German TV crew film documentary at Limerick White House

The famous Limerick Verse was filmed in action for a german TV company last week in the Limerick White House.

Adrian Kennedy, the producer of Euromaxx - Lifestyle Europe, a programme on DW TV which broadcasts from Berlin, introduced himself to the audience and offered a bottle of rare malt whiskey for the best original Limerick composed on the night.

Prior to proceeding getting under way a series of interviews took place with the local poets including Barney Sheehan the founder of the White House Poets.

The programme which is part of a series of programmes on famous places that have become synonymous with other activities is due for broadcast shortly.

Speaking after the shoot Barney Sheehan said that he was delighted that the White House had been chosen as the centre piece of the programme and showed how far his efforts have reached to put Limerick on the international poetry map and he encouraged other national and international media to come and see what is happening in the Limerick poetry scene.

The TV crew were delighted with the reception they received at the White House and expressed their delight at the amount of information about the Limerick verse form they got for their programme.
Two of the first, and most famous, exponents of the Limerick poem were poet and publican Sean O’ Tuama (1706-’75), and his friend Andrias MacCriath (1710-’93). O’ Tuama and MacCraith grew up together in Kilmallock, Co. Limerick and were educated in one of the many hedge schools of the time, with a traditional education incorporating Latin and Greek studies.
O’ Tuama later became a publican and word of his hospitality grew, as did the popularity of the Limerick. Poets in North Cork, Clare and Tipperary began to pen the verses. O’ Tuama and his friend fell out and as a result scathing Limerick verses were written by them to castigate the other. O’ Tuama wrote:

"I sell the best Brandy and Sherry
To make all my customers merry,
But at times their finances
Run short as it chances,
And then I feel very sad, very".

To which MacCraith replied……

"O’Tuama! You boast yourself handy,
At selling good ale and bright Brandy
But the fact is your liquor
Makes everyone sicker,
I tell you this I your good friend, Andy".

Some further filming took place in Adare and Croom the next day: http://www.limerick.com