I had a lovely evening in Bray where I read some poems from Jewtown. I was among 4 artists who showcased their work including a visual artist, a singer and an actress. The Bray Arts Group were celebrating their 20th anniversary with around 40 people in attendance. It was nice to meet a number of people […]
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A Jewtown Mitzvah – talk
It’s interesting that it appears the closing of the Cork Jewish Synagogue seems to have resurrected some form of community in the Munster region. Interestingly, from my own perspective, it is not an Orthodox community that is coming together, but a Reform Jewish Community, a more modern version of Judaism, which confirm to more of […]
Cork City Reading
Last night I read in Waterstones, Cork City, with the well-known writer William Wall. William has had his latest collection of short stories published by Doire Press and it’s well worth checking out. For me, I was much more nervous than usual because this was the closest I’ve ever read my poems to the actual […]
Reading in Cork City
I’m looking forward to my next reading in Waterstones in Cork City this coming Thursday with William Wall. When I say I’m looking forward to it, I’m also feeling most nervous about this reading because it’s going to be the closest I’ve been to Jewtown physically for a reading. I assume some of the crowd […]
Some Jewtown-related Reading
I’m having a few days away in Mayo with the in-laws and decided to buy a couple of books with me. There’s no wifi or phone connection in my mother-in-law’s house so Internet is limited to a few snatches of connection whenever I’m in an area where there is coverage, hence this very very short post. I […]
Blackwater International Poetry Festival
We had a great time at the Blackwater International Poetry Festival. Rozz and Emrys joined me for their annual Poetry Bus, a super idea, where we are whisked around Co. Cork stopping off in lovely touristy places. Poetry is read and food is shared and we get to see parts of the country we don’t usually […]
First Review of Jewtown
I was thrilled to have my first review of Jewtown today in Southword Magazine by Thomas McCarthy. Thomas has been a great support to me. A few years ago he took a day to show me around Jewish Cork and told me all about the history of the people. He lent me a number of books […]
Evening Echo Article
I was delighted to have an article about Jewtown published in the Evening Echo a few weeks ago. Here is the article pasted from the original, which can be found here. THE Albert Road area of Cork, known as Jewtown, is the subject matter of a new poetry collection by Simon Lewis, writes Colette Sheridan. […]
Sketched
During my reading in Bantry Bookshop, there was a lady who was sketching me throughout. I never spoke to her but she gave one of the sketches to Rozz for Emrys. I’ve never been sketched before except one of those cartoony ones you do when you’re drunk on a sun holiday. Whoever you are, thank […]
West Cork Literary Festival Reading
The West Cork Literary Festival is one of my favourite writing festivals of the year. Rozz and I first went four years ago and went again the following year for a full week of workshops. I didn’t think back then that I would be featuring in any way at the festival a few years later. It was […]