Neil Hegarty
@neilhegarty.bsky.social
Writer, Dublin & Derry. Worlds, words.
Novels: The Jewel•Inch Levels.
Essays (ed.): Impermanence.
Dublin Review•Stinging Fly•Banshee•PVA•
Tangerine•Cyphers•Irish Times
📖 & 🌿 & 🏳️🌈 & 🎂
neilhegarty.com
Novels: The Jewel•Inch Levels.
Essays (ed.): Impermanence.
Dublin Review•Stinging Fly•Banshee•PVA•
Tangerine•Cyphers•Irish Times
📖 & 🌿 & 🏳️🌈 & 🎂
neilhegarty.com
Pinned
Neil Hegarty
@neilhegarty.bsky.social
· Jun 1
Very glad to have first glimpse of my essay 'Beach Trip to Gaza', in the latest issue of @bansheepress.bsky.social.
A glimpse today of mighty Muckish - distant, and snow-gleaming - behind Inch Castle.
January 7, 2026 at 3:03 PM
A glimpse today of mighty Muckish - distant, and snow-gleaming - behind Inch Castle.
Derry's city walls, cannon, winter sycamores, Royal Bastion, snowy Donegal hills.
January 7, 2026 at 10:54 AM
Derry's city walls, cannon, winter sycamores, Royal Bastion, snowy Donegal hills.
Reposted by Neil Hegarty
Reposted by Neil Hegarty
My brain is currently grasping after garden planning like a life raft following a capsize in a force 10 gale.
Even the names of roses are a calming mantra: Alchymist, Compassion, Crépuscule, Danse du Feu, Earth Angel, Nuits de Young, Pax, Rosa Mundi, Tottering-by-Gently, Zéphirine Drouhin.
Even the names of roses are a calming mantra: Alchymist, Compassion, Crépuscule, Danse du Feu, Earth Angel, Nuits de Young, Pax, Rosa Mundi, Tottering-by-Gently, Zéphirine Drouhin.
January 3, 2026 at 5:59 PM
My brain is currently grasping after garden planning like a life raft following a capsize in a force 10 gale.
Even the names of roses are a calming mantra: Alchymist, Compassion, Crépuscule, Danse du Feu, Earth Angel, Nuits de Young, Pax, Rosa Mundi, Tottering-by-Gently, Zéphirine Drouhin.
Even the names of roses are a calming mantra: Alchymist, Compassion, Crépuscule, Danse du Feu, Earth Angel, Nuits de Young, Pax, Rosa Mundi, Tottering-by-Gently, Zéphirine Drouhin.
Reposted by Neil Hegarty
Unless and until we get rid of the profit motive, our societies will never heal.
January 4, 2026 at 12:01 PM
Unless and until we get rid of the profit motive, our societies will never heal.
Reposted by Neil Hegarty
24 hours ago, journalists were wondering aloud what "deployed decorum to mask agendas of cruelty" could possibly mean
Hard to watch US TV media discussing how the US might occupy and run a foreign country as if it’s a perfectly normal political development.
January 3, 2026 at 8:58 PM
24 hours ago, journalists were wondering aloud what "deployed decorum to mask agendas of cruelty" could possibly mean
Reposted by Neil Hegarty
My final fiction in translation column for @irishtimes.com is now online for subscribers.
www.irishtimes.com/culture/book...
www.irishtimes.com/culture/book...
Rónán Hession on January’s best fiction in translation: ‘Chinese writing is the most interesting literature being produced today’
Works by Solvej Balle, Ryunosuke Akutagawa, Ágota Kristóf, Rene Karabas and Ning Ken
www.irishtimes.com
January 4, 2026 at 10:11 AM
My final fiction in translation column for @irishtimes.com is now online for subscribers.
www.irishtimes.com/culture/book...
www.irishtimes.com/culture/book...
Reposted by Neil Hegarty
Today is the 50th anniversary of the O’Dowd murders, which I wrote about in this 2022 essay. Dirty Linen: The Troubles in My Home Place grew out of it and devotes two chapters to it. Honoured to have been invited to the family’s commemoration. www.irishtimes.com/culture/book...
