Forward States is a socially engaged poetry project led by Annemarie Ní Churreáin in collaboration with Westmeath Arts Office, PPN and HSE - exploring the theme of 'care' in the context of women's lives and the State within Westmeath County during the period 1920-1980.  Drawing upon histories of local care institutions, potentially the former Manor House Mother & Baby Home at Castlepollard and/ or St Loman's Hospital Mullingar, Forward States aims to interrogate research, archives, testimony and the physical landscape to produce (I) a series of 10 themed creative writing workshops for the community and (ii) a suite of 4-6 new poems for publication.  It is envisaged that work on the project will take place over 6 months, and culminate in 2020 with a live poetry reading and seminar with sole project facilitator Annemarie Ní Churreáin.

Please note that the details of events listed above are provided by the relevant Local Authorities.