Breda Spaight

Poetry Ireland Review Issue 147, edited by Theo Dorgan, is available for pre-order!

This special edition titled 'Love Poems to Humans' is a collection of poems that draw on, reflect on, and speak up for human love.

🔗 Pre-order: www.poetryireland.ie/publications...

Artwork by Emma Stroude.

It's a joy to have a poem in this issue. The image captures the throes of love I experienced for the object of my love when life was challenging. Thanks to Theo Dorgan - editor!

Did you know that it's our 35th anniversary in 2026? 🥳

To celebrate, we've recently launched a host of 35 brand-new courses from screenwriting, poetry, comedy, and more

Check them out and get booking below 👀

irishwriterscentre.ie/courses/

Belfast launch
TOMORROW
Thursday 4 December, 6pm at The American Bar

Liz McManus (ed) *May Morton: Phantom Poet*

Rosemary Jenkinson *Manichea: A Play on Cancellation*

Francis O'Hare *A Different Light*

ALL WELCOME

Arlen House - Celebrating 50 Years

Poetry Magazines Submissions Spreadsheet Poets! Take the hard work out of submitting to poetry magazines What poetry magazines are there? What are their web addresses? How many poems can I send? Are they open for submissions now? You&#821…

I'll be updating the poetry magazines spreadsheet this coming week, so if you're not on my mailing list, join now (it's free) and you'll never be short of places to send your poems... robinhoughtonpoetry.co.uk/poetry-magaz...

Big huge congrats to the brilliant @elainefeeney.bsky.social ❤️👑❤️

We'll have a stall at this brilliant event in Pearse Street Library tomorrow and Saturday – hope to see you there! 📚

Why have so many people stopped posting on social media? Time spent on social media platforms peaked in 2022 and has since gone into steady decline, especially among teens and twentysomethings

www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...

One of us has started an online Irish (mainly) literary magazine archive. There's not much on it at the moment, but there will be! They have a new Bluesky account. We'd be grateful if you'd give it a follow at bsky.app/profile/oldz... Thanks!

Three Pillars Press: Ireland’s New Poetry Publisher From Three Pillars Press: Three Pillars Press is excited to announce its official launch as an independent Poetry Pamphlet Press dedicated to publishing new voices in contemporary poetry. Founded i…

Three Pillars Press is excited to announce its official launch as an independent Poetry Pamphlet Press dedicated to publishing new voices in contemporary poetry.

Founded in 2025, the Press aims to offer a publishing platform to new and emerging poets...

www.writing.ie/news/three-p...
#poetrysky

Ger Duffy and Billy Fenton have started a new poetry press, focussing on publishing poetry pamphlets from new and emerging poets. Their first submission window will open from Jan-Feb 2026. The website is www.3pillarspress.com
@3pillarspress
#poetrypress #poetrypamphlets #poets

Best wishes to @billyfenton.bsky.social and Ger. So much poetry energy from Waterford at the moment. Good luck 👍

Otter in the boathouse today. #Otter 🦦

London!

Celebrating Arlen House at 50, launching @nualaoconnor.bsky.social's *Menagerie* plus *Washing Windows V: Irish Women Revolutionise Poetry, 1975-2025*

Hosted by @irishlitsoc.bsky.social at @irishculturalcentr.bsky.social Hammersmith, Tuesday 25 Nov, 7.30pm

irishlitsoc.org/event/arlen-...

A definite date for next months diary:-

Celebrating 50 Years of Arlen House

Arlen House & Books Upstairs invite:

Liz McManus (ed) *May Morton: Phantom Poet*
Noelle Lynskey *Featherweight*
Ruth Carr *Catching the Missing Beat*
Rosemary Jenkinson *Manichea: A Play on Cancellation*

Sunday 30 November, 2pm
Books Upstairs Café

ALL WELCOME

Save the date! Submissions open for HOWL New Irish Writing 26 in February 2026 🐺 🖤

Arlen House & Books Upstairs launch invite:

Liz McManus (ed) *May Morton: Phantom Poet*
Ruth Carr *Catching the Missing Beat*
Noelle Lynskey *Featherweight*
Rosemary Jenkinson *Manichea: A Play on Censorship*

Sunday 30 November, 2pm, Books Upstairs

ALL WELCOME

Celebrating 50 Years of Arlen House

today's lonely offering. Is there anybody out there?

Delighted the news is out about our next two poetry titles from @bansheepress.bsky.social - new collections from Tim MacGabhann and Billy Ramsell coming your way in 2026 ✨️

It was a pleasure to read at the 50th anniversary launch of The Stony Thursday Book at the Belltable last night. Congratulations to all involved - it was a great evening of readings. Many wonderful voices from across the country.

It's a real honour to have work in this issue of Southword. Launch is Friday 21, Triskel Arts Centre, Cork. 6.30.

‘The Stars’ by Vasiliki Albedo — Banshee Press My jelly legs are off the couch  by grace of Prozac. Four months indoors  and the neighbourhood is treason.  Despite the heat, I find myself  in the once empty lot, where my cousins  pitched the…

'My jelly legs are off the couch
by grace of Prozac. Four months indoors
and the neighbourhood is treason.'

From our sold-out issue 18 (autumn/winter 2024) -- poetry by Vasiliki Albedo ⭐

@minorroarr.bsky.social

bansheepress.org/read/the-sta...

A new start after 60: I found my feet in midlife, became a park ranger at 85 – and retired happily at 100 At 104, Betty Reid Soskin has had the most extraordinary life, from protest singing to civil rights activism to meeting the Obamas. She reflects on what it takes to stay strong and keep going

That's how to do it.

Source: The Guardian
search.app/5jTLG

Michelle Obama looking very . . . .well, different.

Diarmaid Ferriter: Sr Stan asked a question in 1985. It still hasn’t been answered At the time of her death, more than 16,000 people were in emergency accommodation across the country

Source: The Irish Times
search.app/x7s3C

I'm v happy to say - as you can see from the pics below, that my contributors copy of THE STORMS @eatthestorms.com arrived. Yay!🥳🕺💃🦋Thks Dami & Rhona🙏🤗

📢 If there's enough interest, I'll post my poem, from the issue later today IF THIS POST GETS 50+ likes & 10+ reposts BY 10pm tonight (UK time)

Take a bow, Julian - well deserved. 👏

Date for the diary:
The winter issue of Southword will be launched on 21st November at 6.30pm.
Join us for a glass of wine at the launch of issue 49 with readings from some of the local poets in the issue.
Copies are available to purchase through our website www.munsterlit.ie
#writing #booklaunch

Arlen House & Books Upstairs invite you to enjoy readings from 5 stunning works of Irish literature:

Deirdre Cartmill *Under the Blue Seraphim*
Rosemary Jenkinson *Laganside Lights*
Luke Morgan *Blood Atlas*
Francis O'Hare *A Different Light*
Csilla Toldy *Firebird*

Sun 9 Nov 2pm, Books Upstairs