Vona Groarke: ‘I don't usually read for comfort. I read poetry for excitement and risk. Novels for company. Biography for nosiness'
The books by your bedside? The End of Days by Jenny Erpenbeck, The Summer Book by Tove Jansson, Seduction and Betrayal by Elizabeth Hardwick, Birnam Wood by Eleanor Catton, Our Evenings by Alan Hollinghurst, and Sara Baume's Seven Steeples. You'd almost think prose sends me to sleep, were it not for Louise Gluck's Poems 1962-2020. And Karen Solie's Wellwater. That covers a poetic multitude.
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Irish Times
20 hours ago
- Irish Times
Lucy Steeds' The Artist wins Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize
In The Irish Times this Saturday, Vona Groarke, the new Ireland Professor of Poetry, talks to Edel Coffey; Peter Guralnick tells Peter Murphy about completing his biographical trilogy with The Colonel and the King: Tom Parker, Elvis Presley and the Partnership that Rocked the World; Breandán Mac Suibhne uncovers the inspirations for some of Brian Friel's characters; and there is a Q&A with writer Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick. Reviews are Paschal Donohoe on Nature Capital: The Value of the World Around Us by Partha Dasgupta and Slow Down or Die: The Economics of Degrowth by Timothee Parrique, translated by Claire Benoit; Andrew Lynch on The Colonialist: The Vision of Cecil Rhodes by William Kelleher Storey; Siobhán Long on Beating Time: the Story of the Irish Bodhrán by Fintan Vallely; Vona Groarke on the best new poetry collections; Miriam Balanescu on Pan by Michael Clune; Emily Formstone on News of the World and An Aran Keening by Andrew McNeillie; Declan Burke on scifi; Ruby Eastwood on Wolf Moon by Arifa Akbar; Paul Gillespie on Etain Tannam's British-Irish Relations in the Twenty-First Century, The Good Friday Agreement, Brexit and the Totality of Relations; Brigid O'Dea on Migraine by Samuel Fisher; Matthew O'Toole on The Root of All Evil by Cormac Moore; and Seamus Martin on The World of the Cold War by Vladislav Zubok. This weekend's Irish Times Eason offer is Heart, Be at Peace by Donal Ryan, just €5.99, a €6 saving. Eason offer Lucy Steeds was named winner of the Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize 2025 for her novel The Artist, tonight at the Waterstones flagship bookshop in Piccadilly. Set over one sweltering summer during the 1920s, The Artist focuses on an enigmatic painter, the young British journalist set on penning a piece on him, and the artist's seemingly unworldly niece. As the young man sets out to write his piece on the great and terrifying painter, tensions between the three come to a dramatic conclusion. The prize consists of £5,000 and the promise of ongoing commitment to the winner's writing career. Last year's winner, Glorious Exploits by Ferdia Lennon, shot into the bestseller charts after the announcement and the Irish author went on to be nominated for the Waterstones Book of the Year, the Nero Book Awards, the BAMB fiction award and the Dylan Thomas Prize. The book also featured on the BBC's Between the Covers, won the Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize and The Authors' Club 2025 Best First Novel Award. Bea Carvalho, Waterstones Head of Books, says: 'It is a great pleasure to announce that Waterstones booksellers have chosen Lucy Steeds as the winner of the 2025 Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize for her novel The Artist. From a shortlist of six stunning books, The Artist stood out for its atmospheric, sensory prose, and its headily evocative sense of time and place. It is a stylish, elegant treat of a novel which seamlessly transports the reader to sun-soaked southern France, weaving mystery with romance, while delving into the complex nature of artistry. 'Lucy Steeds is a writer of staggering, rare talent: she is able to conjure vivid brushstrokes, sticky heat, and the smells and tastes of Provence, through words on the page. This is a gorgeously claustrophobic novel to be fully swept away by: The Artist has something for readers of all taste and heralds the arrival of an exciting new voice. We can't wait to see what Lucy Steeds does next.' Steeds said: 'My inspirations were twofold: firstly, I was fascinated by the concept of Art Monsters. These tyrannical figures who act abominably to the people around them in order to create great art. I was less interested in the art we've gained from these monsters, and more interested in the art we've lost. What could have been created if these tyrants weren't crushing everyone around them? Secondly, how much colour, texture, smell, and taste was it possible to convey on a page? How intensely could I evoke heat? Was it possible to create a painting using words instead