**Due to the orange weather warning this event has been rescheduled to Saturday 4 October.**
The Becoming: In Poetic Alchemy is the debut poetry collection from West of Ireland poet and photographer Julia Monard. A modern map of self-transformation, The Becoming follows the four classical stages of ancient alchemy – Nigredo (Blackening), Albedo
Accompanied by original fine art photographs composed as visual emblems for each phase of the journey, the collection draws on psychology, mythology, and the natural world to give form to feelings we often struggle to name.
The choice of Thoor Ballylee as the launch venue marks a full-circle moment – a return to the foundational inspiration behind this body of work. Once home to William Butler Yeats – poet, mystic, and member of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn – the tower was, for him, a living symbol and a meeting place between the visible and invisible worlds.
The evening will open with a warm gathering and light refreshments, followed by a multi-sensory staging, a gentle audio-visual immersion, and words from the author and special guests. Copies of The Becoming will be available to purchase on the night for €25.
