The vision behind the annual Kavanagh Day in Galway is to honour Patrick Kavanagh’s poetry line 'O commemorate me where there is water' and where he mentions ' the tremendous silence of mid-July' as a period of reflection. The core objective is to expand Kavanagh’s reputation, both nationally and internationally through a public celebration of his work at a waterside location. It is an open platform for artists, Kavanagh enthusiasts and members of the public to give voice to his words by reciting his poetry and prose. It also acknowledges the special place Kavanagh holds in the hearts of Irish people.
The Kavanagh Day is an annual event which was inaugurated in 2004, as part of the Kavanagh Centenary Celebrations. A July Sunday was conceived, on that memorable ocassion, as a national day to honour one of Ireland's best-loved poets through public readings of his work in each county. Only a few of counties have since continued the tradition. In recent years Galway has consistently honoured Patrick Kavanagh in mid-July and the Galway Kavanagh Day festival has gone from strength-to-strength.
This event is devised and organised by a small dedicated cohort and chaired by educationalist, filmmaker and actor, Ger Considine. The basic format involves readings of Kavanagh-works by attendees. This structure has expanded in recent years to incorporate music recitals, theatre re-enactments, multi-media presentations, short-film and storytelling in order to enhance the overall experience.
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