Scenes from a tall tale
I am on first name terms with gravity. Birds assume I’m a tree without leaves and give me a little chirp as they fly past. Chairs complain at my heft. And doorframes? – well door frames can be so cruel… I am tall. Extremely tall. Tall enough to be constantly reminded by people (and door…
Zine #5 is out!
The fifth zine in this series is now available for purchase via this site. Each one a labour of love, created primarily for my own family, and secondly for anyone who’s interested in Irish heritage. There is nothing to see here…
Aftermath and trauma
When I was 14, my family took a trip to the Scottish Borders to visit my aunt and uncle who’d bought a farm there. It was the first time I’d been out of Ireland and to me it felt like a whole new world. Bridies, Irn Bru, midges that were more bitey. And I distinctly…
Ulster says Maybe
When there was violence, Ulster was closed. Closed to the fancy supermarkets across the water. Closed to cars with a different numberplate. Closed to a different way of thinking or believing. But every time I return home, I notice that Ulster is just a wee bit more open. Open to talking about the past with…
On the Telly
We’ve been watching the Channel 4 series The Piano recently where the local talent pitches up to show what they’ve got on a piano set up in a train station. It’s inspirational. London – goes without saying. Manchester, Cardiff, Liverpool, Edinburgh – certainly. Belfast? Nope. I asked my wife why: My wife rolled her eyes…
A few thousand years of rain
There is an argument here – just hear me out. Now I’m not one to stir up trouble, but as far as I can see, the Celtic nations have been firming it on the Atlantic weather front for the last few thousand years allowing South East England to have nice summers featuring cricket matches which…
Say hello!
A Patchwork Province