I grew up in Ennis and spent most of my working life in Dublin before returning to Co. Clare.
I write poetry, fiction, and literary non-fiction, as well as arts-related newspaper articles; work has been published in Ireland and abroad. I also give writing workshops and readings.
Currently working on my second poetry collection. My first is This Little World (Doire Press, 2017).
Most recent publications include poems in Vital Signs, Poems of Illness & Healing, ed., Martin Dyar (Poetry Ireland, 2022), The Stony Thursday Book (Winter 2022), Romance Options, Love Poems for Today, eds., Quinn & Woods (Dedalus Press, 2022), Crannóg, (Autumn 2022), Drawn to the Light 6 (Summer 2022), The Waxed Lemon 3 (Spring 2022), and Walk With Me – A Literary Journey in the time of Covid-19 in County Clare, eds., Breda Shannon & Cynthia Sinnott (North West Clare Writers’ Circle).
Work has also appeared in anthologies & journals such as the Sybaritic Press, Los Angeles, Rochford Street Review, Sydney, Australia, Coast to Coast to Coast, UK, The Honest Ulsterman, Galway Review, the Irish Times and the Clare Champion.
I have given writing workshops at national and secondary school level.
I delivered an online reading and talk about Paula Meehan during Covid as part Clare Library’s Bealtaine Festival events, and I have read my work at festivals including the Ennis Book Club Festival, Clifden Arts Festival, Feakle Festival, West Cork Literary Festival, and the Strokestown Festival.
I have also read for RTÉ’s Arena, The Poetry Programme, and Lyric FM, and I host an arts-themed radio show on Kinvara FM, community radio.
I was awarded places on poetry masterclasses and workshops with poets Billy Collins, Paula Meehan, Theo Dorgan, Vahni Capildeo, and Sinéad Morrissey.
Awards/prize listings include: Shortlisted for Irish Poem of the Year at the 2021 An Post Irish Book Awards, Hennessy/Irish Times New Irish Writing September 2017 winner – Poetry, Trim Poetry Prize,
Bangor Poetry Competition, Saolta Arts/Cúirt Poems for Patience, Robert Monteith Prize, Dermot Healy Poetry Prize, and the Over the Edge New Writer of the Year.
Work has been nominated for Best of the Net and Pushcart prizes.
Bursaries/Residencies include: Arts Council of Ireland Agility Award 2021/2022, Tyrone Guthrie Bursaries from Clare Co Council, Birr Writer’s Residency from Co Offaly Arts Office, a Creative Ireland grant for a poetry book project with Ballyvaughan National School, Dept. of Foreign Affairs Bursary to the John Hewitt International Summer School, Armagh, the Pierce Loughran Scholarship to the Yeats International Summer School.
I hold a BA in Classics and History, with Creative Writing (First Class Hons., NUIG, 2013) and a
City & Guilds London Diploma in Radio Studio Production.
I also completed a level 6 Train the Trainer course in 2020.