I am delighted to be running a series of seven linked creative writing workshops focusing on Brigid in Kildare Town Library from February to October 2023. Writing Our Way To Brigit/Brigid invites participants to explore, through writing and discussion, what Brigit/Brigid means to them. Participants will have the opportunity to read/perform their work as part of the Kildare Readers Festival in October (KRF 2023).
I am delighted to announce that I have been granted an Arts Act Award 2022 to continue on my Brigid journey. I am working on a novel-length manuscript The B Cuts, interlinked fictionalised stories of Brigid from the 5th Century to the 23rd Century.
I am looking forward to diving into further research with the Brigidine archives, the archives of the National Library of Ireland and travelling around Ireland to sites associated with Brigid. And, of course, I am dying to get stuck into more writing!
I am most grateful to Kildare County Council for continuing to support my writing practice.
Cover of Mantles: Encountering Brigid. Art work showing rolling hills in various shades of green, by Margo McNulty.
I’m delighted to announce that Mantles: Encountering Brigid (Arlen House: 2021, Dublin) is published! It is currently exclusively stocked by Maynooth Bookshop (shortlisted for Irish bookshop of the year in the Irish Book Awards, winner of the Leinster category) – buy it here.
Margo and I are delighted with the critical praise so far:
“….thoughtful, evocative…the book is a rich meditation on folklore, tradition and contemporary experience.” Lia Mills, author of Another Alice
“This book will inspire many others to search out and walk in Brigit’s footsteps.” Mary Condren, ThD. author of The Serpent and the Goddess, and National Director, Woman Spirit Ireland.
“The interweaving of artworks by Margo McNulty with the writings of Shauna Gilligan can only be compared with the overlapping plaited strands of Brigit the Goddess and Brigid the Saint.” Clodagh Doyle, Keeper, Irish Folklife Division, National Museum of Ireland, Country Life, Mayo.
We were delighted to partake in Samhain @ Sult in Kildare Town on Wednesday 24th November, the first public reading from Mantles. It was wonderful to read surrounded by such inspiring artwork by Sult Collective and to be accompanied by live music from James Blennerhassett. We hope to mark the publication with another event soon!
This publication forms the final part of the Creative Ireland funded collaboration between myself and artist Margo McNulty.
We are grateful to Alan Hayes at Arlen House, our publishers, and Kildare County Council and Roscommon County Council, our funders.
Shauna Gilligan Writer 