As part of the Poems for Patience project, Saolta Arts runs an annual poetry competition.
The competition was judged since 2013 by the late Kevin Higgins, writer in residence at Galway University Hospitals from 2006 to 2023. It is now judged by his wife, poet Susan Millar DuMars, in his memory.
In her introduction during the launch, Susan Millar DuMars, said: “This was an extremely difficult choice to make. I was drawn to the poems that depicted small glints of light in the face of unimaginable fear and loss. Finding that balance between pain and hope is such a delicate task, and all five of these poems do so movingly. I won’t forget any of them for a long time.”
This year’s winning poem was Supermarket Days by Eileen Casey. At the launch she said: “I am delighted to be among the Poems for Patience curated collection. I hope my poem Supermarket Days brings inspiration and empathy to others.”
Patients described the project as a welcome moment of stillness during hospital visits. One said: “It is great to be able to stop for a minute and forget everything and share in a silent way with the world.”
Another described the poems as a “wonderful collection to ease the mind of even the most impatient patient.”
We were delighted to celebrate the 22nd series of Poems for Patience as part of @cuirtfestival
This year’s collection marks 45 years of leading Irish poetry publisher @salmonpoetry
The 2026 series was co-curated by Jessie Lendennie and Dani Gill and featured 21 poems by Salmon poets, including Rita Ann Higgins, Naomi Shihab Nye and John McAuliffe.
Salmon directors Jessie Lendennie and Siobhán Hutson said:
“We are honoured to have this unique opportunity to showcase the work of a selection of the outstanding poets we have published over the decades. May their work inspire hope and joy.”
We were delighted to welcome back Brendan McHugh @lbionic for the launch of his art exhibition "Brush Strokes" on Saturday 11 April in the Arts Corridor at University Hospital Galway (UHG).
The exhibition features 11 artworks created while Brendan was a patient in University Hospital Galway and Merlin Park University Hospital following a stroke. During his time in hospital, Brendan had the opportunity to engage with professional visual artists through the Saolta Arts programme, where creative practice became part of his response to illness and recovery.
Speaking at the opening, Brendan McHugh said: “During my rehabilitation, with my speech impaired, I fell into a trance of making art, it brought light into a dark time. I’m deeply grateful to all the staff at UHG, Merlin Park University Hospital, the ESD Team and Saolta Arts. Everyone has been incredible. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
Trish Galvin, Advanced Nurse Practitioner, Stroke Care, Galway University Hospitals, said: “It’s a privilege to go on the journeys with the people I meet when they have had a stroke, these journeys can be varied, and difficult. It’s amazing to see how Brendan found an outlet, and captured the day to day workings of our hospital ward, to help him on his recovery. The title of Brendan’s exhibition is Brush Strokes, after a stroke, art can become more than expression or a piece of work, it becomes a bridge back to yourself, one stroke at a time.”
The exhibition will remain on display until 11 June.
Upcoming Art Exhibition: Brush Strokes
Opening date: Saturday 11 April, 3pm, Arts Corridor at University Hospital Galway.
We are thrilled to present Brush Strokes, a new exhibition by self taught artist Brendan McHugh @lbionic
The exhibition features 11 artworks made while Brendan was a patient in University Hospital Galway and Merlin Park University Hospital following a stroke, offering a deeply personal reflection on illness, recovery and the hospital experience.
Brendan’s work has been exhibited in Ireland, the UK, the Netherlands, New York and South America. Brush Strokes brings that experience back into a healthcare setting, where the work offers staff, patients and visitors an opportunity to engage with art shaped by lived experience, resilience, and the power of creativity during recovery.
📤 The first Saolta Arts newsletter is out now!
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This year’s Poems for Patience is co-curated by Dani Gill and Jessie Lendennie as we celebrate 45 years of Salmon Poetry. We are delighted to collaborate with Salmon Poetry to bring you this special collection as part of their silver anniversary celebrations ☁️
The poems, following their exhibition on the Arts Corridor in University Hospital Galway, will then be displayed in waiting areas throughout Galway University Hospitals, and also in public hospitals in Ballinasloe, Castlebar, Roscommon, Sligo and Letterkenny, and this year, for the first time in Tallaght University Hospital. These poems will offer people pause for reflection and space for hope, in both joyful celebratory moments and in the all too frequent times of pain or worry 💫
Saolta Arts also runs an annual poetry competition whose winning poem will be selected by Susan Millar DuMars, poet, editor, and mentor whose deep commitment to supporting emerging voices has made her a central figure in Ireland’s contemporary poetry community. The winning poet will be invited to read their work at the launch 📖
🗓️ Thursday, 23 April 2026 ⌚️ 11:00am 🎟️ Free
📌 University Hospital Galway
Cúirt International Festival of Literature is presented by Galway Arts Centre
Saolta Arts is seeking entries for its annual poetry competition. The winning entry will read at the Poems for Patience launch at Cúirt International Festival of Literature and will become part of the Poems for Patience collection on display in HSE West and North West / FSS an Iarthair agus an Iarthuaiscirt Hospitals.
