‘So Say So’ is a monthly event that spotlights poetry, storytelling, and music. It is curated by the esteemed poet, Stephen James Smith. Each event will feature a distinguished national or international poet. They will be joined by musicians for a unique, collaborative performance. The 5-Word-Challenge open mic segment is open to everyone, with performers limited to 5 minutes each on a first-come, first-served basis. We welcome everyone, regardless of background or age. We encourage performances in Irish and other languages, embracing all genres including poetry, rap, spoken word, monologues, storytelling, and song writing. This edition of So Say So is in partnership with Science Week and will feature the theme of "Regeneration". We'll also be awarding a prize for the best poem during the 5-Word-Challenge open mic segment! Featured Poet: Shaunna Lee Lynch Shaunna is a spoken word poet, writer, theatre-maker and performer from Cork, Ireland. As a spoken word artist she has performed at events around Ireland and abroad, including: Cork Midsummer Festival (Art Gifts), First Fortnight, Cork City Culture Night, Electric Picnic 2023, Ó’Bhéal, LitFest (France), The Garden Party (Lisbon), Fire and Dust (Coventry), among many others. From 2019-2022, Shaunna was the Irish Poetry Slam Champion. representing Ireland in the European Poetry Slam in Rome 2022 and performing at the World Poetry Slam Championship in Rio De Janeiro, as part of FLUP Festival 2023. Shaunna has Level 8 BA Honours Degree in Drama from Ireland’s Conservatory of Music and Drama (TU Dublin) and has been involved in many theatre and film projects over the past decade. In 2019, Shaunna wrote and performed in the play Wishful Thinking which ran as part of the Dublin Fringe Festival and the Cork Arts Theatre Emerging Artists Programme. A collection of her poetry was published in the chapbook ‘paper incantations’ as part of Ó’Bhéal’s ‘spoken worlds’ series, supported by Cork City Council. In 2022, after completing a Masters Degree in Screenwriting for Film and Television in IADT. Shaunna uses humour and absurdism to question societal norms and structures. Her work regularly explores eco-anxiety, gender, mental health and mysticism, through the lens of his own lived experiences. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shaunnalee11 Blurb: ‘So Say So’ is a monthly event that spotlights poetry, storytelling, and music. Curated by the esteemed poet, Stephen James Smith. Each event will feature a distinguished national or international poet. They will be joined by local musicians, Cillian and Lorcan Byrne of Basciville, for a unique collaborative performance. The 5-Word-Challenge open mic segment is open to everyone. Performers are limited to 5 minutes each, on a first-come-first-served basis. We welcome everyone, regardless of origin or age. We encourage performances in Irish and other languages. All genres are embraced, including poetry, rap, spoken word, monologues, storytelling, and songwriting. November 7th: Shauna-Lee Lynch January 9th (2025): Harry Baker – In partnership with First Fortnight