Writing CV

Summary

My first collection of haiku Thames Way was published in 2015. My second collection of haiku A Thousand Sparks was published in 2018. The Singing Hollow my first collection of poetry was published in 2021. All of these books were published by Alba Publishing http://www.albapublishing.com. Poems have been published in leading literary journals, see list of publications. I teach creative writing, see http://www.writeasif.com.

Poetry Collection

  • My first collection of poetry, The Singing Hollow, was published by Alba Publishing in 2021. The Singing Hollow is a collection of 48 poems.
  • I am currently working on my next collection of poems called Rainbow Street. 
  • 52 poems have been published in leading literary journals such as The Stinging Fly, Cyphers, and Crannóg (see List of Publications for full details).

Haiku Collections

  • My first collection of haiku and tanka poems Thames Way was published in 2015 by Alba Publishing. Thames Way reflects my journey along the Thames River.
  • My second collection of haiku A Thousand Sparks was published in 2018 by Alba Publishing. All the haiku from A Thousand Sparks have been published in literary journals and websites (see List of Publications for full details).

Haibun

  • Haibun is a combination of prose and haiku. It is like a prose poem with a narrative thread. Eight haibun have been published to date. (see List of Publications for details).

Short Stories

  • A short story Bus to Bordeaux was published in the anthology Selfies and Portraits: Snapshots from the Library After Dark Writers’ Café published by South Dublin County Council in 2016.
  • A short story Meeting Luis was published in Mustang Bally anthology from the Ballyfermot Writers’ Group in 2019.

Novels

  • I have written my first novel called An Affinity For Metal.
  • An Affinity For Metal is about the life of Darragh Hayes who has a special ability to bend, melt, attract and repel metal. He was born with this ability. He goes to great lengths to hide this ability. Darragh comes to terms with his ability and his romantic relationships with other men.
  • I wrote the start of another novel called The River Takes It. It is about a teacher who daughter gets killed in tragic circumstances. The main character writes about what happened to his daughter and what he feels about what happened.

Residencies

  • River Mill Cottage: I completed two residencies in 2022.
  • Tyrone Guthrie Centre: I completed residencies in 2014, 2017 and 2021.
  • Yeats Summer School: I attended this lecture residency in Sligo in 2018.
  • Nano Nagle Centre: I completed a residency in 2018 where completed A Thousand Sparks.
  • Dingle Autumn Writing: I stayed for a weekend in 1998 and 1999.

Awards

  • Poetry Ireland gave me a grant through their Bright Ideas Scheme to fund a workshop as part of Poetry Day 2022
  • I won an Arts Project Award from South Dublin County Council to deliver creative writing classes in 2022
  • The haibun Village Clean Up received an honourable mention in the Genjuan International Haibun Contest 2021.
  • An extract from my novel An Affinity for Metal was shortlisted in the Penguin Christmas Love Story Competition in 2021.
  • The haiku ‘boiling kettle’ was a runner-up haiku for the British Haiku Society Museum of Literature Award in February 2021.
  • Brú na Boinne won 3rd place in the Ballyroan Library Poetry Competition 2021.
  • Aftermath won 2nd place in the Ballyroan Library Poetry Prize 2020.
  • Silent House was long listed in Over the Edge New Writing Competition 2019.
  • Eight poems from Camino Cantos were shortlisted as Highly Commended in the Blue Nib Poetry Chapbook Contest V in 2019.
  • Eight poems from Camino Cantos were shortlisted as Highly Commended in the Blue Nib Poetry Chapbook Contest IV in 2018.
  • My poem Driftwood was shortlisted in the Bray Literary Festival Poetry Award 2018.
  • I won a scholarship to attend the Yeats Summer School 2018 through the Irish Writers Centre.
  • The poem In the Bath won 2nd place in the Ballyroan Library Poetry Competition 2018 and the poem Pass was highly commended in the same competition.
  • I was awarded the Individual Artist Bursary from South Dublin County Council in April 2018.
  • The haiku ‘trees, more trees’ was a runner-up haiku for the British Haiku Society Museum of Literature Award in February 2017.
  • The haiku ‘leaves of the ash’ was the editors choice for the Cattails haiku online journal in September 2016.

Mentoring

  • I am a mentor with Words Ireland. I am a professional member of the Irish Writer’s Centre. 
  • I was awarded a mentorship though Words Ireland to work on my next collection of poetry called Rainbow Street in 2021. Amanda Bell is the mentor who is working with me.
  • Maeve O’Sullivan mentored me in haiku in 2013 and 2014. 

