The Cuilcagh Lakelands Global Geopark which is jointly managed by Fermanagh Omagh District Council and Cavan County Council has achieved a first with the launch of an online 'Poetry Map' on UNESCO World Poetry Day, March 21.

Cuilcagh Lakelands UNESCO Global Geopark encompasses some of the finest landscapes on the island of Ireland including over 70 rich heritage sites located in West Cavan and West Fermanagh. The recently rebranded, Cuilcagh Lakelands UNESCO Global Geopark, formerly known as Marble Arch Caves UNESCO Global Geopark, became the first ever cross-border Geopark in the World in 2008.

Necessity truly became the mother of invention for this project. Cavan writer Bee Smith needed to find an alternative project when the early lockdown in 2020 prevented her from delivering poetry workshops in schools for Poetry Day Ireland that year. The project grew from an idea and gained support from Cuilcagh Lakelands then Officer for Engagement, Martina O’Neill, and Cavan Arts Officer Catriona O’Reilly. The application to the Geological Survey Ireland Geoheritage Fund was successful and Padraig McIntyre of Townhall Ramor found actors to voice the poems for the digital project.

The Geopark Poetry Map commissioned new poems by established authors based on specific sites within the Geopark and inspired by their Geoheritage. Commissioned work includes poetry from Belcoo native Maria McManus and Fermanagh based Séamas Mac Annaidh. Dara McAnulty, author of award-winning Diary of a Young Naturalist, spent his early years close to Geopark sites. Noel Monahan, author of seven poetry collections, lives in County Cavan close to Geopark sites. Anthony J. Quinn, better known for his crime novels, who was previously in 2018/2019 Cavan County Writer in Residence and led landscape writing initiatives during his term.

An Open Call for new and emerging poets to submit poems based on the Geoheritage of Geopark sites attracted responses not just from Cavan and Fermanagh, but nationally and internationally. The project included submissions from the Irish diaspora living in Singapore, France and England. Eight finalists have had their contributions included.

Pandemic restrictions limited outreach to schools as initially planned, but Florencecourt Primary School and Curravagh National School, Glangevlin, welcomed Geopark Poetry Map curator Bee Smith for outdoor poetry workshops that resulted in some of their pupils’ work being included on the Geopark Poetry Map.

This digital project is funded by Geological Survey of Ireland’s Geoheritage Fund. Cavan Arts Office and Townhall Ramor, County Cavan also contributed to the creation of the interactive Geopark Poetry Map, which includes text on screen and audio of the poems read by professional actors.

The project was supported by Catriona O’Reilly, Cavan Arts Officer and Fermanagh Omagh District Council Arts Manager, Bryony May. Catriona O’Reilly says of the project, “This landscape, so rich in cultural history, is a fitting home for an interactive poetic map. From Cathal Buí Mac Ghiolla Gunna writing in the 1700's up to the present day writing of Bee Smith and Seamus O hÚltacháin this landscape has woven its poetic spell and the time is right to share the magic, the draíocht with the world."