of a brush? I wanted to write a book that felt alive.' Also shortlisted were Confessions by Catherine Airey and Ordinary Saints by Niamh Ní Mhaoileoin. Trinity College Dublin's Icarus magazine launch On August 27th, The Irish Writers Centre will host the launch of Icarus magazine's 75th anniversary issue. Ireland's oldest active arts magazine will celebrate the occasion by featuring work from prominent former contributors and editors, while also promoting the work of Trinity College's brightest student writers and artists. Icarus has been a platform for many notable Irish writers since 1950, with past editors including David Norris, Brendan Kennelly, Derek Mahon, Eiléan Ní Chuilleanáin, Vona Groarke, Michael Longley and Sebastian Barry. The magazine has also featured work from Eavan Boland, Seamus Heaney, William Burroughs, Paul Durcan, Thom Gunn, Colm Toibín and Simon Armitage over its long and decorated history. Icarus has appeared frequently in Irish Times coverage, for example, in 1994, David Norris stated 'Icarus was and has remained an important forum for literary talent', speaking to a legacy that continues to be fulfilled. Icarus Issue 75.3 will mark the anniversary by including an exciting variety of new and unseen work by some of the biggest names in Irish writing and poetry, while republishing many of the greatest works contributed by student writers over its history, some of whom went on to define a generation of Irish life and culture. The special edition will, as always, spotlight the most engaging work by current student writers and artists of Trinity College as well. Icarus has always been at the cutting edge of Irish literature, encouraging many students to begin their writing journeys, something the editors, Cat Grogan and Louise Norris, wish to continue with this exciting issue. * Mary O'Malley has been shortlisted for the 2025 Derek Walcott Prize with her collection The Shark Nursery, along with fellow Carcanet authors Gillian Clarke, who is shortlisted with The Silence, and Christine Roseeta Walker with Coco Island. The full shortlist is available here . Honouring the work of St Lucian Nobel Prize poet Derek Walcott, the prize is offered annually for a book of poetry by a non-US citizen published anywhere in the world. It includes a $2,000 honorarium. This year's winner will be announced in October. The judge for this year's award is Ishion Hutchinson. * Literature Ireland and Atelier Samuel Beckett have announced a pilot literature residency for French and Irish artists at Atelier Samuel Beckett, supported by Literature Ireland, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in conjunction with the Centre National du Livre in Paris and the Irish Embassy, France. Atelier Samuel Beckett is an artist residency founded by Judy Hegarty Lovett and Conor Lovett, set in a country house on the banks of the river Seine just outside Paris. The shared residency will take place from October 13th until November 7th and includes return travel from Ireland to France, living expenses, and self-catering accommodation. Details on how to apply are here . The closing date for applications is August 20th. * The Banagher Brontë Group, founded in 2023, is hosting the Irish launch of Let Me In: The Brontës in Bricks and Mortar, by Ann Dinsdale and Sharon Wright. Kay Sheehy, recently retired RTÉ Radio 1 presenter and producer, will launch the book. Dinsdale is the principal curator of the Brontë Parsonage Museum in Haworth, Yorkshire, home of the Brontës, as well as author of many books on the literary family and Sharon Wright is the author of The Mother of the Brontës, the biography of Maria Brontë. The launch, on August 16th, is part of a gala garden party in Charlotte's Way, Banagher, formerly Hill House, home to Arthur Bell Nicholls, husband of Charlotte Brontë. Tickets are available on Eventbrite and included in your ticket is a signed copy of the book, a buffet meal, musical entertainment and a great Brontë day out. The group has a three-day programme of events celebrating the Brontë/Irish connection as part of Heritage Week, August 16th-18th. This festival is a must for Brontë enthusiasts and would be a great introduction for you to the Banagher Brontë Group. If you would like to find out more, visit the website . * The literary strand of Clifden Arts Festival 2025 offers a powerful programme of talks, readings and conversations from 17–28 September in the heart of Connemara. Historian Diarmaid Ferriter reflects on Ireland's transformation since the 1990s in his lecture The Revelation of Ireland 1995–2025. Branding expert John Fanning, former MD of McConnells and UCD lecturer, explores advertising, identity and storytelling in The Making of an Irish Icon: Barry's Tea. Broadcaster John Creedon shares