‘There are young people dying in ­British jails again’ — Kneecap say what the world is ignoring m.independent.ie/opinion/naoi...

*bounces back onto Bluesky* Just me and my 14yo making record progress after he got a kidney from me nearly 4 weeks ago.

After Samhain by James Pearson

Today's Irish Examiner has a piece about me, writing and the weird kaleidoscope of events that come together to influence who you are and what you write. And at the heart of it all are my sons. Thank you @deirdremcardle for this funny and kind interview and Dan Linehan for the photo.

Volunteering at book festivals is a great way to get experience for anyone considering applying for bookshop work, I always look out for it on CVs

This is The Lonely Only Dinosaur in a nutshell. The question is how far would you go to make a friend and what happens if they're not exactly as you imagined?

🇵🇸“We cannot remain silent while children are killed, starved & denied the right to grow up in safety and peace: their lives, their stories, and their futures matter.” A statement for UK children’s authors & illustrators & educators to ✍️ statement-on-palestine.org?fbclid=PAVER... #KidLitUK #UKKidLit

The Lonely Only Dinosaur by @oliviahopewriter.bsky.social and @annasuessbauer.bsky.social I'm just on the way back from the lovely launch of this book at Dubray Grafton (at which I took exactly zero photos oops)

Last night was so much fun. Launched by Vanessa Fox O Loughlin, surrounded by book pals and feeling VERY grateful. THE LONELY ONLY DINOSAUR is OUT!

Lovely evening with a cohort from the Irish kidlit community for the launch of @oliviahopewriter.bsky.social's gorgeous new picture book, The Lonely Only Dinosaur, ably assisted by @writing.ie (most appropriate for a story about friendship)

My oldest book pal x

Riot inciting moment 😂

By welcoming a children’s writer of Áine’s calibre, Aosdána and the Arts Council of Ireland have highlighted the vital and growing contribution of children’s literature to the creative arts in Ireland. Comhghairdeas ó chroí, a Áine, on this well deserved honour. 👏👏👏 2/2 🧵

Yesterday evening, at its 43rd General Assembly held in the Royal Hospital Kilmainham, Aosdána — the affiliation of creative artists in Ireland — elected nine new members. Children’s Books Ireland is thrilled to learn that among them is Áine Ní Ghlinn, Laureate na nÓg from 2020 to 2023. 1/2 🧵

A happy International Literacy Day indeed 🥳 📖 If you missed our event with Microsoft Dream Space today then you can tune into RTÉ's News2Day this evening at 4:20pm. Thanks so much to every school who joined us today including @kmoranwrites.bsky.social and all at St Christopher's NS 🎥

A beautiful & important call to action by @cauverymadhavan.bsky.social in @theguardian.com "The Ireland we knew hasn’t gone anywhere. Complacency caught us out, but we can each take our country back by just being what we know we can be: fierce sound people" ❤️ www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

I got an early edition of this and it's a gorgeous, fun, colourful book. My little one loves it, yours might too.

Publication week for The Lonely Only Dinosaur by me and Anna Sußbauer, out with Gill Books on Thursday, Sept 11th. Perhaps you're in Dublin on Thursday evening? Do join me and the loveliest book gang.

We can’t wait to welcome @oliviahopewriter.bsky.social to the shop on Saturday 13th September at 3pm to celebrate her new book, The Only Lonely Dinosaur, illustrated by Anna Sussbauer, published by Gill Books. Olivia will read and draw from the book 🦕 . Age 4+

I shall be under the kitchen table.

"He said: "Wouldn't it be great testament to [Sean Rocks] and to Michael D who's going to finish up this year, if there was a dedicated section in the six o'clock news for an artistic segment the same way as there is for sport."

I'll never marry because there's simply no-one good enough - wait, I'm getting new information

Ireland, by Henri Cartier-Bresson, 1952.

Stig Eklund. Where the river narrows. 2023

Yee have done it again! Thank you so much to everyone who keeps donating to the campaign. It's been a whole week now, we're at the halfway mark. www.ruthennis.com/irish-kidlit... @sineadohart.bsky.social

I've added another Publishing Information Session as the first one has been snapped up - your support is greatly appreciated and I'd love to help your book find a home! Find out more at the link below. www.ruthennis.com/irish-kidlit... @rurooie.bsky.social @sineadohart.bsky.social

Please join us for a #IrishKidLitforPalestine Live Online Picture Book Masterclass with @chrishaughton.bsky.social Paddy Donnelly @pforde123.bsky.social & @sarahwebbwriter.bsky.social Tues 2 Sept 2025 6.30pm - 8.00pm Tickets: www.ruthennis.com/irish-kidlit... Please share and please support.

