international   producer,  Pat  founded  Lane Productions  and  had  a  list  of  productions  to  her  credit  including  Twelve  Angry  Men,  Stones  in His  Pockets,  I  Keano,  Alone  it  Stands,  the  award  winning  Tom  Crean-Antarctic  Explorer, The  Shawshank  Redemption,  The  Field and many  more.

Ms  Moylan  has  also  brought  many  Irish  productions   to  the    international  stage,  the  most  successful  being  Stones  in  His  Pockets,  which  played  for  four  years  in  London’s  West  End  and  in  Broadway.  She  is a  regular   collaborator  with  West  End  Producers   in  UK  Productions  and  is  highly respected  with  an  extensive   range  of   contacts  in  the  British   theatrical  world.

In  film  Pat  Moylan  had  produced  the  multi award  winning short story, The  Breakfast  and  the successful  feature  film Borstal  Boy,  both  directed  by  Peter  Sheridan. In 2008  she was  nominated   for  an  Irish  Times   Theatre  Award   for  her contribution  to  the  arts.

There  are  ten  members  in  the  group   which  initially was  the   brainchild  of  Margaret  Cotter,  a  native of the  Mountmellick  Road,   Portlaoise, who is chairperson of the group.

Margaret has been published in the Laois Anthologies, Waterford Review, and Force Ten Journal Mayo.  Roscommon Writer’s Anthology, the National Library of Poetry and recently in Writing 4 All anthology 2011.  Her work has been broadcast on Dublin Community Radio, Gay Byrne Radio Show, Midland Radio Three and Live at Three, RTE.  Her first collection of poetry “Lines of our Lives” was published in 2003.  She won the Molly Keane Memorial Creative Writing Award in 2006.  Margaret now lives outside Cullohill, in County Laois.