Managed to attend the Galway launch of New Arcana and meet @jesstraynor.bsky.social.

We’re thrilled to announce the results of our poetry competition! Huge thanks to judges Mícheál McCann. All winning & highly commended poems will be published in Issue 4 of @the4facedliar.bsky.social @poetryireland.bsky.social @irishwriterscentre.bsky.social @writing.ie @irishpen.bsky.social

This launch is scheduled for Friday at the Crane Bar in Galway, around 6:00 p.m. Looking forward to reading and meeting. Crannog covers are always stunning.

Queen

Proud to be published by Arlen House. It turns 50 this month so why not make a gift at the gofundme link. www.gofundme.com/f/50-for-50-...

It's Culture Night tonight! Well, Abridged has 20 years of material on www.abridged.zone to read for free! You don't even have to leave the house. For misanthrophists everywhere!

Next SpeakEasy Waterford on Sept 26 with special guest, debut novelist Orla Mackey. Open Mic and music as well.

Congrats to Noelle Lynskey whose debut poetry collection *Featherweight* published in May has already gone into its 2nd ed. Noelle reads in Books Upstairs next Sunday 21 Sept at 2pm with Katie Donovan, Anne Tannam & Patrick Chapman. BUY: booksupstairs.ie/product/feat... Huge thanks, Argosy Books

Absolutely essential writing from @cauverymadhavan.bsky.social here.

Today's medley from the garden.

Many people have said they admire Arlen House, its books, its independent feminist ethos, & that they'd like to help progress our vision. Well, now you can! @nessao.bsky.social & Eavan Casey have created a fundraiser: www.gofundme.com/f/50-for-50-... Thank you for any support you can give.

The truth here is that many women's stories would go unheard without Arlen House.

My news! Thank you @artscouncilireland.bsky.social

Great to finally pick up Dominic Taylor's debut collection. Of Clay and Soil is available online from Revival Press. He's been the face of poetry-and-the-public in Limerick for quite a while - our lives are the richer for that. Lovely to meet Catherine Ronan again.

Editors, my darlings, please, PLEASE, consider the implications of sending out rejections on Mondays. 🫤

My cotributor's copy arrived while I was travelling. I'm really loving these covers of The Waxed Lemon 🍋 Big thanks to Joanne & Derek; Molly & Billy also. My poem's about home, both near and far, and not at all. There's a reason for my van life wanderings.🚐

This is definitely a date for the diary - an excellent line-up 👌

What a wonderful group portrait of some fierce Irish women. Does anyone know the artist?

The poster for this year's Circling The Square. Details about the poets and musicians will be available soon.

Celebrating Arlen House at 50 September 1975: Catherine Rose establishes Ireland's first feminist press, striving for equality for all. Arlen House becomes the 1st organisation to introduce diversity into the Irish arts world. And still thriving 50 years later. #EqualityMatters

Excited to be part of this amazing night - do join us!

@billyfenton.bsky.social @darceydugan.bsky.social @martinadalton.bsky.social @usuallyolive.bsky.social

Poet and memoirist Afric McGlinchey will lead an immersive creative writing workshop at the 2025 Allingham Festival on “Setting and Weather as Metaphor”. The two-hour workshop for 15 participants will be held from 9:30 to 11:30 am in Kilbarron House, Ballyshannon on Saturday morning, November 8.

Brilliant review of Celia de Freine's debut short fiction collection *Even Still* in Irish Examiner written by Laura Cassidy. BUY: booksupstairs.ie/product/even... Kennys (free Irish post): www.kennys.ie/shop/even-st... Blackwells (free international postage) blackwells.co.uk/bookshop/pro...

Arlen House - Celebrating 50 Years Not one, but TWO, reviews of new Arlen House books in Irish Times today. Thanks to Martin Doyle, Declan Ryan, Brigid O'Dea. Rosemary Jenkinson *Laganside Lights* booksupstairs.ie/product/laga... Cherry Smyth *One Mountain: Sold* booksupstairs.ie/product/one-...

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

Today's hike was in Arenberg Forest, in northern France. These cobbles were laid in Napoleon's time. The road trip is coming to an end.

So delighted to be part of this!

Still a couple of places left on my poetry course this Saturday in Co. Galway. Sign up asap!

Only a few days left to enter the Waterford Poetry Prize! Free entry and lovely prizes, details below. ✨️

Submission Call. Monday. This issue will be for Irish poets and poets based on the island of Ireland plus Irish/International visual artists.

The Fiction Mentorship bursaries opportunity with Frank O’Connor fellow Laura Jean McKay is now open for applications. All details on how to apply can be found on www.munsterlit.ie #bursaries #mentorships #writers

Today's hike was in Norway's Rondane National Park. The blanket of reindeer moss was stunning. It's what they eat in winter. Cloud had a feel of 🏡

Today's hike was along part of St. Olavsleden Pilgrimage Trail, Norway. Loved that the route passed through farmyards, and some of the shelters were too cute.

These swan images were ground into the granite over 5,000 years ago in Leiknes, Norway. No museums, no crowds - just the reminder that we've always wanted to leave something behind.

LGBTQ+ poets, four days left to submit to Impossible Archetype! Submissions open until this Friday August 1st for Issue 18. Full guidelines here: impossiblearchetype.wordpress.com/submit/

Norwegian: such a practical language!

Feeling humbled and grateful. A beautiful introduction to Watching for the Hawk in the Versopolis Review, written by the brilliant @leggettbohan.bsky.social‬. Thanks to @arlenhouse.bsky.social‬ and @munsterlitcentre.bsky.social‬. www.versopolis.com/poets 💙🕊️

Fjord, flora, and grass roof: Norway's route 17. The road trip continues.

Poets! 📢 If like me, you're excited to read Jess Traynor's forthcoming collection NEW ARCANA ( due on 25th September ) this YouTube vid reading ( below ) gives some flavour of what we might expect from her 4th book... @jesstraynor.bsky.social @bloodaxebooks.bsky.social youtu.be/vXrKzldgoHQ?...

First look: the gorgeous cover of FILLY, Rosamund Taylor's stunning novel-in-verse, coming from Banshee Press in October 2025. Cover photography by Oana Stoian, with design by Jack Smyth ✨ @rosamundtaylor.bsky.social @jackflag.bsky.social

Irish Poets, the Red Line Book Festival Poetry Competition is open now. Free to enter, with cash prizes, it's judged by Aifric Mac Aodha. Closing date for entries is 8th September! redlinefestival.ie/events/red-l...

'Life is what happens when you're busy making plans' - or when the camper prefers garage life. Adventure is out there - but first we wait for parts: though we can't complain in a place like this.

Just climbed Verdenssvaet in Norway - basically nature's version of a slip & slide for giants. 1.5km of pure granite, one of the world's largest continuous rock surfaces. I'll be sore tomorrow 🙃

Hi London friends, I will be reading at the @poetrylondon.bsky.social summer launch this Thursday - come along and say hi! I'll be reading at few poems from New Arcana so you'll get a little sneak preview 🔮☀️ @bloodaxebooks.bsky.social

POET'S- 📢 ASSEMBLE!! No Cap America here, folks, just some fine writer's reading their work, including me in the open mic @julianday.bsky.social with NORTH BAY POETICS! northbaypoetics.net Come join us! Tomorrow on Zoom. Full details below Alan Parry is the GUEST READER @alanparrywriter.co.uk

I hate being that person who says 'when I was hiking north of the Arctic Circle' - but I saw a lone dandelion in Abisko, and it gave me a moment. This one? Just hanging on. 21 degrees here today!

So sorry to miss this event. Just look at the lineup!