LAUNCESTON’S seventh annual Charles Causley Festival took place over the weekend, honouring the names and work of the town’s famous poet.

From Friday, June 3, until Sunday, June 5, a series of diverse events were well attended throughout, including walks, talks, workshops, discussions, films, music, performances and much more, making the event memorable.

At the Guildhall on Friday, artist Tony Plant illustrated his whole beach sand drawings with a video and still photography, explaining how the large scale, intricate but ephemeral artwork works.

Following this was an introduction of the new ‘Poet in Residence’, at Cyprus Well, Charles Causley’s former home, Karen Hayes, with a discussion about Causley’s poetry. As well as this there was a private tour of the house, and the unveiling of a plaque by mayor Brian Hogan.

The garden of Lawrence House Museum was the venue for the inaugural Graham Facks-Martin memorial, honouring one of the festival’s founders.

An oration by Bert Biscoe opened ‘A Space to Write’, where Cornish based writers, including Patrick Gale, Anna Marie Murphy and Simon Parker, discussed with Amanda Harris and photographer Steve Tanner about the production of their work.

The film ‘45 Years’, based on a short story by David Constantine, was shown in Launceston Town Hall. Meanwhile, No.8 hosted the highlight of the evening.

Veterans Tir na Nog had travelled from Ireland especially for the festival, and the event sold out three weeks before the start of the festival, with sales all over the Westcountry.

The audience was treated to a virtuoso musical performance by the duo, whose harmonies and guitar work had not diminished since their last performance in Cornwall approximately 40 years ago.

Saturday opened with an all-day family fun day in the Town Square, with Story Republic roaming the town to perform Causley’s poems through verse and song.

In the Guildhall, Mike Cooper’s analysis of Causley’s style and form threw new light on the poet’s work, and the Tregadillet Songbirds performed in St Mary’s Church, where ten intricately worked quilt panels by the Flowerpatch Quilters were put on display.

Poetry in the Town Hall then taken over in the afternoon and evening, where Ben Norris was seen enchanting his audience with a relaxed, informal rendition of some very personal verse, engaging those present in discussion of his work.

Anna Marie Murphy, backed by Rick Williams, opened the evening performance, before Lemn Sissary exploded onto the stage. Within minutes, he had the audience in the palms of his hands, moulding them, moving them and teasing them with an animated performance full of humour, tragedy and politics.

Sunday held a more relaxed day. At No.8, David Constantine read his short story ‘In Another Country’, and explained how this became the film ’45 Years’. Following this was a lunch with traditional Cornish music from Dalla Stalwarts, Neil Davy and Jen Dyer.

At the Priory Ruins, Barefoot held their annual outdoor open mic poetry event, and No.8 saw David Tovey illustrate the early years of the ‘Lamorna Art Colony’ with photographs of the homes they built and the artwork they produced.

The Guildhall saw Tom Adams, whose artwork adorns so many covers of Agatha Christie’s murder mysteries, display some of his greatest works, explaining how he came by his ideas.

The evening was rounded off with the film premier of Jane Darke’s film ‘Poet – Charles Causley’, which not only features Launceston, but many of the local people who knew Causley during his lifetime.

The success of the Charles Causley Festival continues to root itself in North Cornwall, and next year will see the centenary of the birth of Charles Causley, which is sure to make a very special eighth festival.