"Michael D Higgins, with his wife Sabina, has left Áras an Úachtaráin for the final time as president."

‘We had never read anything quite like it. It is, in many ways, a dark book but it is a joy to read’ We're delighted to announce Flesh by David Szalay as the winner of the #BookerPrize2025.

"We had never read anything quite like it," said Roddy Doyle www.npr.org/2025/11/10/n...

"President Michael D. Higgins and his wife Sabina are preparing to leave Áras an Uachtaráin for the final time this evening."

Hang on, when did reading become performative?

'Belfast Twilight is a powerhouse of a first collection, leaving the reader hungry for more of the same, but satisfied that such testament to the haiku and senryu form exists in the Irish lexicon.' - Colin Dardis

Remembering Francis Harvey who died on 7th November 2014 at the age of 89. You planted a tree. I wrote a poem. What more could anyone do?

And of course they didn't. It's mayhem here. I am shutting it down. The lights have been doused and the netting dropped from the ceiling. If they got paid, I'd have had to dock their wages. I'll be disbanding the Entertainments Committee first thing in the morning.

I'm saddened to learn that Irish poet Mary Guckian passed away in September. She had been ill and we were in touch by phone and text over the summer. She wrote beautifully about life and her childhood home in Leitrim. Here she is in her younger years.

This sounds great.

Sorry to hear of the death of Charlie Doherty, of History at UCD, a noted scholar of early medieval Irish hagiography, ecclesiastical history, and the concept of the "monastic town". Condolences to his family & friends & former students & colleagues. #Spéirghorm #MedievalSky rip.ie/death-notice...

THE CLIMATE ISSUE 🌊 Our Winter 2025-26 issue is out next week launching on Thursday 27th November in The Digital Depot, Dublin 🎨The Conversation by Limerick-based artist Robert Ryan, selected from the 195th RHA Annual Exhibition / Cover design Eimear Gavin. More info stingingfly.org/newsletter/

couldn't agree more

The ILT's Saturday night staff soiree is just getting underway. I do hope they behave themselves this time. #chinchin

Bram Stoker born November 8, 1847, Marino Crescent, Dublin: "The last I saw of Count Dracula was his kissing his hand to me, with a red light of triumph in his eyes, and with a smile that Judas in hell might be proud of."

#horror #filmsky #moviesky Bram Stoker #BOTD visited the ruins of 7th-century Whitby Abbey on the North Yorkshire Coast in 1890. It was the inspiration for the setting of his novel, Dracula, published in 1897.

Bram Stoker born November 8, 1847, Marino Crescent, Dublin: "The last I saw of Count Dracula was his kissing his hand to me, with a red light of triumph in his eyes, and with a smile that Judas in hell might be proud of."

Cathal Dennehy: Fionnuala McCormack might be the most underappreciated star in Irish sport

What a fabulous photo.

Out of the Western World: 50 Years of the Druid Theatre Archive www.irishtimes.com/culture/stag...

New essay of mine coming soon in this beautiful issue!

👇I have Pat Kenny to thank for that and his late night radio show Nightbus.

Leonard Cohen, who died nine years ago today, recites W.B.Yeats at Lissadell House, Sligo, July 31st, 2010. youtu.be/n5vYpWCbHsE?...

Leonard Cohen who died on this day 2016: I did my best, it wasn't much I couldn't feel, so I tried to touch I've told the truth, I didn't come to fool you And even though it all went wrong I'll stand before the Lord of Song With nothing on my tongue but Hallelujah

Ever wonder how bookstores decide what books to stock out of the "Fifty thousand new books a year [published] in the United States"*? A bookstore buyer explains: * 50k is just traditionally published books countercraft.substack.com/p/interview-...

One of the most beautiful things about the Irish is their respect for the arts. You find live music at most bars, I went to a literary pub crawl & saw monuments & museums dedicated to writers, poets, musicians, etc. They understand the value of supporting artists & I wish Canada did, too.

These are the longest em dashes I’ve seen since Charles Dickens died. I’m impressed!

“The main thing is to write for the joy of it. Cultivate a work-lust that imagines its haven like your hands at night dreaming the sun in the sunspot of a breast. You are fasted now, light-headed, dangerous. Take off from here.” ― Seamus Heaney, Station Island

I launch The Planter's Daughter tomorrow evening. A little nervous, but excitement is taking over. I'm going to bring this baby into the world :) :) :)

Great to see two of our editors interviewed on the @dublinbookfest.bsky.social blog this week, ahead of our co-hosted event on Saturday! dublinbookfestival.com/2-minutes-wi... Tickets for Saturday's panel discussion here: dublinbookfestival.com/event/confli... @irishlittimes.bsky.social

Off track - Alison Healy on how James Joyce disembarked in the wrong country

My article on another young New York Mayor is up! www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...

Congratulations to @cdrose.bsky.social, winer of this year's Goldsmith Prize for 'We Live Here Now' publsighed by Melville House Press. Good work Chris!

"They shared their love of poetry, books and classical music with their daughter [Patti Smith], who was reading Yeats by kindergarten." www.latimes.com/entertainmen...

Remembering Tom MacIntyre who died October 31, 2019.

“Darkness is drawn to light, but light does not know it; light must absorb the darkness and therefore meet its own extinguishment.” ― Edna O'Brien

"They shared their love of poetry, books and classical music with their daughter [Patti Smith], who was reading Yeats by kindergarten." www.latimes.com/entertainmen...

“Darkness is drawn to light, but light does not know it; light must absorb the darkness and therefore meet its own extinguishment.” ― Edna O'Brien

Remembering Tom MacIntyre who died October 31, 2019.

There are still tickets left for our talk on Friday for @dublinbookfest.bsky.social in the @irishwriterscentre.bsky.social. We'll be offering publishing and business advice for children's writers and illustrators who are just starting out. dublinbookfestival.com/event/proper... #SpeirGorm #BookSky

"World faces ‘unlivable’ temperature rises."

Link below for our November Reading Group. *The Demon Lover* is our discussion choice. 7pm GMT, 26th November 2025. www.tickettailor.com/events/eliza...

I think in general I have a fairly high “politician forgiveness” threshold because I understand they face a firehose of shit everyday and also in a democracy they have to comprise all the time, but Simon Harris not standing up for immigrants in this moment feels like one that crosses that threshold