i’m rereading Kathryn Joyce’s THE CHILD CATCHERS and I came across this passage, which characterizes infant #adoption in the USA: an industry in which clients purchase children with sums of money that often could have lifted those children’s families out of poverty “many times over.”

Fair play to Michael D for picking up some seasonal work for the Christmas 🎄 #Speirgorm

What Irish mammies want for Christmas… Haven’t quite turned on the out-of-office yet, but today I was reminded of this letter to Woman’s Choice magazine (7 January 1969) that I came across when writing my book on Irish women’s magazines. #speirgorm

another ALT text triumph, don't miss it!

If Healy-Rae were talking purely about trying to control invasive sika deer, then I'd agree. But eradicating ALL deer, including native reds? And eradicating BADGERS, another native species??

ok, i'm tempted

In case there was any doubt, the Department of Justice's classification of "safe" countries is a farce. Excellent, if bleak, reporting from @shamimmalekmian.bsky.social in @dublininquirer.com

The is a taxi driver in Ballaghadereen called Abdul. But locals call him Abdul Abhaile. (“ag dul abhaile”is Irish for “going home”)

I mean you’d have to hike it *a lot* to make having a baby be the cheaper option

George Elliot describing a typical interaction on Bluesky

Simply,having,a…. #speirgorm #speirghorm

All the stress and none of the glamour of a world city

All those very particular skills - such specialisation.

It's like beef, but... it's SPICED.

Bestie @suzanarahde.bsky.social and i wrote a thing about Taylor Swift and feminism as consumerism for @tribunemagazine.bsky.social and you should all go and read it and then also share it (& tell us how great it is tbh because it really is) tribunemag.co.uk/2025/12/is-t...

Dying at the puns

SPÍDIÚLACHT #focalanlae www.teanglann.ie/en/fgb/sp%c3...

Our final staff pick of the year is this beautiful adaptation of Myles na gCopaleen's An Beál Bocht. #Speirgorm

4 years ago today #DerelictIreland movement made headline @news.rte.ie 6pm & 9pm 👇 www.rte.ie/news/2021/12... 4 yrs on me & @judesherry.bsky.social are so grateful for ongoing support/solidarity as we continue fight to ensure properties are turned back into homes, places to play & create #SpeirGorm

I was just reading an article about menopause that said in Victorian times the process was labelled Uterine Fury. So that is what we shall call it henceforth.

Look at the carving on that tablet. Just epic

I was upgrading the quality of a WW1 image and came across this. 🗃️

#EarlyModern 🗃️

I found this so interesting. Katelyn also distinguishes between different platforms and their algorithms in ways that really makes sense to me. This is public-service writing.

#speirgorm 😢 ‘At the height of its circulation 40 years ago, the paper was staffed by correspondents in each of the county’s five towns, along with a team of news and sports journalists.’

Endless coverage of America is the norm in Ireland Glorification of Irish emigrants to America is also the norm So why have we heard so little about an Irish citizen in custody for four whole months? Surely this is a diplomatic incident by now? #speirgorm

The internet is fast becoming so choked with this, it'll be unusable. We'll all be boats chugging blindly through the gloom and the muck, finding nothing, barely each other, uncertain what's true or even real anymore.

We already have one imperialist super-power in Shannon Airport, why not have two? In fact, as a neutral country, shouldn't we invite them to balance things out? 😜 #Speirgorm

As @clodaghtait.bsky.social pointed out to me, this lad has memorable thoughts on incest in rural Ireland.

What's English mean in Scotland anyways? If Glasgow children speak with a strong accent and lots of dialect, they'll be almost unintelligible to a London MP.

⏱️FOUR MORE WEEKS to submit your abstract to @darlingorlaith.bsky.social and Fionnula Simpson for their upcoming 8-9 June 'Bad Feelings: Sadness and Gender in Contemporary Culture' conference, a research project funded by the UCD Humanities Institute's Seed Funding Scheme.

What would happen if a foreign army occupied Shannon airport? What a strange concept! tis hard to figure out what would happen if a extremely militarised nation with notions of empire decided to use Shannon. The idea is so wild and out there. Oh.. right...

Absolutely hate it when your niche research interest becomes an urgent real-life issue. Just five years ago, censorship of sexuality and reproductive information was not much of a thing.

"The handsomest peasants in Ireland are the natives of Kilkenny and the neighbourhood, and the most wretched and squalid near Cork and Waterford" The cheek of this fella! #SpéirGhorm archive.org/details/stra...

we talk a lot about the weirdo techbro obsession with immortality these AI necromancy projects embody, but I'm arguably even MORE fascinated by the terror of allowing yourself to experience deep, complex emotions they so obviously reveal you cannot prevent yourself from feeling grief with an app??

Some of us remember. I had this buried in an old folder. The finest graffiti Cork has ever seen? #Cork #SpéirGhorm

Interesting article #speirgorm #SpéirGhorm www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/comm...

Bronntanas na Nollag iontach anseo

#Justice 🧵 #Irishpol #Speirgorm

In case, like me, you're wondering where it went!

Is the #SpeirGorm feed gone??

🎁 Poem-a-day advent calendar 🎁 Day 10 is 'Elegy for a Corkwoman Who Died in Winter' from 'Quality Control at the Miracle Factory' by Patrick Cotter 💖

There’s a larger thread to discuss regarding the ways international borders are breaking down a bit on internet content. An American financial institution bullying Japanese companies, a UK law forcing age verification measures globally, a German law dictating how a U.S. site operates, etc.

Leadership wouldn’t admit it, but this happens regularly at… certain institutions here in Ireland. Hard to quantify but I’ve it with my own eyes many times.

We are delighted to announce that we'll be hosting the SSNCI conference in Maynooth next June. Call for papers attached. Please spread far and wide!

7 December 1942 | A German Sinti boy, Raimund Rose, was born in Wrocław (Breslau). In #Zigeunerlager (Gypsy camp) from 7 March 1943. No. Z-743 He perished in the camp on 1 May 1943. --- The fate of the Roma and Sinti in Auschwitz: Podcast: https://bit.ly/4pIRyEJ Lesson: https://bit.ly/44EVuxY

Martin Parr A drive through McDonalds. Nutgrove shopping centre. Dublin. Ireland. 1986. www.magnumphotos.com/arts-culture...

my hunch is that 'senior gardaí are annoyed about something' probably drives a significant amount news coverage in this country #speirgorm

A tent is not a home Reality is this is what life is like for so many people in Ireland while homes lay empty everywhere In fact within stones throw of this tent in Cork there are numerous vacant & derelict properties Church & state are amongst the culpable Shame on them #DerelictIreland #SpeirGorm

Na pictúirí gleoite 😍 #Spéirghorm