'Unheard voices' to speak at women's poetry event in Cork

A WOMEN’S Day-inspired poetry event called ‘Many Tongues of Cork’ takes place on Saturday, February 24, in the Musgrave Theatre of Dance Cork Firkin Crane. The aim of the event is to discuss women’s lives at the intersection of mental health and inclusion. Writers and poets will share their thoughts about mental health. The performers are:

Dr Manizha Khan (Performance in Farsi with English translation)

Dr Khan is a dentist living in Ireland since December, 2021. Previously the Dean of Dental School in Herat University, she has been a strong activist for women’s rights of education and equal opportunities for work inside and outside Afghanistan. 

She hosts a radio show @mylifeinasuitcase2023 on Radio UCC 98.3FM. She has been a voice of refugees and asylum seekers and a strong believer of anti-racism and anti-war.

Dorothée Karekezi
 (Performance in French with English Translation)

Dorothée is an artist born and raised in Brussels, currently HDip student in Theatre & Performative Practices at UCC. She practiced performative arts in Belgium, Portugal and the Netherlands. She is a writer, actor and film-maker fascinated about storytelling, and especially interested in elevating silenced voices and stories from marginalised human beings.

Sarah Thompson O’Sullivan

Sarah is an 18-year-old writer and reviewer from Knocknaheeny. She began writing poetry at 13. Following on from the success of her Bookstagram “The Lost Library”, @_thelostlibrary_ , she recently set up a podcast of the same name. Her poems feature a variety of themes and topics. She has a physical disability and aims to give a voice to the underrepresented, as well as shed some light onto topics that are left unmentioned.

Deborah Odeworitse

“Deborah is a Lawyer and a Member of Board AONTAS, the National Adult Learning Organisation, who is a passionate advocate for adult learning and women’s health. Deborah is a UCC Sanctuary Scholar, and an important voice for the migrant community in Ireland.

Neo Florence Gilson

Neo is a Cork-based poet, storyteller, and singer from South Africa. In 2021, she was awarded the Playitforward fellowship, and she presented public readings at the Dublin Literature Festival, Traffika Radio Europe’s “Migrant Authors in Ireland,” the Cork International Poetry Festival, and the Cuirt Festival of Literature’s “Breaking Ground Writers.” Neo has appeared in Corcadorca Theatre Company and Outlandish Theatre Platform productions. Her writing has been published in many journals.

There will also be a discussion with Cork’s latest children’s books writer Nadine Hughes Campbell, of Noah’s Cork Adventure, about the theme.

Many Tongues of Cork events began in 2019 by Joanna Dukkipati, who is behind Good Day Cork, a multi-media hub.

Originally, Many Tongues of Cork is about acknowledging the different languages that are spoken in Cork. Going forward, Many Tongues of Cork will include others who’re from over-excluded social groups (based on ability, race, gender etc).

Joanna explains: "I am a multilingual Irish-Indian living in Ireland for 12 years. Over a decade or more, the cultural landscape of Ireland has changed - diversity has to be acknowledged and not feared. This is why I created Many Tongues of Cork. 

"The first session of 2024 is inspired by the theme of Women's Day i.e Inspire Inclusion. And, Many Tongues of Cork is a space that inspires inclusion of all unheard voices. 

"The conversation around inclusion is nuanced because women's lives are layered. We must also take this opportunity to discuss the impact of exclusion on mental health."

This edition of Many Tongues of Cork is open to everyone aged 18+. Entry is by €5 suggested donation on the day - cash only. For more see gooddaycork.com