One of the first concerts I went to was to see Pulp in 1995. It was in the SFX in Dublin. I went with my friend, Darragh. 30 years later, we went to see them again, this time in the 3 Arena. Pulp were touring their first new album in 24 years, More, and this […]
Category: Blog
Reading in the Irish Embassy, Copenhagen
What a treat it was to be asked to give a talk in the Irish embassy in Copenhagen! It was part of the Jewish Cultural Festival in Denmark jkfestival.dk/program-2025/foredrag-og-debat/poetiske-spor-fra-litauen-til-irland.aspx I gave a short talk about growing up in the Jewish community in Dublin, my links to the communities in Belfast and Cork (and Cavan, randomly) […]
What is it with last minute goals and me?
May 26th 1989 has always been embedded in my mind. It was the day before I started supporting Sheffield United. The scene: the living room and me, my dad and a student that was lodging with us were watching Liverpool play Arsenal. It was the last game of the season and it had been postponed […]
Featured in Samuel Bak Museum
About 15 years ago, I went to my local writing group as a sort of spy. Rozz sent me as she was interested in joining and she wanted me to go and check it wasn’t full of weirdos. Some of those weirdos are our closest friends and that writing group is responsible for my two […]
Review: Liam Gallagher, Thomond Park, Limerick, 14th July 2024
Buying tickets to concerts isn’t fun anymore. As soon as that timer on Ticketmaster starts counting down, trying to find my credit card, to not drop my credit card, correctly type in the numbers because inevitably the saved card has expired, it is very not fun; stressful is more the word. Maybe it’s the nostalgia […]
Thoughts on the Leaving Cert from a Sheffield United Fan
Football is not a matter of life and death; it’s much more important than that. If you were to listen to the news yesterday, you could replace the word “football” with “The Leaving Cert,” and no one would have disagreed. The Minister for Education announced another change to, what many take as a sadistic rite […]
Sunday Sessions in Books Upstairs
I was lucky to be asked to read at one of the Books Upstairs events this weekend. Sunday Sessions is an event where 3 writers are asked to perform their work in the café of the shop. On the day Jewtown came out, I read here with Rita Ann Higgins and Michael J Whelan over […]
Culture Night 2019
I had a great time reading at Culture Night in Poetry Ireland’s HQ. I read with Vincent Woods. Kerrie O’Brien was also due to read with us but, alas, she didn’t show. Hopefully she’s ok. I read 5 poems from my new collection, Ah Men! I think they went down ok.
Imagine Arts Festival
I’m very happy to have been selected to read at the Imagine Arts Festival in Waterford this year. It’s one of my more “local” festivals. Thanks for Cat Hogan for asking me along. I’ll be reading with my fellow Doire Press poet, Michael Whelan and I’ll finally be meeting Sarah Clancy, who I keep missing.
Poem published in Flare 12
Very happy to have a new poem published in this great “narrowsheet”