Dr Shauna Gilligan

Awful to hear this. Attended a lovely book launch and reading there with @arlenhouse.bsky.social yesterday afternoon. Such a wonderful community space as well as bookshop. Please support @booksupstairs.bsky.social and buy books from them.

‘My poems are part of my flesh’: Palestinian poet Batool Abu Akleen on life in Gaza At just 20, the poet is one of the most vivid witnesses to the conflict. She talks about dreams of Oxford, the deaths of friends and how tragedy has shaped the person she has become

‘My poems are part of my flesh’: Palestinian poet Batool Abu Akleen on life in Gaza

Bright green catcti-like plant with water droplets, set in a garden of green

Three bright green succulents set in a garden of green. Layers of beauty and complexity. Paying a small bit of attention to nature helps the mind in these difficult times.

Congratulations 🎊

Global Sumud Flotilla Statement - Irish PEN/PEN na hÉireann 2 October August 2025 Irish PEN/PEN na hÉireann is gravely concerned about the abduction of poet Sarah Clancy, one of several Irish citizens taking part in the Global Sumud Flotilla. The flotilla was ...

Please read and reshare our statement on the Global Sumud Flotilla. We at Irish PEN/PEN na hÉireann offer solidarity in this time of crisis.

irishpen.com/2025/10/02/g...

Manchester synagogue stabbing LIVE: Two dead and suspect killed in terror attack Officers are in attendance outside Heaton Park synagogue following an incident during Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar

Terrible news from Manchester. The attacks on Heaton Park Synagogue’s congregation are utterly horrific. Thinking of the bereaved families & those recovering in hospital. Antisemitism, Islamophobia & hatred, based on religion, are despicable. Condolences to Manchester.

*Read not Tead

Global Sumud Flotilla Statement - Irish PEN/PEN na hÉireann 2 October August 2025 Irish PEN/PEN na hÉireann is gravely concerned about the abduction of poet Sarah Clancy, one of several Irish citizens taking part in the Global Sumud Flotilla. The flotilla was ...

Tead Irish PEN @irishpen.bsky.social statement re abduction of @sarahmaintains.bsky.social & other Irish citizens taking part in the Global Sumud Flotilla illegally intercepted and seized by armed Israeli forces in international waters approx 70 nautical miles from Gaza irishpen.com/2025/10/02/g...

On #NationalTreeDay it’s shocking to think that a Clearfell License has been sought for Massy’s Wood. This gem has Bhutan pine, West Himalayan spruce, western hemlock, cedars, limes and an amazing giant sequoia. #trees #biodiversity

Türkiye: Top Court Upholds Rights Defender’s Life Term — PEN International | Promoting Literature & Defending Freedom of Expression Worldwide Conviction of Osman Kavala and Four Others Needs Urgent International Response 10 October: The prosecution of the rights defender and businessman Osman Kavala and four codefendants in connection ...

#Türkiye: Honorary PEN member and publisher #OsmanKavala should be celebrating his birthday with his family, not behind bars.

The global PEN community continues to stand with Kavala and to urge his immediate release.

Read more about his case ⬇️

www.pen-international.org/news/trkiye-...

covers of four books which will be launched at Books Upstairs bookshop 5th October

Join us! Rosemary Jenkinson, Ger Reidy, Celia de Fréine, @alisonwellswriter.bsky.social, TCArkle read from new work @arlenhouse.bsky.social 50 years celebration @booksupstairs.bsky.social Sunday 5th October at 4pm!

An image of Jane Goodall and a chimpanzee, from 1965. Photo courtesy CBS Photo Archive / Getty.

The naturalist Jane Goodall died today at 91. Hope, she argued, is not merely “passive wishful thinking” but a “crucial survival trait.” Revisit a conversation with Goodall, from 2021: nyer.cm/F55JtsS

Donate to 50 for 50 - Supporting Arlen House for its 50th birthday, organized by Nessa O'Mahony Arlen House – Ireland’s leading independent literary publis… Nessa O'Mahony needs your support for 50 for 50 - Supporting Arlen House for its 50th birthday

Eavan Boland: "Arlen House has one of the finest histories of any publishing house I know."

Many say they admire Arlen House, its books, its independent feminist ethos & that they'd like to help progress our vision & help our work continue.

Well, now you can ...

www.gofundme.com/f/50-for-50-...

Green cover with the outline of the map of Palestine as a pink feathered birds wing.

Two page black and white photo of a beach scene. A boy with a swim hat and robes. In the background a camel in the water.

Revisiting the @arablit.bsky.social Gaza edition. As always beautifully put together.

In the introduction, Mohammed Zaqzooq and Mahmoud Ai-Shaer write "Writing is an opportunity to survive and create meaning... We do not want to forget who we are."

