Matthew Parkinson-Bennett
@matthewpb.bsky.social
Publisher, Little Island Books @littleislandbooks.bsky.social. The best new Irish writing for young readers.
Pinned
Last night I had an amazing dream where I found my true calling and realised instantly that I needed to give up everything to pursue my vocation.
I discovered that I was supposed to be the guy who slits open sturgeon fish to release the caviar.
I discovered that I was supposed to be the guy who slits open sturgeon fish to release the caviar.
January 10, 2026 at 10:57 AM
Last night I had an amazing dream where I found my true calling and realised instantly that I needed to give up everything to pursue my vocation.
I discovered that I was supposed to be the guy who slits open sturgeon fish to release the caviar.
I discovered that I was supposed to be the guy who slits open sturgeon fish to release the caviar.
Since everyone is finally getting into EL Voynich, I pulled this out of the attic 2 days ago. A nice first edition of one of her, lesser read works
January 10, 2026 at 10:08 AM
Since everyone is finally getting into EL Voynich, I pulled this out of the attic 2 days ago. A nice first edition of one of her, lesser read works
Idea for a thing:
“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to…… ROCK!!!! 🤘🎸”
That’s all I’ve got so far, will work on it throughout the day #inspiration #creativeprocess
“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to…… ROCK!!!! 🤘🎸”
That’s all I’ve got so far, will work on it throughout the day #inspiration #creativeprocess
January 10, 2026 at 9:55 AM
Idea for a thing:
“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to…… ROCK!!!! 🤘🎸”
That’s all I’ve got so far, will work on it throughout the day #inspiration #creativeprocess
“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to…… ROCK!!!! 🤘🎸”
That’s all I’ve got so far, will work on it throughout the day #inspiration #creativeprocess
@cethanleahy.com The whole country is gone Voynich-pilled
January 10, 2026 at 9:02 AM
@cethanleahy.com The whole country is gone Voynich-pilled
Tom McElligott is a brave man 😂
January 10, 2026 at 8:56 AM
Tom McElligott is a brave man 😂
I am going to see the immersive theatre production of The Dead by the best arts company in the country, Anu Productions.
We are invited to dress in period appropriate clothes, which I would love to do but all I have is a bowler hat and I’m not even sure that is period appropriate to 1904?
We are invited to dress in period appropriate clothes, which I would love to do but all I have is a bowler hat and I’m not even sure that is period appropriate to 1904?
a man in a suit and tie is wearing a black top hat .
ALT: a man in a suit and tie is wearing a black top hat .
media.tenor.com
January 10, 2026 at 8:52 AM
I am going to see the immersive theatre production of The Dead by the best arts company in the country, Anu Productions.
We are invited to dress in period appropriate clothes, which I would love to do but all I have is a bowler hat and I’m not even sure that is period appropriate to 1904?
We are invited to dress in period appropriate clothes, which I would love to do but all I have is a bowler hat and I’m not even sure that is period appropriate to 1904?
Reposted by Matthew Parkinson-Bennett
So in Indonesis child porn is illegal *even* it the perpetrator is a billionaire. Is this thing of applying the law also to billionaires this "Sharia law" people are talking so much about?
Indonesia blocks Musk’s Grok chatbot due to risk of pornographic content
Indonesia blocks Musk’s Grok chatbot due to risk of pornographic content
Move comes after governments and regulators from Europe to Asia have condemned the AI tool and some have opened inquiries into sexualised content
Indonesia temporarily blocked Elon Musk’s Grok chatbot on Saturday due to the risk of AI-generated pornographic content, becoming the first country to deny access to the AI tool.
The move comes after governments, researchers and regulators from Europe to Asia have condemned and some have opened inquiries into sexualised content on the app. Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
January 10, 2026 at 8:21 AM
So in Indonesis child porn is illegal *even* it the perpetrator is a billionaire. Is this thing of applying the law also to billionaires this "Sharia law" people are talking so much about?
There’s a case for the entire cabinet, if not the entire parliament, having to give up their phone and never use the internet, like presidents not having access to any assets during their term
Very real possibility that our politicians have been vastly overestimating the number of fascist freaks in the country, which would actually explain a lot
This is the 'engagement' that the Irish government has been using to justify remaining on X. These are the top replies to a randomly chosen recent post.