stories from his bestselling memoir This Boy's Heart, while Irish Times GAA columnist Ciarán Murphy presents Old Parish, his witty account of learning hurling later in life. Poetry features strongly with Luke Morgan, winner of the 2025 Lawrence O'Shaughnessy Award, Séamus Ruttledge, and guests from Gallery Press. Together, these voices offer insight, humour and reflection—celebrating the richness of Irish experience through the written and spoken word. Full programme and tickets: * The Inchicore Ledwidge Society will celebrate its 30th Anniversary on August 3rd at the Irish National War Memorial Gardens, Islandbridge in Dublin. It was founded in 1995 to commemorate the soldier poet from Slane, Co Meath, who joined the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers at Richmond Barracks, Inchicore in October 1914. The chairman of the Society has devoted many years to research on the poet and his works. In 1997, he added 66 uncollected poems (20 of which were previously unpublished) and he continues to gather lost poems and other material. The Society also published the prose of Francis Ledwidge for the first time in book form. In addition to the annual wreath laying ceremony and poetry reading, the society has organised an international poetry competition for the past 27 years. * The Irish Writers Centre, Ireland's leading resource for writers, has appointed seven new board members, reflecting a broad mix of expertise across literature, law, business, and the arts. The new appointments come as the Centre enters an ambitious phase of development under CEO Mags McLoughlin. Joining the board are Maria Dickenson, a leading figure in the Irish book trade; BDO Ireland Managing Partner Brian McEnery; barrister Patrick Barrett; creative writing scholar Dr Gráinne Daly; IDA VP Brendan McDonald; leadership expert coach Helen Connealy; and chartered director Anne Fleck-Byrne. They join existing board members Breda Brown, a communications consultant, Áine Denn, a tech entrepreneur, and author and solicitor Rosemary Hennigan. Chair Breda Brown said: 'This is an inspiring group with a shared passion for supporting writers. Their combined expertise will shape the next chapter of our work across the island Ireland.' * Members of Femina Culpa, a Northern Ireland based poetry collective, will be reading at a variety of locations in London between 6 and 9 August. Emma McKervey, Milena Williamson and Linda McKenna have received funding from Culture Ireland towards their readings at the National Poetry Library, Keats House Museum, the Bank of England Museum and Bethlem Museum of the Mind. They will present poems from their most recent collections, published by Turas Press, Dedalus Press and Doire Press, which are inspired by their research into nineteenth century women caught up in the criminal justice system of the past. * Féile an Phobail, the West Belfast festival, kicks off on July 26th and runs till August 10th with a packed programme of craic agus ceol, discussion and debates, theatre, comedy, exhibitions, sports, tours and scores of local events. Danny Morrison will be launching his updated memoir, All The Dead Voices, in Glór na Mona, Ballymurphy, on August 1st. Morrison will also be interviewing Pat Magee (Where Grieving Begins: Building Bridges after the Brighton Bomb) about the representation of Irish republicans in Troubles' fiction, film and drama. Magee's book, Gangsters of Guerrillas?, was based on 480 novels he analysed while serving five life sentences. That discussion will be in the James Connolly Visitor Centre on August 5th. Scribes at the Rock, Rock Bar, on August 7th, features Liz Nugent (in interview); Rosie Schapp reading from The Slow Road North ('A beautiful, unsparing memoir about grief' - Irish Times); and Tim O'Grady on his new novel, Monaghan.
Irish Independent
2 days ago
- Irish Independent
Vona Groarke: ‘I don't usually read for comfort. I read poetry for excitement and risk. Novels for company. Biography for nosiness'
Vona Groarke is the new Ireland Professor of Poetry, until 2028. Her ninth poetry collection is Infinity Pool, published in May by The Gallery Press. She has taught at the University of Manchester since 2007 and is writer-in-residence at St John's College, Cambridge, and with the Sligo Yeats Society. Hereafter: The Telling Life of Ellen O'Hara won the 2024 Michel Deon Prize. She lives in Co Sligo. The books by your bedside? The End of Days by Jenny Erpenbeck, The Summer Book by Tove Jansson, Seduction and Betrayal by Elizabeth Hardwick, Birnam Wood by Eleanor Catton, Our Evenings by Alan Hollinghurst, and Sara Baume's Seven Steeples. You'd almost think prose sends me to sleep, were it not for Louise Gluck's Poems 1962-2020. And Karen Solie's Wellwater. That covers a poetic multitude.
