Meet the Poet: Cathy Galvin
January 13, 2026
Join poet Cathy Galvin
as she invites you to find a space to look again, and more deeply, at the all-too-familiar landscapes of home. Using texts from her own work, focussed on Connemara and Coventry, she will help you consider what lies beneath and within the landscapes we think we know.
Event details:
Wednesday 11 March 2026
Doors Open: 5.00 pm
Event start time: 5.30 pm
Event finish time: 6.30 pm
Admission: Free
About the Writer, Cathy Galvin
Poet, editor and journalist Cathy Galvin has roots in Coventry and Connemara. Her collection, Ethnology, A Love Song for Connemara, is due from Bloodaxe Books in the UK and Ireland in February 2026. Her poetry is widely published and includes the sequences Walking the Coventry Ring Road With Lady Godiva (Guillemot Press), Rough Translation and Black and Blue (The Melos Press). She is founder of the Word Factory and the Sunday Times Short Story Award.
View Ethnology, A Love Song for Connemara
here.
You can follow her on Instagram @cathygalvinwords. Word Factory can be found on Substack
How to book:
Ticket only event – please book a place in advance by emailing cis@covirishsoc.org.uk, confirming the full names of all attendees.

Coventry Irish Society is delighted to have received an Awards for All National Lottery grant to support Irish Survivors in Coventry and the surrounding areas. Thanks to the generosity of National Lottery players, Irish Survivors will benefit from regular bi-monthly Lunch Clubs and social outings over the next two years. These gatherings provide much more than an opportunity to enjoy a meal or spend a day together. They offer a welcoming and supportive space where Survivors can meet, build friendships, share experiences and enjoy time together as part of their community. For many Survivors, these regular activities provide an important opportunity to connect with others and help reduce social isolation. We are incredibly grateful to National Lottery players for making this funding possible and helping Coventry Irish Society continue to create opportunities for Irish Survivors to connect, socialise and build community over the next two years.

Beginners’ Irish Language Autumn Course 2026 with Dr Ian Malcolm Professional Irish language teacher and acclaimed Journalist, Dr Ian Malcolm, will deliver a bespoke online course in Beginners’ Irish. This course will consist of 10x classes and will take place entirely over Zoom on Saturday mornings, with Dr Ian Malcolm. Course details: Saturday 3 October 2026 - Saturday 5 December 2026* with 10x classes on Saturday mornings, delivered via Zoom from 11.00 am – 12.30 pm (including a 20 minute break). £105 for Coventry Irish Society Members | £110 for Non-Members *(or possibly slightly later, should the tutor need to take any unplanned leave during the course). This course consists of 10 classes and the aim is for the entirety of the course to be completed before Christmas 2026. Course materials: The class will use the textbook, Irish For Beginners (which is in the link below). This book costs in the region of £7.00 - £10.00 and it is strongly recommended that students purchase their own copies in advance of the course. You can find details of the course textbook here. Registration closes when course capacity is reached. Early booking is strongly recommended. The registration form for this course can be downloaded below. Please contact us at cis@covirishsoc.org.uk to return your booking form and complete course fee payment.





