Brian Kirk's Blog

What I have done in 2014 (leaving aside what I failed to do…)

Forgive the Catholic references, but some things are difficult to shake off as you’ll see reflected in some of the titles of my work.

At this time of year one instinctively tends to review the year gone by before embarking on the new. I try not to make resolutions, but I do believe it’s important to have goals to aim for. Perhaps that’s why I write poetry and stories and novels and plays – perhaps I’m setting too many goals for myself. I been told before I need focus. Cue change of subject.

This year as usual I read a lot. I won’t turn this into a book review, but I re-read plenty of Philip Roth. This is always a good thing to do. Otherwise I read some great novels and poetry. Maeve O’Sullivan’s Vocal Chords showed great versatility and was very moving at times. Nessa O’Mahony’s Her Father’s Daughter showed skilful control of language and tone. Alan Jude Moore’s Zinger continued where his previous collections left off, mining the political as it impacts upon the personal in some powerful sequences with occasional moments of lyrical beauty also. There were others of course. Excellent short story collections by Madeleine D’Arcy and Aiden O’Reilly to name but two.

Among the novels I name only three Irish works: Niamh Boyce’s The Herbalist, Nuala Ní Chonchúir’s The Closet of Savage Mementos and the book I’m reading now, David Butler’s City of Dis. Niamh’s novel dates back to 2013 I think but I read it in 2014 I think. All three books are so well constructed in terms of plot and character, and relate powerful stories with stark authenticity. They are a ‘how to’ guide for the aspiring novelist.

From my own writing point of view this is how 2014 played out month by month.

January:                  My novel for children Rising was Highly Commended in the Novel Fair 2014 at The Irish Writers’ Centre.

February:                 My poem To Youth was published in Crannóg 35 in February. I attended the launch in Galway and had a great evening, meeting up with some familiar faces and some new ones too. The poem was subsequently nominated for a Pushcart Prize, which I was thrilled about.

March:                         My story The Sommelier was placed second in the Leonard A. Koval International Short Story Competition run by Labello Press in March. The story was published during the summer as part of the winners anthology.

My story There is Magic featured in The Penny Dreadful, Issue 3, in March also. I went to the Dublin launch of this also and was delighted to read my story on the night and meet the guys behind the Dreadful. I also got to hear some other wonderful writers including Dimitra Xidous and Jamie Guiney.

God, March was a good month. My novel Winter Journey was shortlisted for the Today Show/New Island Get Your Novel Published Competition.

My poem Life is Elsewhere was commended in the Galway University Hospital Arts Trust Poetry Competition in March 2014.

April:               My poem A Map appeared in Ropes 2014 in April 2014.

I was awarded an Arts Council Bursary to complete my novel for 9 – 12 year olds Rising. (This novel is finished now and is out in the wide world looking for a publisher…)

May:                My poem The Poor appeared in issue 2 of the revamped Honest Ulsterman in May. It’s great to see this journal back and now Gregory McCartney of Abridged is Editor.

I seem to have fallen off the map in June and July.

August:            My story The Creaseless Society was runner up in the Penguin / RTE Guide Short Story Competition in August. I attended a workshop / open day in the Public Library and Archive on Pearse Street in September and met up with some great writers and editors. This is called networking believe.

September:      My poem Song appeared in Boyne Berries, Issue 16 in September 2014. I went to the launch in Trim – always a great night here! Orla Fay’s first issue as editor too and a great success.

The biggest news for me was getting Highly Commended in the 2014 Patrick Kavanagh Award for a first collection of poetry. I’m finalising my first collection After The Fall right now.

October:          I had two poems shortlisted for the Jonathan Swift Creative Writing Award for Poetry, and even better, one of them was chosen as winner. The Man, The Boy and The Map is a sestina and I’ve recently heard that it will appear in US journal Raintown Review in 2015.

I was shortlisted in the James Plunkett Short Story Award.

December:       I had the pleasure of reading alongside Australian poet, Bonny Cassidy and the much admired Michael J. Whelan in Tallaght Library as part of Bonny’s tour of Ireland. It was a great honour to do so. I tell people I’m shy and retiring but I love doing readings.

So that was 2014. Have a great 2015! And remember, don’t wait for inspiration – just write. Tús maith, leath na hoibre!

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