The Irish Sun
06-07-2025
- The Irish Sun
We married ‘down' – it's the secret to a sizzling sex life
WHEN red-haired student Jess met trainee bricklayer Bradley in a nightclub, the spark between them was unmistakeable. But while 20-year-old Jess was quickly smitten with her handsome boyfriend, not everyone was quite so pleased. Advertisement 4 Pharmacist Jess Simpson married a tradesman and says her husband Paul beats any posh boy she's dated, especially in the bedroom Credit: Lorna Roach 4 Laura Dolphin, a CEO for a global company, married mechanic Rob Credit: Aaron Collett Photography 'Bradley bought me a drink, chatted me up and made me laugh,' recalls Jess, then a chemistry undergraduate at the University of Manchester. 'When he asked for my number my university mates were horrified.' It was a similar story with her upper middle class parents. Did poor Brad have bad breath or a drug habit which put off her friends? Advertisement Read More on Fabulous No. His crime was not having a degree — with Jess's friends and family claiming she was 'dating down'. And she's not the only one. With far more girls now going to university than boys in Britain, increasing number of couples are made up of a white collar wife and blue collar bloke — with some claiming this pairing is the secret to both a healthy bank balance and a sizzling sex life. 'Breath of fresh air' Jess, 30, says: 'Mum and dad made it clear even socialising with a tradie was out of the question — a girl like me was better and smarter than that. Advertisement Most read in Fabulous Exclusive 'They wanted the best for me, but I found it boring. 'They wanted me to marry up. Behind the Scenes with Celebs: The Rise of Couples Counselling 'Their friends were constantly bragging about the wealthy or well-to-do husbands their daughters were marrying.' But when Bradley asked Jess out, she instinctively wanted to say yes. Advertisement She said: 'My inner rebel geek took hold. 'Brad was honest from the start, admitting he'd grown up on a local estate, had been a bit of a ladies' man and wasn't parent-pleasing material. 'He made me laugh, he had great banter and he could fix things.' And Bradley, 41, excelled in another area. Advertisement Jess says: 'He's also an amazing kisser, great in bed and a lover who was definitely good with his hands.' While once it was the done thing for women to 'marry up' for financial reasons, the tables have turned. Last year, over half of British women reported feeling financially independent. Now females have more freedom when choosing their spouse — and are plumping for Advertisement Women are more likely to go to university than men. In 2018, 53.6 per cent of girls went on to higher education, compared to 40.2 per cent of boys. Like most women I've always had a 'perfect-man checklist. When I met Rob he didn't tick any of those boxes but I soon discovered that my list was snobby and shallow Laura It seems to be a global trend, with stats showing females being more educated than males in the US, France and Belgium too. This means the dating pool of men at university has dwindled while women can rely on themselves financially. Advertisement Plus a survey by Materials Market found 74 per cent of women partnered with a After seven years together, Jess and Bradley, who live in Chichester, West Sussex, married in 2022 and welcomed their son a year later. Jess says: 'People who think marrying down is wrong are just snobs. 'Brad's amazing in bed, better than university lads. Advertisement 'Our marriage will last, while girls I know who married up are already divorced.' 4 HR boss Paige Bournett clicked with forkift driver Adam Taylor Credit: Supplied 4 Jess and Paul on their wedding day Credit: R Diaz photography Bradley thinks the marriage works because the couple bring their 'brains and brawn together'. Advertisement Jess agrees. She adds: 'I may be the brains but he works hard for his money. 'He's not obsessed with keeping up with the Joneses and I find that to be a breath of fresh air. 'When we met, he was living paycheck to paycheck but he still continued to treat me like a princess. Advertisement 'He wasn't bothered that I was smarter than him. 'When I started work as a specialist pharmacist he was thrilled and didn't care that I earned double his wage. 'I fell out with some of my posh pals who accused me of dating down and slumming it. Brad's building a business. He admits he doesn't understand chemistry, I don't understand the difference between a spanner and a screwdriver Jess 'Brad's building a business. Advertisement 'He admits he doesn't understand chemistry, I don't understand the difference between a spanner and a screwdriver. 'Tradies are never out of work, they are in demand, and they have great chat. 