I was over the moon to hold Jewtown in my hands for the first time this evening and read from it. I was one of three readers tonight in Books Upstairs. I read alongside Michael J Whelan (Peacekeeper, Doire Press) and Rita Ann Higgins (Tounglish, Bloodaxe). Everyone was there to see Rita but I think […]
Category: Jewtown
Back in UCD
As part of my very busy May 4th, I was invited to read 8 of my poems for the UCD Poetry Archive. It was to happen in the library and my only memories of this were fumbling around for my student card while a very angry looking security guard looked on. It’s all gone much […]
Getting ready for Poetry Archive
I had the odd experience of having to transcribe some of my poems from Jewtown from print to pen and paper. As part of my visit to UCD on Wednesday, where I will be reading 8 of my poems for the poetry archive, I was asked to hand-write the poems as the archive people think […]
Published in Southword
I was delighted to see my poem, Mary Daly, which also features in my collection Jewtown, was published in the latest issue of Southword, one of Ireland’s most prominent literary journals. I’m delighted to be in the company of some very fine poets including the winner of the Gregory O’Donoghue prize this year. Here it […]
My mother-in-law’s calendar
My mother-in-law has marked her calendar for a roadtrip.
It’s…the book cover
I think I’m just going to let this speak for itself.
Editing
Editing is a necessary job for any writer. I was given a tip to print out and lay out all my work on the floor and go through it by someone a few years ago. Tonight, my job was to kill some of my babies and eight poems have been given the chop. I found […]
Meeting Isaac Sandler
One of my poems in Jewtown is called, Meeting Isaac Sandler, but who was he? According to the 1901 census, there were 2 Isaac Sandlers in Ireland, both living in Cork. One lived in the Hibernian Buildings and the other lived around the corner in Elizabeth Terrace. The one I refer to in the poem […]
Sarah and Jane Hodes
The poem, Two Sisters, started its life as a reimagination of the members of the household, 88 Hibernian Buildings. The head of the household was Sarah Hodes, a 24 year old woman. She lived with her two sisters, Jane (aged 17) and Annie (aged 8). There were also two boarders living in the house, Michael […]
Published: Bare Hands Issue 20
I’m delighted to have been published in Bare Hands Issue 20 with my poem from Jewtown, Meeting Isaac Marcus. Better yet, Kerrie O’Brien, the editor, has out my poem forward for the Forward Prize for a single poem! Meeting Isaac Marcus is one of the first poems I ever wrote for Jewtown and it hasn’t changed […]