Press

In the past interviews about Launch Pad have been given to:

South East Radio 20th July 2004 - Alan McGuire talked to Andy Doyle and Eamonn Wall (Audio file available on request)

And articles have appeared in:

Enniscorthy Echo 8th Dec 2004 - Writers and Poets come together

Enniscorthy Guardian 8th Dec 2004 - Launch Pad returns

Enniscorthy Echo 4th August 2004 - Writers' Weekend was big success

Enniscorthy Echo 28th July 2004 - Launch Pad initiative takes off in style (Dan Walsh)

Enniscorthy Guardian 28th July 2004 - Launch Pad staged a successful weekend

Enniscorthy Echo 21st July 2004 - Authors and opera lovers will flock to Enniscorthy (Bernadette Buckley)

Enniscorthy Guardian 21st July 2004 - Launch Pad for creative writers

Enniscorthy Echo 14th July 2004 - Creative writing opportunity (Dan Walsh)

Enniscorthy Echo 14th July 2004 - Artists welcome to Enniscorthy writing weekend (Full Page)

Enniscorthy Echo 7th July 2004 - Creative Writing Weekend (Bernadette Buckley)

Enniscorthy Guardian 7th July 2004 - Creative Writing Weekend is a 'Launchpad' for novice writers

Enniscorthy Echo 10th April 2004 - Artistic types all set for re-Launch

Enniscorthy Guardian 17th March 2004 - Launch Pad honours three local writers

South East Voice 30th Oct 2002 - The launch of Launch Pad (Seán O Dubhghaill)

Enniscorthy Echo 9th Oct 2002 - Light-bulb, camaraderie, action

Enniscorthy Guardian 9th Oct 2002 - Official launch of Launch Pad

Copies of these articles are available from the Secretary.

The following is an article from the Enniscorthy Drama Festival Programme 2003.

"If you wander into Murphy Floods Hotel on a Thursday evening and find yourself in a candle-lit room suffused in the gentle aroma of incense, don't worry, you won't have stumbled on some cult gathering o anything even vaguely religious. In fact you will most likely have happened on a session of Launch Pad, one of the most exciting innovations in the arts in Enniscorthy in recent times. And if you should venture to stay around for a while you are guaranteed an interesting and stimulating evening of readings, music and song.

There has been a most remarkable explosion of Enniscorthy writers on the national and international scenes lately and the successes of Colm Toibin, Gerard Whelan, Mogue Doyle, Bairbre Toibin and Eammon Wall have at once been both a source of great pride and celebration for our town. It's amazing that a population of our size has produced such a talented generation of writers. Must be something in the air, or maybe it's the water! If one includes the Banvilles, Eoin Colfer and Billy Roche of Wexford town, and not to mention Nicky Furlong, there are sound grounds for arguing that Kerry's title of the Kingdom of Writers has been usurped by the South East. This blossoming of literary talent was the inspiration for Launch Pad's take off in October 2002. Both Mogue and Bairbre have been regular and popular contributors to Launch Pad.

The aim of the group is to provide an encouraging, supportive and nurturing environment to writers of all sorts of ages. In fact one of the most enjoyable features of the sessions has been the incredible variety of material read/performed. Every night has seen work of the highest standard in a diverse range including poetry, prose, music, drama, song, memoir, history and science fiction.

For those wishing to read/perform their work on Launch Pad nights there are only two rules: The work must be original and you are allocated a maximum of 10 minutes.

It's proved a successful formula resulting in stimulating and entertaining evenings.

"Launch Pad" will make a re-appearance next Autumn in the Marconi Room in Murphy Flood's Hotel on Thursdays at 9pm.

If you missed the pleasure of "Launch Pad" nights last time round, or if you have material searching for a forum for exposure, contact: Niall Wall, Eddie Crean, Brendan Redmond, Paul O' Reilly, Brendan Nee, Mary Redmond, Pat O Toole or Andy Doyle.

They'll be delighted to hear from you."

Andy Doyle - Enniscorthy Drama Festival Programme - March 2003