I moved from Dublin to the Sligo Roscommon border in 1999, and live in an old train station with my family and Lemmy (the dog). I have a degree in Writing+Literature from ATU Sligo in 2021, and an MA in Creative Practice from the same. I work as an ESOL tutor.
I recently finished a novel and I am delighted to say it will be published by Lilliput Press in early 2026. My literary agent is Jennifer Lyons.
Drunk Muse Press invited me to be their Ireland editor in 2021. My first project was publishing a collection of songs and poems by legendary folk musician and writer, Helen B Grehan, The Return. I also am on the editorial panel of their sister publication, The Poet's Republic.
My poetry chapbooks Hellsteeth, A Skyful of Kites, Snowbird and Pact were self-published with help from Roscommon County Council, and in 2017 the Black Light Engine Room Press published a selection of poems from them in a new pamphlet Fusebox.
My debut collection Silver Spoon was published by Salmon Poetry in late 2020, and features the stunning art of Helen Chantrell throughout, as well as the cover. In 2023, Nine Pens Press published a joint pamphlet of mine, Neil Young and Hugh McMillan (all editors with Drunk Muse) called The Opposite of Grieving.
In 2014 I founded The Hermit Collective; a group of fellow creatives and remotes, who came together to put on pop-up shows of poetry, art, music, stories, and more. We have played dozens of venues across the north west, and in 2016 were the overall winners of the prestigious Epic Award for Ireland. *Our last outing was in January 2020.
I have been part of writing groups; the Millwheel Writers, and then facilitating the Wrong Side Of The Tracks Writers from 2012-2018.
I give readings and workshops, most recently 'Poetic Justice' in the ATU for adults and 'Wild Words' in Carrick-on-Shannon for teenagers. I have run children's creative writing classes in schools and Bealtaine workshops for older people.
I am a Countdown TV show fan, and run an annual tournament/festival/weekend called Co:Mon. This year it's on the weekend of April 26th.
Awards:
2025: Winner of the Poems for Patience competition with Galway Hospital Trust
2023: Third place in Westival Arts Festival poetry competition
2021: Winner of the Dermot Healy Award for fiction and poetry
2020: Winner of inaugural Comórtas Filíochta Chultúrlann McAdam Ó Fiaich competition, with a poem translated to Irish by Diarmuid Lenihen, and shortlisted for a second poem translated by Rossa Ó Snodaigh
2020: short-listed for Doolin Writers Weekend poetry competition
2019: short-listed for Red Line Book Festival poetry competition
2019: short-listed for O'Bheal International Poetry Film Competition
2019: Runner-up for Poetry Ireland Love Your Bike comp
2018: Shortlisted for Cuirt New Writing Prize
2017: Winner of the Poetry Ireland/Butlers Chocolate Cafe Competition
2017: Shortlisted for Red Line Book Festival poetry comp. and longlisted for the Bray Literary Festival comp and the Westport Lit fest.
2017: Highly commended for the Galway Hospital's 'Poems for patience' competition
2016: Commended for the Iceland Writers Retreat alumni competition
2015: Shortlisted for the Over The Edge New Writer of the Year competition
2014: Shortlisted for the Free Wee Library bookmark competition! Featured twice in the Poetry For Spaces project. Long-listed in the Dermot Healy Memorial award.
2013: Shortlisted for the Hennessy Literary award; the Dead Good Poetry competition; long-listed for the Desmond O Grady and the Over The Edge competitions, and won third prize in the Red Line Book Festival
2012; Shortlisted for the Bradshaw Books manuscript competition.
2011: Winner of both the iYeats competition, and the Francis Ledwidge award. Also commended in the same iYeats for a second piece.
2010: Commended in a Leaf Books competition, and in 2009 commended in the Boyle Arts Festival competition.
Publications: (selected)
Poem Alone - 2025
Atrium – 2025
The Stony Thursday Book – 2025, 2018, 2015, 2013, 2012
The Cormorant – 2025, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019
Washing Windows V anthology - 2025
Banshee – 2024
Ink Sweat & Tears – 2024, 2015
Abridged –2024, 2023, 2021, 2019, 2011
Amphibian – 2024
Dreich – 2024
Skylight47 – 2024, 2020, 2017, 2016, 2014
Scrimshaw – 2023, 2022
Poet’s Republic –2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018
One, Jacar Press - 2020
Ofi-press - 2020
Poethead featured poet – 2020 and 2016
Culture Matters anthology – 2019
Fifth Estate – 2019, 2016
The North – 2019
The Stinging Fly – 2018, 2016, 2012
Poetry NZ - 2018, 2017, 2016
Shot Glass Journal #7 #9 #11 #16 #20 #26
Muse-Pie Press, ‘Featured Poet International’ - 2015-2016
Red Line Book Festival Anthology – 2018
Strokestown Poetry Anthology – 2017
Crannóg - 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014 and 2013
New Irish Writing (Irish Times and Irish Independent) – 2015, 2012, 2011
Agenda - 2015 and 2014
Yeats 150, anthology –2015
Eat the Storms poetry podcast, for Poetry Day 2022
I was "Featured Poet International" for Muse-Pie Press (US) throughout 2016, and nominated by them for the Pushcart Prize and the Best Of The Net award.
My poem Hellsteeth is installed in the Hawkswell Theatre, Sligo, and is published as part of a book about WB Yeats: Yeats150.
Time Machine, which I wrote in response to Tom Meskell's solo art exhibition,was on display beside his paintings, in the Museum Of Country Life, Castlebar, Co Mayo, from January until May 2014, and also in Philadelphia for a day!
