The world’s first trillionaire initiated a move that has left more than half a million people dead, most of whom are children.

New role model Glory. Happy/relieved for my NYC friends. #Mamdani

Wonderful launch London’s National Portrait Gallery for How to Live an Artful Life by Katy Hessel of the Great Women Artists podcast (and excellent Instagram account). Honoured to have a piece in it. www.penguin.co.uk/books/471552... @penguinbooksusa.bsky.social

“There is a question that hovers over Irish politics: what will the parties of power do when they start to panic about losing it? Last week, after their joint debacle in the presidential election, we got the grim answer: turn on immigrants.” - @fotoole.bsky.social

✨THIS SATURDAY✨ Women Writing History At 11am in IMMA on 8 November, join us during Dublin Book Festival for a panel with After the Train co-editor Evelyn Conlon and author Sinéad Gleeson in conversation with journalist Clodagh Finn 🎟️ Free – booking required dublinbookfestival.com/event/women-...

Very cool to hear the track Drink Deep on the new Florence & the Machine album was inspired by Sheridan Le Fanu's 'Laura Silver Bell', which Florence Welch encountered after being gifted Damnable Tales by @sineadgleeson.bsky.social! More gutted than ever that the book has vanished into the ether...

UBUD Writers festival is like nothing else. Extraordinary setting, venues, and programming. Lots of political events and widespread support for Palestine too. Met so many wonderful writers (oh the translation chats…). Onwards to London for the Nero Book Awards judges meeting.

UBUD Writers festival is like nothing else. Extraordinary setting, venues, programming. Lots of political events and support for Palestine too. Met so many wonderful writers (oh the translation chats…) Onwards to London for Nero Pri

Casual walk on hotel grounds today interrupted by 8/9 ft snake. Possibly one of these - it was super fast so I didn’t see the head properly - but a hotel employee told me tonight that it might have been a cobra. Delighted that the bathroom has ceramic bricks with large open gaps to outside. 😱

@slipperyjack.bsky.social Did I tell you before that I gave Florence Welch a copy of Damnable Tales? The story Laura Silver Bell inspired the song Drink Deep on her new album. archive.ph/71Piv

Looking forward to both of these: In the Back of My Throat, an anthology of queer Indonesian writers, and Finding Sita in the Indies by Jakarta-based writer and theatre-maker, Angelina Enny (we were on a panel together earlier at UBUD Writer's Festival and her reading was incredible).

Yesterday’s opening of UBUD Writer’s festival at the Royal Palace, with traditional Balinese dancers. Trying to figure out how old the tree with the treehouse is… (people included for scale).

All readings should begin by being welcomed by an all-female marimba band. Thank you to the students of Far Eastern University in Manila.

This lapsed Catholic can never resist a statue, votive or relic… (at Manila’s Museo de Intramuros)

Go to to speak to these brilliant literature and language students at Far Eastern University in Manila. They asked such thoughtful questions and were fascinated by Irish Folklore. Several of them are including Filipino myths and folklore in their own writing.

Within the Oxenham Arms in the village of South Zeal, Devon is The ‘Roman Pillar' propping up the roof in the restaurant at the rear of the pub. In the next room is an enormous Menhir built into the fabric of the wall too. One pub - two standing stones.

A pleasure to read at Irish embassy in Manila. Thank you Emma, Naomi and the team for a wonderful event. An added privilege to spend time talking to the Palestinian ambassador here, Mounir Anastas, who spoke of his gratitude to the Irish people for their support of Palestine . 🇮🇪🇮🇩🇵🇸

Manila: where the buildings are tall and every dog wears a nappy. (It’s a great city)

People are marching in the US in the name of democracy, and there are thriving autocratic regimes all over the world. But, here, we have people gleefully declaring (and holding press conferences) their intention to spoil their vote in this week’s Irish Presidential election.

Reports of Hamas and the IDF in clashes this morning, with Israel accusing Hamas of breaking the ceasefire. Gaza officials say Israel has broken the ceasefire 47 times, with 38 people killed including this attack on Friday that saw several women and children killed.

Just a reminder to book your tickets for our Black History Month celebration in collaboration with @poetryireland Taking place next Friday, 6:30 - 8pm 📚 irishwriterscentre.ie/irish-writer...

Nice write-up of the Leonard and Hungry Paul TV show which is on iPlayer now-ish (I don't have access to the iPlayer so not sure) and which is on BBC Northern Ireland tonight at 9pm; BBC 2 on Monday. Hope you enjoy it.

Heading to the Philippines, Jakarta and UBUD in Bali for readings and events next week. The UBUD Writers Festival is ticketed, but if you know someone Irish, local writers or anyone interested who is based in Manila or Jakarta, please contact the embassy for an invite. www.ubudwritersfestival.com

Excited for new @jesstraynor.bsky.social collection which opens with epigraphs from musical holy trinity Lucy Dacus, @kristinhersh.bsky.social & @cmatbaby.bsky.social www.bloodaxebooks.com/ecs/product/... Great cover inspired by @lisasterle.bsky.social’s Modern Witch tarot @bloodaxebooks.bsky.social

Trespasses by @louisekennedy.bsky.social is one of the best Irish novels of recent years. Here's the trailer for the four-part Channel 4 series which starts next month. www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNJF... @bloomsburybooksuk.bsky.social

Faber will publish a definitive new selection of Edna O’Brien’s non-fiction essays, featuring previously unseen pieces. Ecstasy, Uncertainty & Folly: Selected Non-Fiction will be published in 2027. thebookseller.com/rights/faber-to-publish-landmark-collection-of-edna-obriens-essays

Both feature in 'Uptown/Downtown New York in the Eighties', which includes Keith Haring, Robert Mapplethorpe and David Wojnarowvicz, a stark reminder of the loss of many of these artists to AIDS. www.levygorvydayan.com/exhibitions/...

