Meet the Team

Joseph Woods, poet, writer and former director of Poetry Ireland. He has published four collections of poetry and his critically acclaimed, Monsoon Diary was published by Dedalus Press in 2018. He has edited and co-edited numerous books and anthologies. Woods has recently returned to Ireland with his family after eight years in Burma and Zimbabwe and is a PhD candidate at the University of Limerick. A former winner of the Patrick Kavanagh Poetry Award, he was twice, a recipient of the Katherine and Patrick Kavanagh Fellowship and Literature Bursaries from the Arts Council of Ireland.

Born in Roscommon Town and a Strokestown resident since 1989 Padraic Holmes joined the committee in 2016. He worked locally as a practicing vet for fifteen years before joining the Department of Agriculture, Food and The Marine as a veterinary inspector in 2004. He is married to Jacqueline with four daughters. Also serves as a committee member of Strokestown Show, Sliabh Ban AC, Longford Beekeepers Association and school Board of Management.

Maria is a native of Galway and moved to Strokestown in 1979. She practices as an accountant in Longford town and joined the committee in 2018.

Pat Compton is a native of Clooncagh, Strokestown. Together with Merrily Harpur he founded the Strokestown International Poetry Festival in 1999. He is deeply committed to furthering the social and economic status of the region. He has worked in An Post all his working life and has recently retired and is now spending time paddling the length of the nearby Shannon.

Shane Lynskey is a native of Strokestown. He was educated at Scoil Mhuire Secondary School, Strokestown. He holds a Bachelor of Civil Law (B.C.L.) from University College, Dublin (1976) and qualified as Solicitor in 1978. He has practised in Longford Town and Strokestown. He is active in many local organisations. He is an active member of Roscommon Historical Society and is one of the founding members of the Poetry Festival.

Mary is a native of Kildare, having moved to Strokestown nearly forty years ago. She and her husband farm close to Strokestown. She works as the secretary in the SCDA Office in Strokestown. She has been a member of the committee for the past sixteen years.

Gemma Flanagan is a native of Strokestown. She was educated in Our Lady's Bower, Athlone. She graduated as a primary school teacher from St. Patrick's College Drumcondra in 2002. After 11 years teaching in Dublin Gemma moved back home to Strokestown and now teaches in Longford. She will always remember meeting the wonderful Seamus Heaney at the festival in 2006 and this is her second year on the committee. She is married to David who is an invaluable volunteer for the festival.

Anne O’Leary M.A. grew up in Strokestown and has been attending the poetry festival since the first one in 1999. She loves working with words and would describe herself as a literary “odd-job woman” who is continually active in the Irish arts and cultural community. Her book reviews and opinion pieces appear regularly in Books Ireland and on several online sites.