The poet Connie Roberts will present readings from her recently published book of poems Little Witness at the Irish Cultural Society meeting.  The meeting convenes at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, September 15 in the Garden City Library, 60 Seventh Street, across the street from the Garden City Hotel.  The meeting is free and open to the public.

 A native of County Offaly, Professor Roberts awed the audience at the reception for the launching of the Hofstra Irish Studies Program, of which she is a member.  Her powerful poems about her experiences growing up in an industrial school (orphanage) are collected in Little Witness.  She and her son Aedan will read selected poems which reflect the harshness of the industrial school setting and the grit of those who will to survive and thrive.

Professor Roberts teaches creative writing at Hofstra University.  She is the winner of many awards for her literary work, including the Patrick Kavanagh Award, the Irish Arts Council Award, and the George M. Estabrook Distinguished Service Award from Hofstra.  Connie is an active competitor in poetry contests like the iYeats Poetry Competition, the Fermoy International Poetry Competition, the Swift Satire Contest and the Boyle Arts Festival Poetry Competition.  Professor Roberts’ genius for putting hard truths into beautiful language will make poetry enthusiasts of all of those who attend her presentation.

Those in attendance will observe a moment of silence for recently deceased officers Martin Kelly, president for twenty-three years, and Joseph McCormack, membership chairman.  The new president, Clare Curtin, and the new vice president, Anne Fitzgerald, will be introduced to the membership.