WINTER RAFFLE IN AID OF THE HOMELESS

Each year in December, Bray arts organizes a raffle to raise funds in aid of the homeless in our community. The situation at this time of the year is heartbreaking, frustrating and really unfair. Please bring prizes to contribute and be prepared to buy tickets and go home with vouchers, arts and crafts, wine, and more, you choose your prize from the lot!

SALMON POETRY: 

Vacant Possession by Anne Fitzgerald

Anne Fitzgerald was raised in Sandycove, County Dublin. She is a graduate of Trinity College, Dublin and Queen’s University, Belfast. Her poetry collections are Swimming Lessons (Wales, Stonebridge, 2001), The Map of Everything (Dublin, Forty Foot, 2006) and Beyond the Sea (Co. Clare, Salmon Poetry, 2012). 

In 2006 Anne founded Forty Foot Press, in addition to two School Publishing Houses, Monkstown Educate Together Press (MET Press, 2003) and Loreto Abbey Dalkey Press (LAD Press, 2004). She is a recipient of the Ireland Fund of Monaco Writer-in-Residence bursary at The Princess Grace Irish Library, Monaco. She teaches Creative Writing in Ireland and North America. Anne lives in Dún Laoghaire, County Dublin.

Praise for Anne Fitzgerald;

‘Is there a poet writing in Ireland who feels so profoundly and knows more surely love’s obsessions, its piercing chronicles,

its succor and sorrows than Anne Fitzgerald? The poems in Vacant Possession char the page, leaving their imprint, imperishable, unique.’

Frank Mc Guinness

‘Raw, poignant, wrenching, and deeply courageous, this beautiful collection of poetry took my breath away. Each poem is a gift, wrapped in luminous, lyrical verse. Standing firmly in her own truth, Fitzgerald takes us on a tour de force of the human condition, the search for self, and Ireland’s shameful treatment of the unmarried mother and her child. As an adoptee, I wept many times as I read this stunning collection, but it is the universality of these devastating poems that grants them their power. Fearless, Fitzgerald takes us on a journey of love, loss, death, abandonment and grief. Despite the inherent pain in these poems, she never surrenders to self-pity. With near-invisible artistry, Fitzgerald weaves agonizing loss into redemptive power and ensures that love breathes on every page.’

Caitriona Palmer, Author of An Affair with my Mother (Penguin, 2016)

THE ZORYANNA

Are Mary, Elena & Dee

We have been together for over 10 years and have evolved our own unique style of Tribal Style Belly Dance.

Our movements are inspired by folkloric dances of the Middle East, North Africa, Spain , Indonesia and India.  We are influenced equally by ancient and contemporary world music and are always open to experimentation.

We incorporate zills, swords, canes , and veils into our dances.

THE RONAN GALLAGHER BAND

Formed in 2014 The Ronan Gallagher Band’s motto, ‘Love Live Music’ epitomizes their attitude to their all original live performance. High octane at times, other times soul searching and heartfelt, it’s always delivered with energy, passion, and above all, a great sense of fun. They do come with a slight health warning though, as they have been known to cause outbreaks of uncontrollable dancing and joy.