'I'd rather be with a tradie than a doctor or surgeon.' As for her parents, Jess says: 'When they met Bradley they didn't like him. Advertisement 'But after a year he'd won them over with his charm, kindness and commitment to our family.' Privately educated Laura Dolphin, 38, had a similar experience when she found love with husband Rob, 40, who left school at the age of 16 to become a mechanic. 'I went to a posh private school and some of my friends were determined to marry up and nab the richest and poshest husbands,' says Laura, who lives in Northampton with Rob and their seven-year-old daughter. 'I have dated lawyers and uber-wealthy businessmen with expensive motors and pedigree backgrounds.' Advertisement Before meeting Rob in 2013, Laura, who is a CEO for a global company, was in a relationship with someone she describes as a 'super academic' from a wealthy family. She says: 'It ended when I realised he'd never consider me his equal or be interested in my goals. 'I'd realised marrying up meant living your husband's life.' Rob was a corporal in the British Army when he and Laura met. Advertisement 'Like most women I've always had a 'perfect-man checklist',' she says. 'When I met Rob he didn't tick any of those boxes but I soon discovered that my list was snobby and shallow. 'When he wasn't fixing vehicles in the Army, he taught skiing. 'I was a learner in one of his classes when we met, and for a week, he saw me falling over, sliding on my butt, and making a fool of myself. Advertisement 'He wasn't someone I'd ever considered dating material but on the last night we shared a drink, had a laugh and he asked for my number. 'Within days, he called. 'We had the same dark sense of humour. 'I'd been an Army reservist, and we could talk about anything. Advertisement 'They were snobs' 'He didn't care if I'd been to a private school or was a CEO earning more than him. 'He was my opposite and yet we fit. 'When I told a close friend about him she was stunned, telling me he was 'below my rank' and she didn't like him. 'Her response was shocking — we haven't spoken since.' Advertisement When Bradley asked for my number my university mates were horrified Jess While they may be opposites, Laura says they were the perfect match, marrying in 2016. 'I do the finances, all the household planning and organisation, the timetables and schedules and Rob does the heavy lifting,' she says. 'Instead of the mansion and posh cars I dreamt of, we live in a three-bed terrace with a veggie patch and chickens. 'Rob thinks lots of my mates look down on him, but they're jealous. Advertisement 'So many of my friends are divorced and those who are still single can't find a man. 'My advice is to chuck out the checklist and marry down — it's a recipe for a happy life.' Rob agrees. He says: 'She's the boss and brains, but being the brawn means I have my uses, too. Advertisement 'The moment I met Laura, I felt a connection. 'We know our marriage will last.' Dating coach and relationship expert James Preece, owner of HeraHaven, has seen a rise in women looking for 'high emotional intelligence' rather than someone who can provide for them. He says: 'They understand that relationship success comes from having similar values and life goals, and are comfortable with being the main earner.' Advertisement Pensions and human resources executive Paige Bournett lives in Worcester with her fiance, forklift driver Adam Taylor, 38. They have been together seven years and are getting married in 2026. I was raised to be prim and proper. I was told to stay at school, go to university and marry a lawyer, doctor or businessman Paige Paige, 31, tried 'dating up' but found the men boring, bad in bed and only interested in their needs. She says: 'I was raised to be prim and proper. Advertisement 'I was told to stay at school, go to university and marry a lawyer, doctor or businessman. 'But every super geek or university lad who asked me out didn't care about my needs. 'When I met Adam at a nightclub in 2018, he was cocky, sure of himself and full of funny banter. 'I was in heaven.' Advertisement At the time, Adam was in between jobs but this did not deter Paige. Within two months they were a couple and Adam, who left school at 16, spent time on Universal Credit and flitting between part-time low-level jobs. Paige recalls: 'My posh friends were horrified he didn't have a career or 'prospects.' 'I didn't care, they were snobs. Advertisement 'I had the checklist for a husband — a rich man who would have a big house and I wouldn't have to work. 'Instead, I found a fella who is a forklift driver and earns less than me but is a dedicated fiance and who loves me. 'My checklist was silly, I'd be unhappily single if I'd stuck to it. 'My single friends who at first slagged off my choice are now asking him to introduce them to his tradie mates.' Advertisement Adam adds: 'Paige was posh and prim when I met her, but she was not a snob. 'She's my uptown girl and I am proud to be her downtown man.'
