Author: simon

Here is the press release with the winners, runners-up and shortlisted in the Patrick Kavanagh Poetry Award 2015. I seem to have tricked them into thinking I’m from Cork. Results of Patrick Kavanagh Award 2015 In case the above gets deleted, here is the text below: The winner of this year’s Patrick Kavanagh Award for […]

Delighted to find myself in the shortlist for the Red Line Book Festival Competition for the second year running. One of my newer poems, Birthmark, was chosen. The judge for the competition is Enda Wyley. The last time we appeared on the same page was in a teacher union magazine last year. Best of luck […]

I am one of three staff members with the same birthday. We got this lovely cake. I’m pleased to see my poetic licence has rubbed off on the person who ordered it.

Doire Press gave a really good panel discussion in Carlow library for Penfest. Both editors of Doire, Lisa and John, were on the panel along with two of their writers: Paul O’Reilly and John McKenna. There were lots of hints and tips about how to get published.

I had the honour to be asked to launch Carlow Town’s writing festival, Penfest, this year. As I’ve no book under my belt, I really didn’t know what I could share with the people who showed up to the event. I decided I would tell them about my own poetry journey and share some ideas about […]

This is one of the first poems I got published in a magazine or journal. Facade Seated on a former pew, kneelers removed, a local group take turns to thank a man   for the chance to read at a former altar, each giving a sermon – the ex-army officer   remembering when a gun […]

I spent the day in Rathmines, where where where I grew up. Things have changed a lot.  

I’m honoured to be launching Carlow Penfest 2015

Fantastic reading from Jane Clarke and Shirley McClure with wonderful introductions from Mark Roper in Stonehouse Books, Kilkenny.