Prominent writer to select Lena Mackrel winners
Thursday, 26 January 2012
Annual poetry competition launched.....The Market Place Theatre played host to the launch of the annual Lena Mackrel Poetry Competition 2012. CG0402
A PROMINENT author and historian has been chosen to select the winners of this year's Lena Mackrel Poetry Competition, which is open to children between the ages of nine and 11.
David Truesdale from Newtownards will adjudicate the competition, which is specifically tailored to pupils attending primary schools in Armagh City.
While topic and meter are entirely the writer's choice, originality remains the key to success and unusual themes expressed in bright, confident language are certain to leap off the page.
Humour has been in short supply in recent years and there is always a place for whatever is topical.
Recognising participants will probably have ideas of your own, the organising committee has made a few random suggestions - A Titanic Memorial, Peace One Day Concerts, Merlin, Planet Jedward, A Time I Didn't Show Love, Hopes for the FA Cup Final or All Ireland Championship.
An exciting new award - The Emerson Cup for Exceptional Verse - will add to existing silverware and is the gift of the Emerson Family.
Renowned for stalwart support in the past, Emerson's in-store exhibition of Lena Mackrel Winning Poems in 2012, brings a new dimension to customer participation as public opinion will decide the 'most appealing line' from all poems on view.
The Leah Duffy 'Best Loved Line' carries a generous voucher to be awarded one month following this display.
Competition adjudicator David Truesdale who will be selecting the winners has established meticulous standards.
A writer of merit, his publications examine the relevance of Irish participation in two centuries of military conflict. Enlivened by extraordinary skill and characterisation these include 'Just Ordinary Men' (with PP Rea and J Barlow) reminiscences from Irishmen who served in Operation 'Market Garden: 'The First Eagle' Redcoat Publishing, 2000 'Irish Winner of the Victoria Cross' (with R. Doherty), Four Courts Press, Dublin, 2000, 'The American Civil War, the Ards Connection' publicity material for Ards Borough Council: 'Brotherhood of the Cauldron' Redcoat Publishing, 2002: 'Angels and Heroes: the story of a machine gunner with the Royal Irish Fusiliers August 1914 to April 1915' (with Amanda Moreno, BA) The Royal Irish Fusiliers Museum, 2004, 'The Rifles Are There' The 1st and 2nd Battalions, Royal Ulster Rifles in the Second World War, (with David R Orr) Pen and Sword, Barnsley, 2005: Irish Soldiers and the D Day Operations 'Peter Lang, 2011, Bern: (Southern Ireland and the Liberation of France, New Perspectives, Trinity College Dublin) 'Leading The Way To Arnhem' a history of the 21st Independent Parachute Company 1942-46 (With Peter Gijbles) R.N. Sigmund Publishing 2008: 'A New Battlefield', The Royal Ulster Rifles in Korea', (With David R Orr) Helion and Company Ltd, Solihull, 2011.
Historical research undertaken includes The Irish Soldier in the American Civil War, The Zulu War of 1879, Airborne Operations of the Second World War and Irish Recipients of the Victoria Cross.
David conducts battlefield tours on a yearly basis to the Netherlands and Belgium and guided tours of the Arnhem and Waterloo battlefields.
From an impressive dossier, David produced invaluable research for authorial publications including 'Arnhem, The Airborne Battle' by Martin Middlebrook, 'Glory Is No Compensation, 'The Border Regiment at Gallipoli' by Stuart Eastwood, 'Irish Men and Women in the Second World War' by Richard Doherty, 'Irish Volunteers in the Second World War' by Richard Doherty, 'When Dragons Flew' 1st Battalion, Border Regiment at Arnhem by Stuart Eastwood, 'Normandy 1944, the year of victory' by Richard Doherty and 'Duty Without Glory' - a history of the Ulster Home Guard by David R Orr.
Once again Lena Mackrel organisers gratefully acknowledge the continued support from Armagh City and District Council and Ulster Bank Sponsorship.
The awards ceremony will take place at the Palace council chamber on Wednesday, May 2, with Mayor Freda Donnelly in attendance.
Head teachers and class teachers will also be present and winning poets may each invite a guest, usually a family member. A buffet lunch follows presentations.
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