Reading a novel in another languageReading a novel in a second language changes the rhythm of every page. Familiar ideas arrive through unfamiliar vocabulary, syntax and prose, so the mind slows…
A guide to Dublin’s literary walking toursDublin’s literary reputation is easier to understand on foot. The city became a UNESCO City of Literature in 2010, yet its strongest associations sit in…
Why I love the smell of a coffee roasteryThe smell of a coffee roastery reaches me before I understand where I am. It slips through a doorway, gathers in the street, and changes the character of an…
How to build a public archive of your writing onlineWriting online is often treated as a stream: today’s post arrives, attracts a little attention and disappears into the feed. A public archive gives that work a…
What Irish emigrant letters tell us about changeIrish emigrant letters are usually read as evidence of a particular event: a famine, a death, a passage on a ship, or a decision to remain abroad. Read…
Twitter Lost Me, So I Went Back to the BlogFor years, Twitter was where I did most of my public thinking. A book idea arrived there, a complaint about a film stayed there, and a morning coffee became a…
Best Dublin cafes for working on a laptopDublin rewards a laptop day with a compact spread of good coffee and useful places to sit. The strongest choices sit around Grafton Street, Capel Street and…