A ghost estate and an empty grave: ‘I don’t think Northern Ireland was worth one life’
The O’Dowds moved South after three of the family were murdered but some wounds never heal
www.irishtimes.com
January 4, 2026 at 8:53 AM
Today is the 50th anniversary of the O’Dowd murders, which I wrote about in this 2022 essay. Dirty Linen: The Troubles in My Home Place grew out of it and devotes two chapters to it. Honoured to have been invited to the family’s commemoration. www.irishtimes.com/culture/book...
On this bitterly cold day: rosemary and fragrant winter daphne in full bloom.
January 3, 2026 at 3:43 PM
On this bitterly cold day: rosemary and fragrant winter daphne in full bloom.
Happy New Year, everyone.
December 31, 2025 at 5:19 PM
Happy New Year, everyone.
Reposted by Neil Hegarty
Open up this picture fully.
Then look at the surface of Mars.
Then look up to the top right.
Spot Mars' moon Phobos high in the sky.
Then notice the bright spot beside Phobos.
That's Earth.
Then look at the surface of Mars.
Then look up to the top right.
Spot Mars' moon Phobos high in the sky.
Then notice the bright spot beside Phobos.
That's Earth.
December 30, 2025 at 9:30 PM
Open up this picture fully.
Then look at the surface of Mars.
Then look up to the top right.
Spot Mars' moon Phobos high in the sky.
Then notice the bright spot beside Phobos.
That's Earth.
Then look at the surface of Mars.
Then look up to the top right.
Spot Mars' moon Phobos high in the sky.
Then notice the bright spot beside Phobos.
That's Earth.
Reposted by Neil Hegarty
Reposted by Neil Hegarty
Tune in on New Year’s Eve from 5pm
on most podcast platforms
for One Last Storm
for 2025
Guests include @karenpgonzalez.bsky.social Kevin Graham & @mollytwomey.bsky.social
on most podcast platforms
for One Last Storm
for 2025
Guests include @karenpgonzalez.bsky.social Kevin Graham & @mollytwomey.bsky.social
December 29, 2025 at 9:22 PM
Tune in on New Year’s Eve from 5pm
on most podcast platforms
for One Last Storm
for 2025
Guests include @karenpgonzalez.bsky.social Kevin Graham & @mollytwomey.bsky.social
on most podcast platforms
for One Last Storm
for 2025
Guests include @karenpgonzalez.bsky.social Kevin Graham & @mollytwomey.bsky.social
I think I detect a wee stretch in the evening...
December 26, 2025 at 4:20 PM
I think I detect a wee stretch in the evening...
Bracing Christmas morning at Poolbeg.
Merry Christmas, everyone. x
Merry Christmas, everyone. x
December 25, 2025 at 2:50 PM
Bracing Christmas morning at Poolbeg.
Merry Christmas, everyone. x
Merry Christmas, everyone. x
Reposted by Neil Hegarty
Wishing you all a wonderful Christmas.
December 24, 2025 at 6:05 PM
Wishing you all a wonderful Christmas.
There! And it only took me three days.
December 22, 2025 at 5:59 PM
There! And it only took me three days.
Gingerbread City.
December 21, 2025 at 4:01 PM
Gingerbread City.
All the carmines for Christmas.
December 21, 2025 at 3:24 PM
All the carmines for Christmas.
Reposted by Neil Hegarty
Otter patrol, what joy on a beautiful morning
December 20, 2025 at 3:45 PM
Otter patrol, what joy on a beautiful morning
Reposted by Neil Hegarty
For the day that's in it, my poem Midwinter from my third collection Pit Lullabies performed by Ayesha Ostler & recorded by the lovely folks at @brinkerhoffpoetry.bsky.social
@bloodaxebooks.bsky.social
youtu.be/eE1DSoRfrck?...
@bloodaxebooks.bsky.social
youtu.be/eE1DSoRfrck?...
Ayesha Ostler reads Jessica Traynor's "Midwinter"
YouTube video by Adrian Brinkerhoff Poetry Foundation
youtu.be
December 21, 2025 at 3:20 PM
For the day that's in it, my poem Midwinter from my third collection Pit Lullabies performed by Ayesha Ostler & recorded by the lovely folks at @brinkerhoffpoetry.bsky.social
@bloodaxebooks.bsky.social
youtu.be/eE1DSoRfrck?...
@bloodaxebooks.bsky.social
youtu.be/eE1DSoRfrck?...