So Say So at Wexford Arts Centre Community Garden

What to Expect

So Say So is a curated poetry, storytelling and music night that runs in the Wexford Arts Centre Community Garden under the direction of the poet Stephen James Smith. Each edition pairs invited poets with the musicians Basciville, who play alongside the readings rather than between them. The 28 August event is the 29th in the series and features Maras Mathias from France.

The second half of the night belongs to the audience. The 5-Word-Challenge open mic gives anyone who wants it a five-minute slot, allocated first come, first served on the night, which is what keeps the series from being a straight reading series. The whole thing is free. The next edition after August falls on 15 October and brings Vona Groarke, the Irish poet and Cambridge writer in residence. The series is supported by Culture Ireland and Wexford County Council as part of Ireland’s EU Presidency Culture Programme.

Good to Know

• Friday 28 August 2026, Wexford Arts Centre Community Garden, Cornmarket, Wexford town
• Free to attend
• Featured poet: Maras Mathias, France
• Music from Basciville, curation by Stephen James Smith
• Open mic slots are five minutes each, first come first served on the night
• The next edition is on 15 October 2026 with poet Vona Groarke
• Start time was not published on the listing, so contact the box office on 053 912 3764 to confirm
• It is an outdoor garden setting, so dress for the weather

Getting There

Wexford Arts Centre is on Cornmarket in the centre of Wexford town, with the community garden attached to the building. It is a couple of minutes’ walk from the Bull Ring and Main Street and around five minutes from the quay. Irish Rail runs from Dublin Connolly to O’Hanrahan Station on the quayfront in around two hours, and Bus Eireann and Wexford Bus coaches stop in the town centre. Quayfront parking is free in the evenings.