As a young writer and student I fully agree with Sean's points and can recall him well as a genuine man who kindly explained a lot to me in my Dublin years. A literary forum should not be about a few egos whose sole focus is upon themselves rather than an open spirit like Sean Carey. Many on here may go back years or be old friends just keeping in touch but few encourage debate nor have the vast range of organising skills I saw Sean display in his Dublin years. I salute his writing too which I have only seen reviewed in one publication. Few can say they have lived full lives but Sean I can assure everyone here has with gusto!
I send him birthday greetings from Hong Kong a day late alas! The list are lucky to have a modest man with his polymath skills and huge strength which saw him through a severe heart attack which would have killed anyone else with ease. Maith an fear!
There are many many vehicles and platforms for promoting one's work Tim. Your interview opened up genuine issues in terms of the poet's role in 2015 via Fowler. The list in my own humble view operates best when discussions are in progress which are critical in a rapid change era. I am well aware many on the list prefer to just talk to their besties or publishers or employers but I reject that view.
A lot also simply want to engage in nice mellow chat which excludes those who are newbies here. Poetry on these islands must advance towards totally new definitions of a kind people often quote or claim to observe. I have learned that to succeed on these islands involves being ruthless. There are few on this list who observe basic decency or are prepared to declare their reasons for practicing monopolistic greed is good economics. To then claim to be Marxists or Feminists or against oppression makes me smile.
At a time when we dwell on two islands walking into macro civil war incited by fascists of all hues we are living in a world of total denial. The true role of anyone against civil strife is to fight it on all media platforms. I can assure anyone who sees this as doomsday thinking to engage the fascists in a textual way. In all my years in politics I have never seen such toxicity. Sadly being Irish is once again to be detested in language that I have never seen in my years in England. Yet the Irish left and supposed neo nationalists have failed to reject the UKIP Purpleshirts! Perhaps they are afraid to lose their Arts Council grants after May?
Also on many issue Irish populists share the UKIP agenda and a UKKIPPER may well appeal to them.
Well, self-promotion is better than no promotion at all. Promotion is one of the aims of the list, surely.
Cheer
Tim
On 15 Mar 2015, at 13:19, Sean Carey wrote:
And a refreshing change from constant self promotion which seems to be perennial on here. Many of the self love merchants can learn a lot from this Tim but their egos no doubt will obscure their vision!