January 10, 2026 at 12:32 AM
There’s a case for the entire cabinet, if not the entire parliament, having to give up their phone and never use the internet, like presidents not having access to any assets during their term
Reposted by Matthew Parkinson-Bennett
Very real possibility that our politicians have been vastly overestimating the number of fascist freaks in the country, which would actually explain a lot
This is the 'engagement' that the Irish government has been using to justify remaining on X. These are the top replies to a randomly chosen recent post.
January 9, 2026 at 10:41 PM
Very real possibility that our politicians have been vastly overestimating the number of fascist freaks in the country, which would actually explain a lot
Reposted by Matthew Parkinson-Bennett
BREAKING: Trump says it would be an honor to accept Lee Greenwood's 1985 Grammy award for Top Male Vocal Performance.
January 10, 2026 at 12:09 AM
BREAKING: Trump says it would be an honor to accept Lee Greenwood's 1985 Grammy award for Top Male Vocal Performance.
Watched A Few Good Men, a movie about how it’s unreasonable to expect soldiers to disobey illegal orders. (A moral weakness that they try to solve with a little little flurry of ethics at the end.)
January 9, 2026 at 10:13 PM
Watched A Few Good Men, a movie about how it’s unreasonable to expect soldiers to disobey illegal orders. (A moral weakness that they try to solve with a little little flurry of ethics at the end.)
Look what I’m after finding in the street library box
“Many of the stories and characters of the Old and New Testament, as well as Greek myths, are seen to be founded on the fertility religions of our ancestors,” says the back
Hmmmmmm
“Many of the stories and characters of the Old and New Testament, as well as Greek myths, are seen to be founded on the fertility religions of our ancestors,” says the back
Hmmmmmm
January 9, 2026 at 8:41 PM
Look what I’m after finding in the street library box
“Many of the stories and characters of the Old and New Testament, as well as Greek myths, are seen to be founded on the fertility religions of our ancestors,” says the back
Hmmmmmm
“Many of the stories and characters of the Old and New Testament, as well as Greek myths, are seen to be founded on the fertility religions of our ancestors,” says the back
Hmmmmmm
Reposted by Matthew Parkinson-Bennett
Being able to distinguish between things is literally the foundation of cognition. It’s the most important thing you are able to do. Why give it up?
January 9, 2026 at 5:06 PM
Being able to distinguish between things is literally the foundation of cognition. It’s the most important thing you are able to do. Why give it up?
“The whole world has taken a dark turn… Carney”
January 9, 2026 at 5:00 PM
“The whole world has taken a dark turn… Carney”
Reposted by Matthew Parkinson-Bennett
🚨 AI Minister Niamh Smyth says it isn't appropriate for the Government to maintain a presence on X and will speak to the Taoiseach on the matter.
Says the European Commission should immediately suspend Grok while investigations are continuing.
More on @virginmedianews.bsky.social
Says the European Commission should immediately suspend Grok while investigations are continuing.
More on @virginmedianews.bsky.social
January 9, 2026 at 2:42 PM
🚨 AI Minister Niamh Smyth says it isn't appropriate for the Government to maintain a presence on X and will speak to the Taoiseach on the matter.
Says the European Commission should immediately suspend Grok while investigations are continuing.
More on @virginmedianews.bsky.social
Says the European Commission should immediately suspend Grok while investigations are continuing.
More on @virginmedianews.bsky.social
Just seen a useful post on LinkedIn about ceasing using X. If you delete your account, your handle then becomes available for anyone to use. Which depending who you are and what the handle was could cause you problems. May in some cases be better to retain it as a placeholder.
January 9, 2026 at 1:32 PM
Just seen a useful post on LinkedIn about ceasing using X. If you delete your account, your handle then becomes available for anyone to use. Which depending who you are and what the handle was could cause you problems. May in some cases be better to retain it as a placeholder.