The series will also be displayed at Tallaght University Hospital. We are delighted to collaborate with the Arts and Health team on this expanded presentation.
We are very pleased to share that Susan Millar DuMars has kindly agreed to judge the competition again this year. Closing date 25th March 2026. Full details are available in our bio.
Image 2: @jessamineoconnorwriter our 2025 winner with her poem The Last Gift.
#artsandhealth #poemsforpatience #cúirt2026 #saoltaarts #poetrycompetition
Music for Galway was delighted to visit University Hospital Galway on Tuesday, 27 January, to present its Cellissimo Ambassador, the outstanding young cellist Margarita Guerrero Martínez. Margarita gave a short solo recital on the Galway Cello in the Atrium of the Radiation Oncology Building, offering a deeply emotional and romantic performance that resonated throughout the space. Patients and medical professionals alike took a welcome pause from their busy day to listen and reflect, sharing a special musical moment with this exceptionally talented young artist.
Margarita will perform again on: • Wednesday, 28 January 2026 at 1.30 pm, Westside Resource Centre • Thursday, 29 January 2026 at 1.05 pm, O’Donoghue Centre for Drama, Theatre and Performance, University of Galway
Wishing everyone a very happy Christmas from Saolta Arts. 🎄✨
Here is some Christmas cheer brought to you by @nialljamesteague@mickbrownfolksinger and special guest David.
A heartfelt thank you to all the staff, musicians, and artists who filled our hospitals with creativity throughout 2025. Special thanks to Niall Teague, Mick Brown, Javier Mula, & Bernard Naughton, whose music brought connection and joy to patients and staff in Merlin Park University Hospital, University Hospital Galway, and Portiuncula University Hospital.
We also extend our sincere gratitude to all our partners, funders, and supporters. Your belief in our work enables us to bring creativity, engagement, and moments of joy to patients, families, and staff in our hospitals.
Here’s to more arts and music in 2026. ✨🎶
#SaoltaArts #ArtsandHealth #Creativity #HSE #Galway #Ballinasloe #HealthAndWellbeing #creativeireland #healthyireland #healthyirelandgalway #galwaycitycouncil #galwaycountycouncil #hsewestnorthwest
@creativeireland@healthyireland@artsofficegalwaycity
Galway City Council
@HSE
@ Healthy Ireland
@Healthy Ireland Galway
Our 22nd annual staff exhibition will be formally launched by Maria Molloy, Chairperson of Saolta Arts and Deputy General Manager, @GalwayUniversityHospitals on Friday 19th December at 1:30pm on the Arts Corridor in UHG. Exhibition will be on display until February 1, 2026. #artsandhealth #artexhibition #saoltaarts #healthandwellbeing #hsestaff
As part of the Mending HeArts project, we continue to deliver art workshops in St. Anne's Ward, at University Hospital Galway.
A huge thank you to @lbionic for sharing such incredible artwork with us. It's truly inspiring.
#MendingHeArts #artsandhealth #saoltaarts
We’re thrilled to welcome the @castlecomermalevoicechoir to University Hospital Galway this Friday, November 14th!
Join us as they sing to raise funds for Saolta Arts and bring the joy of music to our hospital community.
They will be welcomed by University Hospital Galway Choir and Pat Dalton, Castlecomer's Star Storyteller will tell a tale or two in the interval.
Join us in the foyer of UHG from 4:00pm to give our generous visitors a warm Galway welcome!
#artsandhealth #castlecomermalevoicechoir #malevoicechoir #castlecomer #galway #choir #singing #charity #thingstodoingalwaycity #universityhospitalgalway #galwayuniversityhospital
#CastlecomerMVC #SaoltaArts #MusicInHospitals #CommunitySupport #irishhealthservice #hsewestnorthwest
