Tag: inspiration

Collaboration, Exhibitions, Writing Festival, Writing Life, Writing Workshops

John Hewitt International Summer School 2026: Words and Heart

It was wonderful to be able to do two firsts this year: attend some of the John Hewitt International Summer School and visit beautiful Armagh.

View of Armagh from the Armagh City Hotel showing trees and on a hill in the distance city spires including those of the Cathedral.

I attended various readings which were, without exception, moderated beautifully, and provided moving explorations of our human experience. Sarah Gilmartin interviewed Éilís Ní Dhuibhne; Paul Maddern introduced readings by Moyra Donaldson and Connie Voisine, Jessica Traynor and Abeer Ameer; Wendy Erskine interviewed Jan Carson. Everyone was generous with their words and time.

The Freedom to Write Irish PEN/PEN na hÉireann event on Wednesday 29th featured an incredible presentation from International Human Rights Lawyer Caoilfhionn Gallagher KC followed by an in-depth interview with Irish PEN’s Lia Mills. The audience was invited to write postcards of support for imprisoned journalist Mzia Amaglobeli – represented on stage by an empty chair – who has been imprisoned in Georgia since January 2025. How powerful are words and heart when we come together.

Photograph of two black-and-white images from Brigid O’Brien’s exhibition “Home” showing people at home, talking and smiling and in the second image in their garden

I also attended a beautiful exhibition “Home” by Brigid O’Brien – a taste above. And lastly, how could anyone visit a literary festival without coming home with a book haul of signed books? In the photograph below, just some of the books:

  • Connie Voisine “And God Created Women”
  • Wendy Erskine “The Benefactors”
  • Abeer Ameer “Inhale/Exile”
  • Moyra Donaldson “the thirteenth moon”
  • Susannah Dickey “Into the wreck”
  • Sinéad Morrissey “Among Communists”
  • Jan Carson “Few and Far Between”

Congratulations to Niamh McNally and all the John Hewitt International Summer School for a brilliant and friendly festival. I look forward to returning, and hopefully attending the whole Summer School. Brava!

Exhibitions, Writing Festival, Writing Workshops

Brigid’s Worlds

Photograph of some items in the Brigid’s Worlds Conference Goodie Bag: Brigid 1500 Cross Pin, Brigid Chocolate, details of the Medieval Irish History Podcast, Conference Programme

It was a joy to attend the Brigid’s World Conference in Maynooth University this weekend. The conference explored – as the title says – the many worlds of Brigid, conversion, land and living, textual and material evidence of Brigid, ecclesiastical patronage, the cult of Brigid among other themes. Through the five sessions over two days in the atmospheric Renehan Hall, the conference gave attendees a glimpse into the rich and varied research into Brigid’s Worlds that is ongoing in academic institutions around the world.

It was also a great opportunity to re-connect with others interested in and fascinated by the world of Brigid in this, the 1500th anniversary of her recorded death.

Slide from Tiago Veloso Silva’s fascinating talk on “Women’s ecclesiastical patronage: the case of Kildare”
Dr Sharon Greene’s talk on “Traces of Brigid’s Material World” was a fascinating look into the 6th century lived life through an archeological lens.
Slide from Dr Sharon Greene’s talk – bone damage and wear/tear brought on by daily activities: heavy cattle, sitting weaving, herding cattle….

Congratulations to Dr Niamh Wycherley and all at the Department of Early Irish and the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, and to Brigid 1500 / Kildare County Council for a wonderful conference. For more details on speakers and conference presentations see the CONFERENCE WEBSITE