Apt to see Kruger’s alongside another iconic text piece, The Advantages of Being a Woman Artist, by Guerrilla Girls. Most writers/artists/makers will feel extremely seen by: “Having an escape from the art world in your 4 free-lance jobs”

(Untitled) What me worry? 1987, Barbara Kruger

Steve's Pyke's Scribendi: Portraits of Irish Writers 1985-2025 launches at Photo Museum Ireland tonight. It features over 100 portraits, inc. Naoise Dolan (who we're thinking of), Edna O'Brien, Colm Tóibín, Iris Murdoch, John McGahern @lilliputpress.bsky.social www.lilliputpress.ie/products/scr...

I feel like most Irish and British writers who complain about being silenced have never done anything as brave as what Naoise has done here

More Irish activists have now been taken by the IDF from international waters including author Naoise Dolan, TD Barry Heneghan and psychiatrist Veronica O’Keane. They are part of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition.

My sincere thanks to everyone who has supported the Global Sumud Flotilla. I'm home safe & will be followed by the other Irish people today. I'm just catching up and have much more to share but for now I am so so grateful for everyone's attempts to free us. Remember that Gaza is the story not us.

A great shop that’s so supportivr of writers, and run by the best people. They’re open today if you’re passing, or you can buy a book via their website. @booksupstairs.bsky.social www.irishtimes.com/crime-law/20...

Our friend, poet and activist @sarahmaintains.bsky.social has been illegally detained by the IDF and is being held in an Israeli jail. There are reports of mistreatment and human rights violations. Please keep pressure on the Irish government and embassy to secure the release of Sarah and others. 🇵🇸🇮🇪

I read @appletwigli.bsky.social’s work years before we finally spoke a decade ago. Until yesterday it was via radio, email, DMs. Chats about writing, music, grief, work. Today we finally met in the Princeton sunshine. One the best gifts of writing is the friendship and community of other writers.

Fear iontach, glic, greannmhar, cinéalta é. A one-of-a-kind advocate for nature, empathy and the Irish language. Manchán was always a joy to be around. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam. www.irishtimes.com/culture/2025...

Thinking of @sarahmaintains.bsky.social and the other Irish citizens who are part of the @freedomflotilla.bsky.social, and have been detained by the IDF who illegally intercepted them in international waters. Here is Sarah’s poem, ‘If I had any other thing’:

Honoured to be a Fiction Judge for this year’s Nero Book Awards. Reading a huge amount of books has been offset by excellent WhatsApp discussions with fellow fiction judges Sarah Gwonyoma and Chrissy Ryan of Book Bar. Our shortlist will be announced in November. nerobookawards.com/2025-categor...

If you're in Washington D.C this evening, I'll be reading and in conversation with Cóilín Parsons of Georgetown University in conjunction with Solas Nua. The event is free and all are welcome, just register here: www.solasnua.org/events/eveni... @

​On this day in 1981, Taiwanese-American performance artist Tehching Hsieh began his third one-year performance piece. Also known as ‘Outdoor Piece’, Hsieh lived on the street in New York for an entire year. He was not allowed to go inside at all, including buildings, vehicles, tents or the subway.

Donal’s new book is a social and cultural history of the Irish pub. Pre-order it from @newislandbooks.bsky.social. www.newisland.ie/shop/p/the-d... This has also reminded me how lucky I was to see poet Michael Hartnett give impromptu readings mid-pint in Grogan’s.

Donal Fallon includes Norah Hoult here, citing writer John Broderick on how censorship had stolen a livelihood from Hoult: “She died with nothing except the old-age pension and was a most distinguished writer. She ended up in great poverty, and nobody bothered their heads about it.” archive.ph/rVmKZ

Presenting the #BookerPrize2025 shortlist. Find out more about the books and authors: thebookerprizes.com/bp2025

Next week, I'll be in New York and Washington D.C. for some readings and talks. All welcome. Free, just register. September 29th: Georgetown University, Washington Thursday October 2nd: Glucksman Ireland House, NYU Friday October 3rd: Princeton with Yiyun Li fis.princeton.edu/event/readin...

We're really looking forward to this Dublin Book Fair event in November with Evelyn Conlon (author and UCD Press co-editor of After the Train) and author Sinéad Gleeson in conversation with author and journalist Clodagh Finn! Saturday, 8 November 11 am IMMA, RHK 🎟️ Get your tickets: bit.ly/dbf-att

Our Secondhand Superstar David took Aoife Barry’s article (@sweetoblivion.bsky.social) & Sinéad Gleeson’s anthology (@SineadGleeson.bsky.social) & went searching through the shelves to find …

Great turnout for the Norah Hoult plaque unveiling in Terenure. Thanks @louisekennedy.bsky.social, Dublin City Council, Lord Mayor Ray McAdam, Jimmy (the house owner), the writers who showed up - with a shoutout on the day to @sarahmaintains.bsky.social & @naoisedolan.bsky.social for their activism

Oh wow! I devoured The Long Gaze Back: An Anthology of Irish Women Writers ed. Sinéad Gleeson & then passed it onto a friend - this has prompted me to look for it again & perhaps do a bit more searching in the stacks of Secondhand!

We have been shadowbanned on this event and yet we are nearly sold out…come help us sell out and show your love and support for Palestine and Gaza. www.ticketmaster.com/voices-for-g...