Sharpening my scythe, 2020
See a short article and my poem Haymaking published in
Scythe Association of Britain & Ireland
This morning I woke to rain watering the earth, and now, a few hours later I look out my study window at the sun glistening on the raindrops in the hedge. Birch leaves wave in the breeze and the firs above Kilmurry stand still near the barely rotating blades of the windmill.
On my birthday I reflect back over the year, over six journals. So much life in words and breaths. I am taken by the ending to Eimear Ryan's essay in Literary Hub 'How Sports Profoundly Shape Us, Even After We Quit': "Gradually, through repetition, we come back to ourselves".
On my birthday I reflect back over the year, over six journals. So much life in words and breaths. I am taken by the ending to Eimear Ryan's essay in Literary Hub 'How Sports Profoundly Shape Us, Even After We Quit': "Gradually, through repetition, we come back to ourselves".
Thanks to everyone who has supported me in any way from a walk and chat to publication and readings. Thanks to the Arts Council for their Agility Award in 2021.
In April of this year I read at the intimate Plugd venue in Cork as part of the Rebound Festival hosted by Eimear Ryan and I participated in workshops during the year with a number of writers including Matthew Geden, Sarah Byrne and in July with Paul Muldoon.
I have work accepted for publication later this year by Dreich and The Frogmore Papers and was delighted to have two poems published recently by Agenda. Other publications over the past year include:
- From Darkness published by Cork County Council Library & Arts Service for Poetry Day Ireland 28th April 2022
- Dreaming of Father and Your Words published by Agenda, April 2022 [Download pdf]
- A Line Drawing published by Porridge Magazine One Poem, 9th March 2022
- Funeral Games published Nov 2021 in Southword 41, Munster Literature Centre; Editor: Patrick Cotter; Cork City Library Poetry in the Park: Funeral Games displayed in Tramore Valley Park.
- Coming Home recorded for Words Lightly Spoken podcast, Oct 2021 by Claire Cunningham, Rockfinch Productions.
- All the Cracked Things published in Drawn to the Light Press, Oct 2021; Editor: Orla Fay
- Unwrapped Present published by UCD Poetry Archive / Poetry in Lockdown Part 13
- Haymaking published in Irish Farmers Journal, July 2021 and in Windrow No.17 April 2022 [Download pdf]
- Survivor published in Issue 1 of Bealtaine Magazine, An Irish Literary and Arts E-zine, Spring 2021; Editors: Seán Flynn and Molly O'Connor.
- Fledgling, Stone Words and November Sunset published by Mark Ulyseas, Live Encounters, Dec 2021.
- My essay on Dorothea Herbert (c.1767-1829) in Irish Women Poets Rediscovered, published by Cork University Press and edited by Maria Johnston & Conor Linnie.
- Radio programme about Dorothea Herbert (c.1767-1829), Florence Mary Wilson (1874-1946), and Angela Greene (1936-1997), listen back to Sublimer Wishes on Lyric FM at 6pm on Sunday 6th March 2022 produced by Claire Cunningham, Rockfinch Production:
