Paul Maddern

Elizabeth Taylor
Tobias Wolff
Charles Dickens
Conor O'Callaghan
Sinead Morrissey
Derek Mahon
Isaac Azimov
Sasha Dugdale

The John Hewitt Summer School will be held earlier in 2026: June 29th to July 4th. The move is necessitated by major renovations to the Market Place Theatre in July. @artscouncilireland.bsky.social @poetryireland.bsky.social @irishlittimes.bsky.social

Dean Browne @deanbrowne.bsky.social (@picadorbooks.bsky.social)

and Eilish Martin (@machapress.bsky.social)

are this year's poets for the John Hewitt Birthday Reading Oct 27th

Tickets selling well. www.poetryireland.ie/whats-on/joh...

Will it take another Admiral Duncan bomb for someone to speak out? @archbishopofyork.org @elpidophoros.goarch.org @thearchbishop.bsky.social

Nothing from mainstream media? @bbcnewsnight.bsky.social @itvnews.bsky.social @theguardian.com @skynewsrss.bsky.social @the-independent.com @ukparliament.parliament.uk @london.gov.uk @london.gov.uk

The black-shirted Kings Army is a group of far right 'Christian' fanatics. They recently occupied Compton St, Soho, to protest Queer lives. See the photo to appreciate just how evil they are. And they are proud to display photos of their leadership, too.

My time at Cove Park (Rosneath) is proving productive. How could not be, given the setting and the people who run it. @covepark.bsky.social

Currently at the Tyrone Guthrie Centre, living the life with a lovely group of artists, musicians and writers. I'm here to translate poems by Jules Supervielle. The going is good.

My first such mention. Thank you. (I hope the poem doesn't disappoint!)

Update: Atta has also withdrawn from the prize.

3 from the National Gallery, London: Stubbs, Delaroche, and Caravaggio.

Dean Atta decided to remain on the Polari Prize longlist but expressed solidarity with those, like Sanah Ahsan, who have withdrawn their work for consideration. Sitting in Foyles, about to have a very cursory look at both.

You're clued in Clippy.

Scott McKendry Frank Skinner's Poetry Podcast · Episode

The always wonderful Frank this week features the always wonderful poetry of Scott McKendry. Yaba daba doo!

open.spotify.com/episode/1jav...

John Boyne is simply Graham Linehan with a career

Polari prize nominees and judges withdraw after inclusion of John Boyne over gender identity views 800 writers and publishing workers have signed a statement objecting to the LGBTQ+ book prize’s nomination of Boyne, who described himself as a ‘terf’

To all the trans haters, time to buy more tissues:

www.theguardian.com/books/2025/a...

Half the first book prize, 40% of judges and a third of the main prize! It’s not looking great Polari.

ICA | Vex’d Bermoothes: An Evening with Four Bermuda Poets + Q&A The Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) is London’s leading space for contemporary culture. We commission, produce and present new work in film, music, performance and the visual arts by today’s most...

4 Bermudian poets for your delectation, reading at ICA London on Tuesday July 15th. Yours truly, Yesha Townsend, Chris Astwood & Alan Smith.
@lrb.co.uk @londonreviewbookshop.co.uk @poetrylondon.bsky.social @lgbtqreads.bsky.social @poetrysociety.bsky.social

www.ica.art/exhibitions/...

ICA | Vex’d Bermoothes: An Evening with Four Bermuda Poets + Q&A The Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) is London’s leading space for contemporary culture. We commission, produce and present new work in film, music, performance and the visual arts by today’s most...

If you're in London on July 15th, it would be lovely to see you at this reading with 4 Bermudian poets. At the ICA.

Details and tickets in link.

www.ica.art/exhibitions/...

What a wonderful, inspiring and well thought out workshop today. Thank you so much @leoneross.bsky.social . The beautiful setting and amazing lunch by @pmaddern.bsky.social made it all the more special.I’d recommend the River Mill wholeheartedly. 😊

FINE TUNING THE SHORT STORY: a day-long workshop with Leone Ross Location: The River Mill (43 Ballyclander Road, Co Down, BT30 7DE) Date: Saturday, April 19th Time: 10.30am arrival for an 11.00am start, finishing at 5.00pm—with a break for lunch. Cost: £70.00, including catered lunch. (To be paid prior to attending.) 12 participants maximum. Email inforivermill@gmail.com to book This workshop is curated for lovers of the short story and Ross will offer an opportunity to fine-tune your writing in this form. The group will reacquaint themselves with classic forms of storytelling and then playfully consider the role of subversion. Expect to plan and write a short story, and then to rip it up and start again. The day includes writing exercises, mini-lectures and lunch. In advance of the workshop, we will email you a few short stories which will be referenced by Ross. Accommodation: if you want to stay at the River Mill either the night before the workshop or the evening after the workshop (or both!) then you will need to book that separately, and space limited www.the-river-mill.co.uk

The River Mill is thrilled to be hosting a short story workshop with the celebrated writer @leoneross.bsky.social . See photo for details.

April 19th
Limited to 12 participants

We anticipate places going quickly.

images.app.goo.gl/tecpcwFG38Cy...

A photo getting much attention, and rightly so. Churchill visiting the White House during WWII, wearing military dress, not a suit. Pathetic that "I was lucky to escape any real fighting" @jdvance1.bsky.social should mock a military man for representing his forces in this way.

Some recent and wonderful additions to the River Mill library.
@lindamckenna.bsky.social
@garrettcarr.bsky.social
@picadorbooks.bsky.social
@doirepress.bsky.social

A standing-room-only crowd at the Seamus Heaney Centre tonight to celebrate the launch of Garrett Carr's The Boy from the Sea (Picador). Great to see this level of support and admiration for Garrett. And introduced by the always stupendous Louise Kennedy .

The soul replenishes here. I recommend nowhere more highly

"The sun slid lower and I willed gold and it came" (poet Jean Bleakney). A beautiful day at the mill. Open through May, at least. See www.the-river-mill.co.uk

If you come to the mill for a spell of writing, be prepared to overdose on DJ's cuteness. (He belongs to the neighbours but visits daily.)
www.the-river-mill.co.uk

And not forgetting 'Damiana'.

YouTube video by RARE FACTS I Have a Dream speech by Martin Luther King .Jr HD (subtitled)

Alternative and better viewing.
It's his day, after all.
youtu.be/vP4iY1TtS3s?...