Over 100 Nobel Laureates join PEN International in support of Nobel Peace Prize winner Ales Bialiatski — PEN International | Promoting Literature & Defending Freedom of Expression Worldwide 21 May: PEN International, the literary and free expression organisation, has released a letter signed by 103 Nobel Laureates, expressing solidarity with writer, human rights defender, Nobel Peace Pri...

#Belarus: Nobel Peace Prize winner and penbelarus.bsky.social member Ales Bialiatski turns 63 today – the 5th birthday he spends behind bars.

The PEN International community continues to stand with Ales and to urge his immediate release.

#FreeViasna

www.pen-international.org/news/nobel-l...

Poster for and event with text and pictures of two men and two women.

Autumn Online Publishing Day, organised by @irishwriterscentre.bsky.social Writers Centre - I'll be chatting about my experience in indie publishing. Zoom in on Saturday, 11th Oct 2025, to hear from a panel of industry professionals. Tickets are available here: irishwriterscentre.ie/whats-on/aut...

They want you thinking about Tylenol so you don't realize that yet another right-wing billionaire is about to acquire yet another media platform.

Free ISL tour of Eileen Gray: The Making of Modernism 📅 Sun 28 Sept, 15:30 📍 National Museum of Ireland, Collins Barracks

Join us for a guided tour of Eileen Gray: The Making of Modernism with #IrishSignLanguage interpretation
Discover one of the most influential 20th Century designers and architects.
📅 Sun 28 Sept, 15:30
📍 National Museum of Ireland, Collins Barracks
🎟️ No booking required
🔗 museum.ie/.../Irish-Si...

Love it!

British-Egyptian activist Alaa Abd el-Fattah to be freed from prison Reports say writer, who has served six years for liking a Facebook post, has also been given a presidential pardon

#Egypt: We welcome reports that British-Egyptian writer, activist & PEN's case Alaa Abd el-Fattah has been granted a presidential pardon after 6 years unjustly imprisoned for his words. We await his release and will be monitoring the situation in the coming days. www.theguardian.com/world/2025/s...

Collage of a newspaper clipping, hand colored image of Maud Gonne, and handwritten letter over a black and white photo of an elderly veiled Maud Gonne

Digitization alert! We recently digitized materials by and about Irish patriot and suffragist Maud Gonne. The materials include correspondence, photo, articles, Women's Prisoners' Defence League records, and more. Check them out: https://findingaids.bc.edu/repositories/2/resources/254/digitized

Short Story of the Month, September: ‘The Gift’ by Penny Simpson The Lonely Crowd will feature a new short story by a different author each month throughout the remainder of 2025. For September, we are delighted to publish a new piece by Penny Simpson.

The Lonely Crowd will feature a new short story by a different author each month throughout the remainder of 2025. For September, we are delighted to publish a new piece by Penny Simpson.

thelonelycrowd.org/2025/09/19/s...

Barren Barren - Kindle edition by Lee, Byddi. Download it once and read it on your Kindle device, PC, phones or tablets. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading Barren.

Last day for Barren's Kindle Countdown Deal - 99p/c to download in honour of World Childless Week - s.byddi.com/barren
1 in 5 people are childless, so please share this post so they can see they are not alone. We are out there and we are worthy!

#worldchildlessweek

Gutenberg was paid “two large barrels of wine” each year for life by the Archbishop of Mainz, Chaucer received a gallon of wine a day from Edward III, and the British poet laureate received “a tierce of Madeira” every year.

I’m thinking I need to renegotiate my contract with Rutgers.

Sally Rooney unable to collect award over Palestine Action arrest threat The Normal People author can no longer safely enter the UK without potentially facing arrest, according to a statement read out by her publisher at the prize ceremony

Sally Rooney unable to collect award over Palestine Action arrest threat

www.theguardian.com/books/2025/s...

China-Hong Kong: Jimmy Lai’s son calls for his father’s release at United Nations Human Rights Council — PEN International | Promoting Literature & Defending Freedom of Expression Worldwide 17 September 2025 : Today at the United Nations Human Rights Council, Sebastien Lai addressed the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) on behalf of PEN International, calling on the Hong Kon...

#China: Today, Sebastien Lai addressed the UN Human Rights Council, calling for the immediate release of his father, #HongKong writer and publisher Jimmy Lai, who he fears may die in prison.

See his statement here⬇️ #FreeJimmyLai

www.pen-international.org/news/china-h...

Great news, Katherine! Congratulations 🎊

Robert Redford died today, at age 89. Revisit a 1998 Profile of the longtime actor and director, who was instrumental in fashioning some of America’s most defining contemporary images: nyer.cm/uA1ZPe4

To be a writer, you only have to do one thing: write.

Not break into a big magazine. Not publish a bestseller. Not get an extravagant book tour.

Struggling with discouragement? Rejection? Bad reviews? These are normal. They don't disqualify us.

If you put words to the page, then we are peers.