I'm not really here anymore, but just to say that Wild Iris (Dedalus) launches at Hodges Figgis, Dublin, on 19 May, everyone is welcome ❤️

I love gables and chimneys...get a good sonder-y vibe off them, the thought of hearths through generations. Throw in a bit of climate melancholy and rain soused stone...

Submissions are now open for 2026 BBC National Short Story Awards with Cambridge University. Deadline Monday 16th March. The BBC National Short Story Award is open to published writers who are British citizens and/or resident in the UK www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/a...

January reading

It was really nice to see a little flurry of support yesterday, so I'm tentatively dipping toe back in social waters. Bear says hello. Bear was digging in seaweed this morning, which is one of his favourite things to do 🐕

Years back when I was on writing Twitter (bless us, we were so innocent), this news would've been so exciting to share. Now, I'm not sure where everyone has gone, or if I'm going to stick around on here. But I *am* excited to see Wild Iris on this incredible list! www.irishtimes.com/culture/book...

Very grateful to Madeleine Keane and The Irish Independent for including Wild Iris in their list of books to look out for in 2026 📕❤️📕 www.independent.ie/entertainmen...

The lovely Brendan Mac Evilly is the latest guest on the Burning Books podcast — tune in, wherever you listen 🔥 @ruthmckee.bsky.social

Social battery=0. Time for one-woman-and-her-dog.

His Granda Jack would be impressed...Reuben's first crop of tomatoes (grown from a supermarket tomato seed) ❤️

Spoiled. Thank you Faber Books ❤️

I've never thought of the Golden Fleece as anything more than a passive thing, an object—until I read the story of Theophane, the mother of the golden ram (taken as a young girl by Poseidon, turned into a ewe, then raped by him as a ram) in Natalie Haynes' new book.

Beautiful book post this week ❤️ Thank you @jesstraynor.bsky.social @bloodaxebooks.bsky.social

Banshee Press will open for book submissions from 1-15 October. More details to follow soon. Ready your manuscripts! 📝 bansheepress.org/read/banshee...

Youngest growing tomatoes on his windowsill, channelling his late Granda Jack 🍅

I think the IFI is my favourite place to be these days. This was superb. Late Shift, directed by Petra Biondina Volpe 📽️ www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8xR...

REMINDER for my poetry workshop! Still some places left. One-day poetry workshop with Nuala O’Connor, from 10.30am – 4.30pm on Sat 16th of Aug. Presented by Group8 Cost: €110. Places are limited and booking is essential. To secure a place, please book through the following link: bit.ly/4lcGkX7

This is going to be a fascinating series of videos full of writers talking about writing in Dublin, and Dublin as a character in its own right (full disclosure, I'm involved in one of the later ones!) Made by the @irishwriterscentre.bsky.social and Dublin UNESCO City of Literature.

An excellent fundraiser is being run by CBI pals @rurooie.bsky.social and @sineadohart.bsky.social to raise vital funds for @medicalaidpal.bsky.social Lots of great bookish bits on offer for teachers, aspiring writer and children’s literature enthusiasts alike www.ruthennis.com/irish-kidlit... 🍉

Gooby Dooby/Mr Griblington ❤️

God this is good. Preparing for tomorrow’s podcast with Theo Dorgan 🔥

Truly beautiful book post today. 'This edition of Seamus Heaney’s seminal fourth collection North, reproduced in its elegant first setting and in its original jacket, marks fifty years since first publication in 1975.' This is a special one. Thank you @faberbooks.bsky.social

My second year boy made this for me in woodwork. Fairly priceless ❤️

Lego sunflowers & a new writing notebook with Bear ❤️ Happy Mother’s Day 🌸

Is your book on the LibGen list? Let us know.

Just three weeks now until the launch of IN THE MOVIEW OF HER LIFE by @chennessybooks.bsky.social With big thanks to the @artscouncilireland.bsky.social for their support!!

Hello everyone! I'm making the move to Bluesky. Writing community people please follow! UL Summer Festival is on from April 9-11 with a fantastic lineup. And winter school is back too: details here: 617b1c91637ae.site123.me

Whenever I’m having a ruff day I just make sure my daily walk takes me past this stick library for dogs…

Thanks for the reminder @chaptersbookstore.bsky.social of this wonderful chat between @cauverymadhavan.bsky.social and @ruthmckee.bsky.social! Find the full episode here or wherever you listen: podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/c... Happy #worldbookday 📕

Kit being amazing, as usual.

Mahoosive congratulations to author Gaëlle Bélem, translators one and all, and to @bullaunpress.bsky.social - the first Irish publisher to be longlisted for the International Booker. Bravi! 🥂 booksirelandmagazine.com/theres-a-mon...

Bear’s best friend, Bailey

RIP Michael Longley

An exquisite new novel by Adrian Duncan—beautiful, artful, dreamy, clever. @serpents-tail.bsky.social

I did have a conversation at the weekend about "what do we do with bad art made by nice people?" to mix things up.

This Saturday is the final episode of Season 9 of the #poetry #podcast featuring our returning star Stormer, Vicky Allen who will read from her new collection. Wonder Lines, published by Black Agnes Press Tune in from 5pm on most podcast platforms to Stay Bloody Poetic 🙏😘

Submissions are open for the IGA early-career essay prize - the deadline is 1 March 2025 and the full details are here: www.globalgoth.org/blog/the-int... Queries to the convenor @jendeavour.bsky.social

Although I don't think audience feedback is the best guide to whether your new poems are successful or not, neither do I think you should ignore it completely.

Tighten this up and make it sing. This is my frequent note to self as I've been revising a novel over the holidays. Probably good advice in general for the year ahead...

Bear and his best friend Hank - the photo does not show the face freezing sleety-haily-rain we had just walked through - but it was worth it for a beach to ourselves and some dog joy

Author Georgi Gospodinov: ‘The past is not a good place to live in. And the dealers of the past roam among us’. The Bulgarian author on the dangers of nostalgia, his 2023 International Booker-winning novel Time Shelter. He talks to Rónán Hession at MoLI tomorrow www.irishtimes.com/culture/book...

Since I'm here—a short story. (I've been tempering and tampering and tinkering with a new one for about six months—no rush like) www.irishtimes.com/culture/book...

A pleasure to catch up on this @booksireland.bsky.social podcast interview between @jessicatraynor.bsky.social and @ruthmckee.bsky.social. The magic of childhood reading, ‘scheduling’ grief sessions as a parent, wanting poems to end like a bumpy Ryanair flight… open.spotify.com/episode/5Bbj...