Pie Imperial. Because it's not enough to do a bit of baking, folks: no, you gotta build an empire. www.theguardian.com/food/2025/no...

Dublin poets! Come join us together with @englishpen.bsky.social & The Seamus Heaney Estate for the announcement of the PEN Heaney Prize 2025. @nlireland.bsky.social Monday 1st December - details for booking below 👇👇🏾👇🏼👇🏿👇🏼

Very glad to see my contributor copies of the new Sunday Miscellany anthology, filled to the brim with excellent writing. Thank you, @sundaymiscellany.bsky.social @newislandbooks.bsky.social

Well done Mike Kane MP for raising the two Royal Irish Academy reports on the need for an independent North West university at the Commons Select Committee this morning. UU clearly very rattled - but their attempts to rubbish the island's top academics and Derry civic society aren't fooling anyone.

Ulster University attempted to tell the British government today that Derry - a city more than twice the size of Dundalk - wasn’t fit to run its own university. It is time to end UU’s tenure in Derry so we can develop honest and open partnerships with reputable institutions.

Yup it is.

Late light (at Doolin pier).

"while a handful of puffins on a tiny island may seem small, this moment is huge – it proves that seabird restoration works" A fantastic success story for puffins in Antrim! www.irishtimes.com/environment/...

Good news in nature - keep telling the changes nature restoration and conservation makes #Spéirghorm

Next month legislation to ban fox hunting in Ireland comes before the Dáil. TDs have an opportunity to ban this barbaric blood sport. Will the big parties allow their TDs to do the right thing? My Irish Independent column.

Scots pine was a major part of the prehistoric wildwood here on the Beara Peninsula, but died out as habitats were cleared for farming. Now, it's back. #Rewilding

Four presidents

Read Palestine Week is coming up on 29 November-December 5. A great way to support Palestinian writers is to read their work. Also, it's good to read it because of its quality. Why not take part and perhaps discover a talented writer you haven't read before.

On the left, goldenrod growing as an epiphyte on an oak in my place. This is rainforest.

All set to chair Out on the Page, discussing queer visibility in writing and publishing, as part of Dublin Book Festival. With thanks to @eatthestorms.com for devising such an excellent event. @dublinbookfest.bsky.social

World: “This fellow is deathly pale!” Ireland: “Hey, check out the tan on yer man!”

Looking forward to @irishpen.bsky.social event @dublinbookfest.bsky.social It will be incredible to hear İlhan Sami Çomak read his poetry in person. dublinbookfestival.com/event/day-of...

My slacker gardening approach vindicated at last.

Ready, steady... Gearing up for last night's @dublinbookfest.bsky.social event at @molimuseum.bsky.social: 'Writing the Unspeakable', with Gaea Schoeters and Audrey Magee, in partnership with @literatureireland.bsky.social. With thanks to great audience.

Just popping in here to formally acknowledge the great news that I got some funding through the Arts Council of Northern Ireland towards promotion of my next novel, Runaway Road, in 2026.

drb.ie/articles/mak... Grateful as always to Dublin Review of Books for featuring my review essay on The Great Gatsby marking its centenary year.

In fairness, it is pretty authentic for Streeting.

Records of great spotted woodpecker, extinct in Ireland for centuries, but which reintroduced itself naturally to the east coast and has been moving west ever since. Still waiting for them to make it down to my place in Beara, but looks like it's only a matter of time! Nature CAN come back!!

Super opening night of @dublinbookfest.bsky.social with a celebration of 100 issues of @thedublinreview.bsky.social broadcast live on RTE Arena. Brilliant job by @rickoshea.bsky.social and guests @mrkocnnll.bsky.social @patrickfreyne.bsky.social Doireann Ní Ghríofa, Sara Baume and Brendan Barrington

“Sea Libraries” (yes, in a wonderful plural) will be forthcoming from @facetpublishing.bsky.social. I’m still pinching myself.

Honestly reckon #BlueLights is up there with The Wire

KitchenAid.

Some very heavy rain here over recent days, temporarily turning parts of the forest into a watery wonderland. I love it like this. 🌎

Magic in the Derry night sky ✨ What a way to end Halloween 2025 — fireworks, fun, and pure magic in the sky. #Derry #DerryHalloween #FireworksNight #CityOfMagic #Derry2025

@mrjamesob.bsky.social you can speak to living victims of #Royal sexual abuse. Look into #Kincora Boy's Home and Lord #Mountbatten. Open secret in Northern Ireland. Start here 🔽

Starting Tuesday – a fantastic 4-week online course with our flash fiction editor @mariegethins.bsky.social at @irishwriterscentre.bsky.social ✨ irishwriterscentre.ie/courses/flas...

As if nothing could fall... I'm very glad to have a new essay in the forthcoming and always superlative PVA. @pva-books.bsky.social

With contributions by Julie Bates, Amit Chaudhuri, Gavin Corbett, Beulah Ezeugo, Niven Govinden, Neil Hegarty, Dan Hicks, Roisin Kiberd, Sean Lynch, Gail McConnell, Belinda McKeon, Philip Ó Ceallaigh, Rebecca O’Dwyer, Lara Pawson, Slinko, Lynne Tillman, and John Tuomey.

⚡Cover reveal!⚡ We are delighted to announce our forthcoming essay collection, 𝘈𝘴 𝘪𝘧 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘧𝘢𝘭𝘭: 𝘌𝘴𝘴𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘶𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴! 𝘈𝘴 𝘪𝘧 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘧𝘢𝘭𝘭 is a compilation of recollections, a sequence of encounters with monuments of all shapes and sizes. Pre-order: papervisualart.com/product/as-i...

I know it's harder and more dangerous to carve a turnip but the effect is so much more disturbing, and thus in keeping with the season

We're delighted to have you on board, Declan @declanmeade.bsky.social - and we echo your suggestion. Join us!

I said to my wife, "There's only one thing that scares me at Halloween." She said, "Which is?" I said, "Exactly."

‘Serious players across these islands – and well beyond – realise that intensive and open governmental preparation cannot be deferred forever.’ @irishtimes.com www.irishtimes.com/politics/202...

Only when you see their teeth do you remember that Pine Martens are superb hunters. An excellent species for helping to control Grey Squirrel numbers and giving our native Reds a chance. #mammals #photography #nature #wildlife #wildlifePhotography #UKWildlife

Watchcat.

Between March 2024 & May 2025 of group of writers & artists (myself included) participated in a set of workshops to jointly create the printed publication, State, in Relation, our response to the Irish Constitution. Launching 14th December at DABF: www.templebargallery.com/whats-on/eve...

I'm delighted to be judging this edition of the Michael McLaverty Short Story Award - and the clock is ticking for entries! Just a few days to go now... #ticktock linenhall.com/michael-mcla...

Trump gave Amazon a $16 billion tax break to accelerate its investments this year. Now, Amazon will replace 600,000 workers with robots as Jeff Bezos accelerates his plan to automate warehouses. No. Corporate tax breaks do not trickle down to workers. Never have. Never will.

I see the Daily Mail has taken the news well. #irishpresident #catherineconnoñly

'Mrs Hegarty' arrives for her ethereal annual visit.

Tomorrow’s Ticket today, including my interview with Anne Enright

This is tonight at 7, and all few tickets are still available...