Workshops and Courses

  • I gave a workshop called Write Your Star on tarot and poetry as part of the Bright Ideas scheme for Poetry Day 2022. I was one of the four ideas that were selected across the whole country. This was funded by Poetry Ireland.
  • I was selected for the Un-roar Eco-poetry course by the South Dublin County Writer-in-Residence Jane Robinson as part of the Red Line Festival in 2021.
  • I was selected for a one-to-one mentoring session with Brian Kirk by South Dublin Library Services in April 2020.
  • I gave a workshop to the Market Lane Poetry Writers Group, Fermoy, Co. Cork in 2018.
  • I had a one to one manuscript make over session with James Harpur as part of the Cork Spring Poetry Festival in 2018.
  • I gave a 2-hour workshop on introducing haiku as part of the Red Line Festival in 2016.
  • I completed a Teach Creative Writing Course with Dave Lordan at the IWC in 2015.
  • I had a manuscript makeover session with Mark Grainer at the Irish Writers’ Centre in 2015.
  • I attended a one day creative writing workshop lead by Eduardo C. Corral as part of the Cork Spring Poetry Festival in 2013.
  • I attended a one day creative writing workshop lead by Vona Groarke as part of the Poetry NOW festival in 2010.
  • I attended a one day creative writing workshop lead by Eamonn Grennan as part of the Poetry NOW festival in 2003.
  • I attended a one day creative writing workshop lead by August Kleinzahler as part of the Poetry NOW festival in 2002.

Reviews

  • A review of Green Carnations appeared in GCN (Gay Community News) in February 2021 and quotes my poem Count Day https://gcn.ie/new-irish-anthology-sheds-light-lgbtq-experience-2021/ 
  • A full length review of A Thousand Sparks appeared in Frogpond in 2018.
  • A short review of A Thousand Sparks appeared in Blithe Spirit and it was briefly noted in Modern Haiku all in 2018.
  • A review of Thames Way appeared in Blithe Spirit in 2016 and in Kokako in 2017.
  • Thames Way appeared in First Flush in Book Ireland Magazine in 2016.

Writing Groups,  Open-mics, and Festivals participation

  • I am a member of the Hibernians Writer’s Group and Pepperpots Haibun Group.
  • I am a host and organiser the Dolcáin’s Cellar Open-Mic in Clondalkin, Dublin on the last Thursday of every month with three other people.
  • Dolcáin’s Cellar won the Arts Project Award in 2019 from South Dublin County Council.
  • I gave a talk on ‘How to Win that Grant’ as part of the Dublin Writer’s Festival in September 2022
  • I appeared at Electric Picnic as a performer with Fighting Words in 2022.

Partnerships and Volunteering

  • I was invited to join The Ark Teacher’s Advisory Panel in January 2022.
  • As part of the Teacher Artist Partnership I have liaised with the writer Juliette Saumande, who visited a class in St.Mary’s National School, Saggart, Co. Dublin.
  • I volunteer with Fighting Words where I guide primary and secondary school children to write stories and get them published.

Readings

  • I read at the Cork Spring Poetry Festival in May 2022.
  • I hosted and read at Dolcáin’s Cellar Open Mic as part of the Red Line Festival in October 2021.
  • I read as a special feature at Dolcáin’s Cellar Special Christmas Event December 2019.
  • I read as a special feature at Ealóin an open mic in the International Bar in November 2019.
  • I read as a special feature at the Dolcáin’s Cellar Open Mic in December 2018.
  • I read the two winning poems at the Ballyroan Library in April 2018.
  • I emceed the Library After Dark Writer’s Café readings at Clondakin Library in December 2017.
  • I was the guest poet for the Ó Bhéal Open Mic reading series on in May 2017.
  • I have read as part of Experience Japan Festival 2014 – 2017 and again in 2022.
  • I have read as part of the Red Line Festival 2016 in Tallaght, Dublin.
  • I have read at open-mic readings at Dolcáin’s Cellar, Flying South, Sunflower Sessions, Ó Bhéal, Merg Sessions, Accents Café and Takin the Mic from 2015 to date.

Media

  • The Gloss mentioned my workshop Write Your Star in their round up of cultural activities for Poetry Day 2022 (https://thegloss.ie/poetry-day-ireland-2022-what-to-know-and-how-to-take-part/)
  • A video of poetry shortlisted poets from South Dublin County Council Competition 2021 is put online on the 21st May 2021. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBNLotwSzYI) 
  • A review of Green Carnations appeared in GCN (Gay Community News) in February 2021 and quotes my poem Count Day https://gcn.ie/new-irish-anthology-sheds-light-lgbtq-experience-2021/
  • An article appeared in the Avondhu, the local newspaper for north Co. Cork, about the launch of A Thousand Sparks in December 2018.
  • I appeared on the radio programme Reason and Rhyme on South Dublin Community Radio 93.9FM (www.dublinsouthfm.ie) The show was aired on Friday 14th December 2018.
  • A newspaper article appeared in The Avondhu on the talk and workshop I gave to the Market Lane Poetry group in April 2018.
  • Thames Way was made into a poetry film. This was shown as part of the 4th Ó Bhéal International Poetry-Film Competition in October 2016 (https://vimeo.com/178724730) 
  • A haiku ‘open field’ appeared on a special haiku programme on NHK Japan in 2016.
  • A newspaper article appeared in The Avondhu on the launch of Thames Way in 2015.