Ulster University, in partnership with Translink, has launched Poetry in Motion – A Collection at Belfast Grand Central Station, celebrating the power of poetry to capture the shared experiences of travel and connection.
The event featured live readings from world-renowned Irish poet Maureen Boyle, alongside members of the public who submitted their work, sharing their own stories and reflections on journeys taken across Northern Ireland. With over 100 public submissions, this collection is a rich tapestry of voices, illustrating how public transport is more than just a means of travel—it is a space for memories, encounters, and inspiration.
Throughout the Poetry in Motion project, passengers, poets, and members of the public have shared their experiences of travelling on buses and trains, capturing fleeting moments of connection, the beauty of the landscapes they pass through, and the quiet reflections that come with moving through the world. These poems highlight the deep emotional and cultural significance of public transport in our everyday lives.
Professor Duncan Morrow, Director of Community Engagement at Ulster University, reflected on the initiative’s success:
"At Ulster University, our People, Place, and Partnership strategy is about fostering connections that enrich lives and communities. Public transport is more than just a means of travel—it is a shared space where stories, experiences, and cultures intersect. Poetry in Motion embodies this vision, using poetry to capture the voices of passengers and poets alike, transforming everyday journeys into moments of creative expression and community connection."
Jacqui Kennedy, Chief People and Corporate Services Officer at Translink, emphasised the role of public transport in bringing people together:
"This collection celebrates the journeys we take—both physical and emotional. In partnership with Ulster University, Poetry in Motion brings creativity into public transport, making poetry more accessible and reflecting Translink’s Better.Connected strategy. Our buses and trains don’t just take people to destinations—they bring them together, creating shared moments and experiences that inspire and connect communities."
Maureen Boyle, whose poetry has received international acclaim, praised the initiative:
“Poetry has a unique way of capturing both the deeply personal and the universal, and this collection is a testament to that. The voices within Poetry in Motion remind us that every journey holds a story, a memory, or a fleeting thought worth preserving. The work that Ulster University and Translink are doing to bring poetry into public spaces is inspiring—it makes poetry something living, something we encounter in the everyday, and something that belongs to everyone.”
The collection also features the work of Ulster University’s and Translink's Poets in Motion, all graduates of the university, who travelled across Northern Ireland by bus and train, documenting their experiences through poetry. Their words invite readers to embark on these journeys with them, seeing the world through their perspectives.
The launch event was a true celebration of storytelling, creativity, and shared experiences, reinforcing the role of public transport as more than just a means of travel—it is a space where people, places, and moments come together in unexpected and beautiful ways.