St. Brigid’s Day Celebrations

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!

Image of Cover of Mantles: Encountering Brigid

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.

MANTLES: Encountering Brigid (Arlen House: 2021, Dublin)

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.

SAMHAIN @ SULT (Kildare): “Mantles” Public reading 24 Nov 21

I was delighted Sult Artists invited me to read from Mantles on 24th November at 7pm in SULT Gallery in Boland’s, Market Square, Kildare Town,  R51V267.

Join me for the first public reading from Mantles: Encountering Brigid published by Arlen House (cover painting by Margo McNulty) and for live music from Kildare musician James Blennerhasset. And of course, come for the wonderful art by the Kildare Collective of artists – Sult.

To book your place, RSVP to sultartists@gmail.com, including your telephone number.

This is the first of a series of readings to mark the publication of Mantles. This book is the third and final part of the Creative Ireland funded (Kildare County Council and Roscommon County Council) collaboration with artist Margo McNulty.