Teachers of Ireland! If you want to start the school year off with a bang & support @medicalaidpal.bsky.social then you should take a look at these excellent school events with talented authors and illustrators. Or if you're a parent / guardian, this would make a lovely gift to your kid's school!

As yee know, I do this all the time for free on social media, so to make this one stand out a bit more I'll be giving 10 book recs for each child / teen and linking you up to your local bookshop or library to make it that bit easier for you to access it.

Artists have always loved to sketch! Sketch of a sparrow from Egypt dated c. 1479–1458 BC. Some 3,500 years ago in Egypt, artists used small flakes of limestone as sketchpads! MMA excavations 1922-23, Deir el-Bahri. 📷 The Met www.metmuseum.org/art/collecti... #FindsFriday #Archaeology

“When the corn is ripe, flocks of sparrows raid the heavy-grain ears.” Writer: EL Grant Watson Artist: CF Tunnicliffe

Asylum is a human right.

This is disgusting - this government is utterly shameful - it has betrayed so many people www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

I will be buying a copy of 'Queer as Folklore'.

I’m sorry but if your idea of protecting democracy includes “genocide is fine” and “transphobia is fine” then you do not give two shits about democracy you just want to protect yourself specifically.

Most doctors agree on a simple plan for life: - drink water - get some rest - exercise once every thousand years - cover your corporeal form in moss & wildflowers - shamble slowly through the old forest and become a dark legend of the wildlands

We're STILL going to be running right up until 17th of August (or until everything is sold out). So please do keep engaging, share it with anyone you think might be interested. As always, Free Palestine 🇵🇸 www.ruthennis.com/irish-kidlit...

But I should have had faith in the kidlit community of course, yee really rallied behind this campaign. Thank you so much to everyone who donated and shared. This is all your doing and generosity.

What a way to end the week. €5000 going straight to @medicalaidpal.bsky.social I'll be honest, I had big hopes to reach this goal. But it's the first time either myself or @sineadohart.bsky.social have run a fundraiser like this, so I had no idea how it'd go.

I'm live on Arena on @rteradio1.bsky.social at the earlier time of 6.30 to 7.30 for the next few weeks. Tonight we have a panel with a selection of music, film, books and visual art to transport you to another place, and we pay one last tribute to our beloved Seán Rocks in poetry and music.

All sold! €250 towards the big total on the #irishkidlitforpalestine fundraiser for @medicalaidpal.bsky.social Well done @rurooie.bsky.social and @sineadohart.bsky.social for organising. Save Gaza, Free Palestine 🇵🇸

Date for your diary! Our next SCBWI Ireland Zoom meeting will take place on Monday 8th September from 7.30-8.30pm (Dublin time). Our special guest will be Venetia Gosling from Gill Books, Ireland www.scbwi.org/events/getti...

My 2 x critiques have gone already, but still a chance to bag one of the first copies on The Lonely Only Dinosaur in this signed bundle. www.instagram.com/p/DM713hDNTh...

Day 2 of the Irish KidLit for Palestine Fundraiser isn't even over yet, and we've hit €2000... 😍 Will you help @rurooie.bsky.social and me smash our goal of €3000? Go on, go on, go on! www.ruthennis.com/irish-kidlit-for-palestine

Thank you for all the support. It's only day two and there are still loads for you to get in the fundraiser. Please share far and wide, especially to teachers (in Ireland) and aspiring writers (worldwide!). Let's keep this rolling.

Yee are unbelievable, truly. We have been going at this non-stop and less than 24 HOURS after we launched the fundraiser yee have helped us raise €2000 for @medicalaidpal.bsky.social Myself and @sineadohart.bsky.social are in awe of yee.

In solidarity – agus Saoirse don Phalaistín. From myself and @sineadohart.bsky.social The Irish KidLit for Palestine team #IrishKidLitForPalestine

Every cent raised will be going straight to MAP (@medicalaidpal), you can find out more about them here: www.map.org.uk

Here is how it works: