Brian Kirk's Blog

 Last night I attended the launch of the first anthology from Labello Press – Gem Street. The anthology is comprised of the winning and shortlisted stories from the inaugural Leonard A. Koval Memorial Prize.

I was delighted to meet up with the founding editor, Deborah McMenamy, who was kind enough to invite me along on the night. I also got to listen to seven of the writers read extracts from their stories: Steve Wade, Carol Brick-Stock, Noel O’Regan, Helen Kampfner, P.W. Bridgman, Zoe Gilbert and Paul Burns. The subject matter and styles were wide ranging with writers representing Ireland, the UK, France, Spain, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States.

There was wine and canapes and good conversation too, all in the beautiful United Arts Club on Fitzwilliam Street Upper. I particularly enjoyed having the opportunity to chat to Steve Wade and Tanya Farrelly, two very accomplished and successful writers and Noel O’Regan, a young short story writer with a very bright future ahead of him. You can read another great story by Noel here.

Labello Press intend to run this competition again this year – check out the details here. I’m looking forward now to reading the stories at my leisure very soon. You can purchase a copy of Gem Street here, and I recommend you do that. Congratulations to all eleven writers and also to Deborah for making it all happen. I look forward to more publications from Labello Press in the future. Writers need publishers like Labello.

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When I was a kid summer was always a time to get busy and earn some money. So here’s some summer jobs for you poets and short story writers out there:

1. iYeats Poetry Competition 2012 – Poetry

2. Patrick Kavanagh Award – Poetry collection

3. Sean O’Faolain Short Story Competition – Short story

4. Over the Edge – Short Story or poetry

5. Wasafiri New Writing Prize 2012 – Short Story, Poetry or Life Writing

6.McLaverty Short Story Award – Short Story

7. Penguin / RTE Guide – Short Story (courtesy of Louise Phillip’s blog – thanks Louise!)

So don’t be a skiver like Eddie Argos and get a summer job!

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Issue 7 of the Shotglass Journal is online now and I’m delighted to say I have two poems in it here.  This is a great online journal of shorter poetry – must be less than 16 lines –  and this issue also features a poem by Jessamine O’Connor who won last year’s iYeats Poetry Competition.  Previous issues have featured poems by great Irish writers like David Mohan, Peter Goulding and Orla Fay, but there is a host of UK, US and international poets in their archive too so you should take the time to dip in and out of some of these too.

I seem to be veering towards poetry these days, from a publication point of view at any rate. Later this month I will have poems appearing in Southword Issue 22 and Abridged “Rust”. I will post links to these poems when they appear.

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My good friend and great writer and poet, Eileen Casey, launches her first short story collections Snow Shoes at the Irish Writers Centre on Tuesday 12th June 2012.

Arlen House warmly invites you to celebrate beautiful books and enjoy a showcase reading by
            Eileen Casey
             SNOW SHOES
            James Martyn Joyce
             WHAT’S NOT SAID
            Colette Nic Aodha
             IN CASTLEWOOD : AN GHAOTH ADUAIDH
Tuesday 12 June @ 7 pm

Irish Writers’ Centre
Parnell Square
Dublin 1

For those of you west of the Shannon there's another launch in Galway on Saturday 9 June @ 3 pm at EIGHT

bar and restaurant, Dock Road, Galway.

I'm just coming back from holidays on the 12th but I'm going to do my damnedest to get to the Writers'

Centre that night. Congratulations Eileen. I can't wait to read it!

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Just got my invite from Salmon Poetry for Colm Keegan’s first collection launch next Thursday 31st May. Three other great poets are launching that night also at 6.30pm in the Unitarian Chruch on St. Stephen’s Green: Sarah Clancy, John Murphy and Peadar O’Donoghue. Unfortunately I’m going to be away, but I can recommend Colm’s work to anyone, so if you are around next week do go there!

Salmon Poetry invites you to celebrate the publication of four debut collections of poetry
       THANKS FOR NOTHING, HIPPIES
             by Sarah Clancy

       DON’T GO THERE

             by Colm Keegan

       THE BOOK OF WATER
             by John Murphy

       JEWEL

            by Peadar O’Donoghue

              Launch introductions by Jessie Lendennie
VENUE: The Unitarian Church, 112 St Stephen’s Green West, D2
DATE/TIME: Thursday, May 31, 2012 - 6.30pm
All welcome!
Visit our website for further details:
www.salmonpoetry.com
Salmon Poetry, Knockeven, Cliffs of Moher, Co. Clare
email: info@salmonpoetry.com

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Wordlegs Issue 10 Summer 2012 is out now! You can read my story Back to Love and poetry, flash fiction and stories by the like of Alan McMonagle, Colin Corrigan and Caroline Healy among others. Wordlegs continues to go from strength to strength and is now an integral resource for new and emerging Irish fiction and poetry writers.

Check out Elizabeth Reapy’s editorial which gives you a good indication of the journal’s meteoric rise, including details of the new Wordlegs Android App and the recent ebook 30 Under 30.

It’s great to be a part of such a thriving, vibrant and cutting edge literary movement!

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This month is a bumper month for new poetry collections with three launches from Doghouse Books next week and further launches later in the month from Salmon, of which more anon.

Next Monday 21st May sees the launch of Michael Farry’s first collection Asking for Directions. Michael is of course the editor of Boyne Berries which goes from strength to strength. I’m looking forward to this and should be able to make the launch which is at the Castle Arch Hotel, Trim, Co.Meath at 8pm.

On Tuesday 22nd May James Lawless launches his collection Rus in Urbe at The Springfield Hotel, Leixlip, Co. Kildare at 7.30pm. James has published poetry, novels and criticisms in recent years. Unfortunately I won’t be able to make it along to this one, but am looking forward to reading the collection.

On Wednesday 23rd Barbara Smith will launch her new collection The Angels’ Share in The Basement Gallery, Dundalk Town Council, Crowe Street, Dundalk at 6pm. This is Barbara’s second collection following her debut Kairos in 2007, also from Doghouse.

Doghouse are an independent and not-for-profit publisher and are to be commended for their ongoing support of new Irish writing. You’d do well to go along to one or all of the launches drink a glass of wine or two and buy a book or three and support our homegrown talent.

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I took a tip from Valerie Sirr and submitted a story to Ether Books the other week. My story Worm is now available as  a download for iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch via a free app from the iTunes app store here.  There are some very well known names on their list of authors along with people like myself.

I quote from their website:

“Ether Books is a new and innovative mobile publisher, providing the very best short content direct to your mobile phone. We publish short fiction, articles, poetry and serials from both bestselling and emerging contemporary writers.

To enjoy your own personal library of ‘15 minute reads’ right now, go to the Apple App store to download our FREE application.

If you are a writer, you can submit your short story directly to us through our online submission page. You can submit your story to us free or through our fast-track Silver Membership for only £25. Click here to find out more.”

Valerie’s story Mirage has been performing really well on the site, reaching the number 1 slot on its first week. It’s very attractive to think that there could be new readers for your work if you put it out there. Stories usually take no longer than about 15 minutes to read and cost about 70 cents each per download.

Why not download Worm today, and while you’re at it check out stories from Valerie Sirr, Madeleine D’Arcy, Louise Phillips, Toby Litt, Aiden O’Reilly and a whole host of other great writers.

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The submission deadline for Issue 7 of The First Cut is 30th April 2012. This is another great example of a quality online magazine which has cropped up in spite of the recession (or perhaps because of it!). The First Cut is the journal of the Listowel Writers group and is edited by Mike Gallagher, who was recently shortlisted for a Hennessy Award for Poetry – congrats Michael!

I was delighted to have my poem Still featured in Issue 6, alongside some other very fine writers like Grace Wells, Alan McMonagle and Kerrie O’Brien. The First Cut is a little different also, because it not only features new poetry and prose, but it also has interesting essays from experienced writers giving advice on subjects ranging from self-publishing to coping with rejection.

So why not send on three poems to them now without delay and you could be a part of a burgeoning literary journal. You should take a look at past issues online here.

All the detail you need for submitting is here.

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The Patrick Kavanagh Poetry Award

Closing date for entries Friday 27^th July 2012

  The Patrick Kavanagh Poetry Award is for a first unpublished collection of poems in English by an Irish poet.

 The award is now in its 41^st year. Previous winners include Eileán Ni Chuilleanáin, Paul Durcan, Thomas McCarthy,

Peter Sirr, Sinead Morrissey, Conor O’Callaghan, Pat Boran, Joseph Woods and Geraldine Mitchell.

The winner of this year’s award will receive €1,000.

The closing date for entry to the competition is Friday 27th July 2012.

The Award will be presented on 28^th September 2012 at the opening of the Annual Patrick Kavanagh Weekend in Inniskeen.

Rules and entry form from the Patrick Kavanagh Centre, Inniskeen or here.

Tel. 00353(0)429378560,  Fax 00353(0)429378855

E-mail: infoatpkc@eircom.net www.patrickkavanaghcountry.com

Last year it was won by Helena Nolan who writes insightfully here how she put her collection together, winning on her third attempt. Michael Whelan, a very talented poet and writer from Tallaght, was joint second place.

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