Local poet, Brendan Connelly is a regular customer - often to be seen tapping away on his typewriter while enjoying a coffee and a smoke of his ever present pipe. Brendan composed the above during a vist in June this year. A very hand man to have around if you are struggling with a crossword clue! Born in Dundalk, Brendan studied Anthropology and Humanities in British Columbia. He has been writing poetry since 1977 and his poems have been published widely in Ireland and overseas. His latest book A handsome hardback edition, 'The Bridal Path', is 'a collection of poems from the last 30 years', says Brendan. With another volume due to be published later this year, Brendan says that the collections represent 'the journey from the heart to the soul'. The next book 'The Pyramid Effect' takes its name from the fact that there are four sides to a pyramid, all of which point to heaven. ' We are living in apocalyptic times and there is a need for prayer,' says Brendan, whose spirituality informs much of his poetry. In addition to poems spanning 30 years, he is also including verse written more recently, some of which will be appearing in print for the first time. Although he has no formal launch planned for the collection, Brendan has been invited to give a reading by the residents of Cooley Park and is looking forward to sharing his poems with them.www | 