My pamphlets are mostly gone, but some copies of 'Pact' are available in the Una Bhan craft shop, Boyle, and Strokestown Park House gift shop.
I recently finished a novel and I am delighted to say it will be published by Lilliput Press in early 2026. My literary agent is Jennifer Lyons.
Drunk Muse Press invited me to be their Ireland editor in 2021. My first project was publishing a collection of songs and poems by legendary folk musician and writer, Helen B Grehan, The Return. I also am on the editorial panel of their sister publication, The Poet's Republic.
My poetry chapbooks Hellsteeth, A Skyful of Kites, Snowbird and Pact were self-published with help from Roscommon County Council, and in 2017 the Black Light Engine Room Press published a selection of poems from them in a new pamphlet Fusebox.
My debut collection Silver Spoon was published by Salmon Poetry in late 2020, and features the stunning art of Helen Chantrell throughout, as well as the cover. In 2023, Nine Pens Press published a joint pamphlet of mine, Neil Young and Hugh McMillan (all editors with Drunk Muse) called The Opposite of Grieving.
In 2014 I founded The Hermit Collective; a group of fellow creatives and remotes, who came together to put on pop-up shows of poetry, art, music, stories, and more. We have played dozens of venues across the north west, and in 2016 were the overall winners of the prestigious Epic Award for Ireland. *Our last outing was in January 2020.
I have been part of writing groups; the Millwheel Writers, and then facilitating the Wrong Side Of The Tracks Writers from 2012-2018.
I give readings and workshops, most recently 'Poetic Justice' in the ATU for adults and 'Wild Words' in Carrick-on-Shannon for teenagers. I have run children's creative writing classes in schools and Bealtaine workshops for older people.
I am a Countdown TV show fan, and run an annual tournament/festival/weekend called Co:Mon. This year it's on the weekend of April 26th.
Awards:
2025: Winner of the Poems for Patience competition with Galway Hospital Trust
2023: Third place in Westival Arts Festival poetry competition
2021: Winner of the Dermot Healy Award for fiction and poetry
2020: Winner of inaugural Comórtas Filíochta Chultúrlann McAdam Ó Fiaich competition, with a poem translated to Irish by Diarmuid Lenihen, and shortlisted for a second poem translated by Rossa Ó Snodaigh
2020: short-listed for Doolin Writers Weekend poetry competition
2019: short-listed for Red Line Book Festival poetry competition
2019: short-listed for O'Bheal International Poetry Film Competition
2019: Runner-up for Poetry Ireland Love Your Bike comp
2018: Shortlisted for Cuirt New Writing Prize
2017: Winner of the Poetry Ireland/Butlers Chocolate Cafe Competition
2017: Shortlisted for Red Line Book Festival poetry comp. and longlisted for the Bray Literary Festival comp and the Westport Lit fest.
2017: Highly commended for the Galway Hospital's 'Poems for patience' competition
2016: Commended for the Iceland Writers Retreat alumni competition
2015: Shortlisted for the Over The Edge New Writer of the Year competition
2014: Shortlisted for the Free Wee Library bookmark competition! Featured twice in the Poetry For Spaces project. Long-listed in the Dermot Healy Memorial award.
2013: Shortlisted for the Hennessy Literary award; the Dead Good Poetry competition; long-listed for the Desmond O Grady and the Over The Edge competitions, and won third prize in the Red Line Book Festival
2012; Shortlisted for the Bradshaw Books manuscript competition.
2011: Winner of both the iYeats competition, and the Francis Ledwidge award. Also commended in the same iYeats for a second piece.
2010: Commended in a Leaf Books competition, and in 2009 commended in the Boyle Arts Festival competition.
Publications: (selected)
Poem Alone - 2025
Atrium – 2025
The Stony Thursday Book – 2025, 2018, 2015, 2013, 2012
The Cormorant – 2025, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019
Washing Windows V anthology - 2025
Banshee – 2024
Ink Sweat & Tears – 2024, 2015
Abridged –2024, 2023, 2021, 2019, 2011
Amphibian – 2024
Dreich – 2024
Skylight47 – 2024, 2020, 2017, 2016, 2014
Scrimshaw – 2023, 2022
Poet’s Republic –2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018
One, Jacar Press - 2020
Ofi-press - 2020
Poethead featured poet – 2020 and 2016
Culture Matters anthology – 2019
Fifth Estate – 2019, 2016
The North – 2019
The Stinging Fly – 2018, 2016, 2012
Poetry NZ - 2018, 2017, 2016
Shot Glass Journal #7 #9 #11 #16 #20 #26
Muse-Pie Press, ‘Featured Poet International’ - 2015-2016
Red Line Book Festival Anthology – 2018
Strokestown Poetry Anthology – 2017
Crannóg - 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014 and 2013
New Irish Writing (Irish Times and Irish Independent) – 2015, 2012, 2011
Agenda - 2015 and 2014
Yeats 150, anthology –2015
Eat the Storms poetry podcast, for Poetry Day 2022
I was "Featured Poet International" for Muse-Pie Press (US) throughout 2016, and nominated by them for the Pushcart Prize and the Best Of The Net award.
My poem Hellsteeth is installed in the Hawkswell Theatre, Sligo, and is published as part of a book about WB Yeats: Yeats150.
Time Machine, which I wrote in response to Tom Meskell's solo art exhibition,was on display beside his paintings, in the Museum Of Country Life, Castlebar, Co Mayo, from January until May 2014, and also in Philadelphia for a day!
My pamphlets are mostly gone, but some copies of 'Pact' are available in the Una Bhan craft shop, Boyle, and Strokestown Park House gift shop.
