Welcome, reader, to the latest volume of the Bray Arts Journal.

Since the publication of our last journal, to coincide with the Bray Literature Festival last November, Bray Arts has moved our monthly gathering from the first Monday each month to the first Tuesday, and from The Martello to Jim Doyle’s, two doors down. We hope to see you there regularly.

We are featuring the work of a number of new writers in this volume but also welcome the contributions from many of our regular contributors.
Laugh at the dilemma of a weight watcher, take a train journey to Wexford , read poetry collections from Rosy, Brian and Anthony. Thrill to another short story by Tanya and hear how love conquers all, even dementia.
We hope that tonight you will enjoy the presentations of a number of the authors whose work is included in this particular volume of the journal.

The editor and the editorial team thank you all for your continued support of our work In providing local artists and authors with a platform for their work
Please enjoy and consider submitting some of your own work for future publication to editor@brayarts.net.

Brayarts Show Tuesday 5th June @ 8pm
Venue Jim Doyle’s Back Bar , Bray Seafront.
Adm : 5 euros Conc : 4 euros
Writers: The latest Brayarts Journal of local writers will be launched , with writers presenting their new works. Come and meet the writers.
Photographer: Zac Campbell
Underwater Wildlife photographer Zac Campbell will take you through a mesmerising underwater world of sea
creatures .
Musicians: Tom Dalton with his band Celtic Grace
Celtic Grace will play their acoustic set , and with their passionate belief , that music can benefit mental health .
Find us on: facebook / Brayarts.com  / brayarts.net

Celtic Grace Accoustic Band Celtic Grace Accoustic Band

Tom Dalton founded Celtic Grace Gospel Choir in 2009. The idea was to form a group that
would perform at special events. Tom is a member of both Enniskerry Gospel Choir and
Unity Gospel choirs. The idea for Singing For Your Mental Health day was born on Christmas 2007 in Arklow Golf Club. Waiting for the frost to clear Tom asked Neville Cox the Musical Director of Enniskerry Gospel Choir to do a concert in aid of Newcastle Hospital and Mental Health Ireland. He agreed. The rest is history. Judy McGrath and Barbara Davis came on board. The concert took place in March 2009, one of the highlights of Tom’s life.

RTE Big Music Week was a huge success. Thousands of people around the country came out to celebrate the very best of home grown musical talent, The RTE Big Music Week train traveled all over Ireland showcasing the work of Irish songwriters,
singers and musicians with broadcasts across all of RTE’s services. Search for Celtic Grace on Facebook to see photos from the event. Celtic Grace are available for events so contact Tom Dalton at 087-2783342 or 01-2890830 or email tom@celticgrace.ie
for details.

The following year, Ireland celebrated World Mental Health Week with a national week of choral singing, promoting the message that Choral Singing Is Good for your Mental Health.
Choirs up and down the country got together with local Mental Health Associations to
promote the message. Tom asked the volunteers from Enniskerry Gospel choir to come

Zac Campbell from Goatstown. I work in Google as a product quality analyst as my day job but where I go to regenerate is the sea! I hope to give everyone a brief intro into how I got into the sea through swimming at Seapoint as a child, to joining a diving club in University to even taking up Underwater hockey played in the National Aquatic Centre. The water is a magical place and I believe it’s important to share the magic of what lies beneath!”

GREATER LOVE by Jack Plunkett
A song about dementia, but also about the endurance of love and the mysterious
power of song.
It’s alright if you can’t recall my name
Why don’t we just sing an old song?
The Twelfth of Never, Love Me Tender
And I’ll try to sing along
Through these tears, I’ll sing along
You once knew me better than I knew myself
Now you’re not sure who I am
Let me sit by your side, let me hold your hand
And perhaps you’ll remember my name
And you’ll pretend you know our children
And you’ll pretend you know me
And maybe you do, in your own secret way
Who can say, love, who can say?
So go to sleep, my tired girl
I’ll be waiting for you in your dream
And we’ll laugh and we’ll talk about everything
And you’ll call me by my name
It’s alright if you can’t recall my name
Why don’t we just sing an old song?
The Twelfth of Never, Love Me Tender
And I’ll try to sing along
Through these tears, I’ll sing along
“You ask how long I’ll love you, I’ll tell you true
Until the twelfth of never, I’ll still be loving you”