Happy launch day to @patrickfreyne.bsky.social's Experts in a Dying Field. If you like music you’ll adore it, but it’s not really about bands or music, but weaves through friendship, people who matter, paths not taken, fate, getting older. Moving and very funny. “Bastard Deodorant. For Bastards!”
A piece about my book Experts in a Dying Field which is out this coming Thursday the 11th of June (you can preorder here: linktr.ee/expertsinady...)
www.irishtimes.com/culture/book...
www.irishtimes.com
My favourite form of reporting is not the celebrity interview or political profile; it’s approaching ‘people’ in ‘places’ and asking them questions about ‘stuff’
A must-read thread in light of what happened in Belfast (and the rise of the Far Right everywhere):
"Is it possible I’m making sleep apnoea machines cool like my fellow young people did with mullets and moustaches? Also: mullets and moustaches are easy. Reclaim the combover and bifocal lenses, you cowards." Great stuff from youngster @patrickfreyne.bsky.social, as is his debut novel, out this week
Excellent launch for @patrickfreyne.bsky.social’s Experts in a Dying Field, which included singing, and mandatory audience harmonising. Aidan should play The Heathens’ Svengali-type manager in the inevitable TV/film adaptation…
Patrick Freyne
Sinéad Gleeson
Since 2020, 29 women in the North of Ireland have been murdered, most by (white) men they knew. Pretty sure that the racist thugs who engaged in violence, arson and intimidation in Belfast last night rioted about any of those attacks... www.irishtimes.com/crime-law/20...
Any followers in Mexico City? I'm doing two events there next week: one at the Irish Embassy on June 22nd with the great @dylanbrennan.bsky.social, and one at Cafebrería El Péndulo (Polanco) on June 23rd. Both free, just register: www.eventbrite.ie/e/bloomsday-... @literatureireland.bsky.social
Sinéad Gleeson
The great Chantal Akerman was born on this day in 1950. She was just 25 years old in 1975 when she made 'Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles' - voted no 1 in the BFI @sightsoundmag.bsky.social Greatest Films of all time. www.bfi.org.uk/film/0063853...
(she's in the next book)
Sinéad Gleeson
Sinéad Gleeson
www.irishtimes.com
Unrest follows anti-immigration demonstrations in wake of incident that left victim seriously injured
Gutted to hear this news. When procrastination/writing slumps hit, I always remind myself of his line - painted on a chest of drawers at the end of his bed during his student days:
“GET UP AND WORK IMMEDIATELY"
RIP David Hockney (he’s in the next book) www.theguardian.com/artanddesign...
Sinéad Gleeson
Bradford painter whose sun-kissed visions of California broke world records at auction has died
You're going to get so sick of me soon. I'M sick of me. Here's an essay I did for the Guardian about being the hip young gunslinger of Irish literature:
www.theguardian.com/books/2026/j...
Patrick Freyne
There are some advantages to being an older debutant, including knowing what it’s like to fail and not having your new novel overshadowed by early literary promise
There are, in my view, 25 things everyone needs to understand in light of recent events:
1) Those out in our communities last night were not protestors, but organised far right extremists.
2) Their actions align with fascist ideologies.
3) So yes: these are fascist practices on our streets.
🧵
