A Girl's Writing Is Never Done (c) Shauna Gilligan 2026
I’m delighted to have a poem “1922” included in Washing Windows Too: Irish Women Write Poetry (Eds: Nuala O’ Connor and Alan Hayes), a new anthology featuring 100 Irish women poets who have not published a full poetry collection.
Congratulations to all the contributors! And thank you to Nuala and Alan for including my poem.
Pre-order your advance copy from the wonderful Books Upstairs until 14 March after which the book will be available to bookshops island-wide.
I’m delighted to have new fiction included in the “Thoughts on Paper” exhibition in Oriel y Bont Gallery, University of South Wales (17 January – 25 February 2022). My fiction “Waking The Mermaids” was a response to some powerful artwork by Frances Woodley entitled “Dump 2020” Digital Painting 100 x 120cm.
I especially enjoyed the process of including drafts of my work-in-progress alongside the edited, final (can it ever be final!) piece.
With thanks to the curators and Barrie LLewelyn for including my writing.
The exhibition brings together a group of artists from Wales who are interested in exploiting the versatile possibilities of working with such an everyday material. Paper combines fragility and durability in equal measure. It is a material that artists and writers have traditionally used to render their first thoughts; to make drafts, models and prototypes but it can also be used to capture spontaneity and immediacy in more resolved artworks. Every mark or crease is hard to erase, making an exhibition focused on work dependent on paper the ideal way to examine the creative process.
The exhibition includes work by Adéọlá Dewis, Penny Hallas, Richard Higlett, Sue Hunt, Maggie James, Kieran Lyons, Thomas Martin, Phil Nicol, Chris Nurse, Heather Parnell, Alan Salisbury, Stephanie Tuckwell, Tessa Waite, Frances Woodley together with responses from creative writers Maria Donovan, Judith Goldsmith, Sarah Klenbort, Kate Noakes, Shauna Gilligan, Malcolm Lewis, Samuel Mark Sargeant, Georgia Bolton, and Donna-Louise Bishop.
For more information see University of South Wales Oriel y Bont Gallery
I’m delighted to discuss Mantles: Encountering Brigid with Meath Libraries Executive Librarian Mary Murphy as part of Meath Libraries and Meath County Council St Brigid’s Day Celebrations. See YouTube below to watch our discussion which will premiere on Feb 1st 2022 at 6pm.
On the evening of February 1st, I will be talking about my research on Brigid, and Creative Ireland (Kildare County Council) funded project Mantles, to members of ATGI Tour Guides of Ireland.
Many thanks to Meath County Council and ATGI for the invitations!
As part of my celebrations of Imbolc, Brigit and St Brigid, I will also be attending events and exhibitions and furthering my reading:
Wishing everyone a much healing, health, and heart this St Brigid’s Day and Imbolc.
Shauna Gilligan Writer 