Big month ahead for Irish kidlit: an amazing YA debut (little mermaid retelling!) bu @rurooie.bsky.social from @littleislandbooks.bsky.social, and an absolutely gorgeous tear-jerker of a picturebook from the best of the best, Deirdre Sullivan
February kids books of note:
>Little Passenger by Deirdre Sullivan & Jessica Love >AdventureMice: Of Mice & Mummies by @sarahmcintyre.bsky.social & philipreeve.bsky.social
>The Lions' Run by sarapennypacker.bsky.social with at least cover illustration by Jon Klassen
>Shorlines by rurooie.bsky.social
>Little Passenger by Deirdre Sullivan & Jessica Love >AdventureMice: Of Mice & Mummies by @sarahmcintyre.bsky.social & philipreeve.bsky.social
>The Lions' Run by sarapennypacker.bsky.social with at least cover illustration by Jon Klassen
>Shorlines by rurooie.bsky.social
January 9, 2026 at 12:18 PM
Big month ahead for Irish kidlit: an amazing YA debut (little mermaid retelling!) bu @rurooie.bsky.social from @littleislandbooks.bsky.social, and an absolutely gorgeous tear-jerker of a picturebook from the best of the best, Deirdre Sullivan
8yo on finding Gideon’s Bible in a hotel room: “Oh I’ve always wanted to read the Bible!”
Half an hour later while watching TV: “Is it OK if I just read the Bible instead?”
Half an hour later while watching TV: “Is it OK if I just read the Bible instead?”
January 9, 2026 at 11:58 AM
8yo on finding Gideon’s Bible in a hotel room: “Oh I’ve always wanted to read the Bible!”
Half an hour later while watching TV: “Is it OK if I just read the Bible instead?”
Half an hour later while watching TV: “Is it OK if I just read the Bible instead?”
Reposted by Matthew Parkinson-Bennett
Top tips from a master.
January 9, 2026 at 11:42 AM
Top tips from a master.
They really are full-on smearing a murdered mother
DOOCY: You just suggested Renee Good is part of a broader left-wing network. Who do you think is behind this network?
JD VANCE: Well, it's one of the things we're gonna have to figure out
JD VANCE: Well, it's one of the things we're gonna have to figure out
January 9, 2026 at 11:38 AM
They really are full-on smearing a murdered mother
Reposted by Matthew Parkinson-Bennett
Reposted by Matthew Parkinson-Bennett
The Minister for being from Limerick when the Ryder Cup happens there in 2027
January 9, 2026 at 10:19 AM
The Minister for being from Limerick when the Ryder Cup happens there in 2027
We have the worst possible media minister to meet this moment. A do-nothing jobsworth filling time till pension would be better than this headline-hungry pat-me-on-the-head gobshite.
January 9, 2026 at 10:09 AM
We have the worst possible media minister to meet this moment. A do-nothing jobsworth filling time till pension would be better than this headline-hungry pat-me-on-the-head gobshite.
Reposted by Matthew Parkinson-Bennett
You say you didn't do it, for form's sake - it gives you a line, it clouds the issue in "balanced" reporting, and it gives your supporters something to say in arguments (or even, hell, believe!). But you still, nonetheless, want people to understand that you did this, and you would do this again.
January 9, 2026 at 9:37 AM
You say you didn't do it, for form's sake - it gives you a line, it clouds the issue in "balanced" reporting, and it gives your supporters something to say in arguments (or even, hell, believe!). But you still, nonetheless, want people to understand that you did this, and you would do this again.
Reposted by Matthew Parkinson-Bennett
banning X is a national security issue for every country, plain and simple
its explicit goal is to amplify and empower the largest Nazi-adjacent party in every country in which it operates
it is also the largest deepfake porn generator in the world
this is not a difficult call to make
its explicit goal is to amplify and empower the largest Nazi-adjacent party in every country in which it operates
it is also the largest deepfake porn generator in the world
this is not a difficult call to make
January 8, 2026 at 5:43 PM
banning X is a national security issue for every country, plain and simple
its explicit goal is to amplify and empower the largest Nazi-adjacent party in every country in which it operates
it is also the largest deepfake porn generator in the world
this is not a difficult call to make
its explicit goal is to amplify and empower the largest Nazi-adjacent party in every country in which it operates
it is also the largest deepfake porn generator in the world
this is not a difficult call to make