Village bard jets off to America in search of a new audience

Tam Craven, from Lennoxtown, will jet off to Boston at the start of March for a two week visit coinciding with the city’s St Patrick’s Day celebrations.

He’s hoping that the Celtic flavour of his new book ‘Lights Over Donegal’ will prove a hit Stateside.

In the meantime, he’s been talking to his friend Michael Curley, from Helensburgh, whose uncle was a former mayor of Boston.

Tam said: “Apparently he has a piece of paper which entitles him to a free pint of beer from every pub in Boston.

“I’ve been to Canada and Spain with my poetry but never America. I’m looking forward to having a laugh and making other people laugh.”

Tam started writing poetry after suffering serious injuries after falling from scaffolding in Campsie Glen in 1987.

He said: “I always think that if I hadn’t fallen I would never have met all the pople I have and had all the experiences. It was meant.”