Oisín Breen
@oisinbreen.bsky.social
Poet, Financial Journalist (RIABiz), and occasional narratologist.
Buy my work here: https://linktr.ee/OBreen
@Breen@mastodon.ie // @Breen
Buy my work here: https://linktr.ee/OBreen
@Breen@mastodon.ie // @Breen
I'd recommend people in the US read this book today.
Prophet Song | Oneworld
'Paul Lynch is peerless' Donal Ryan, author of Strange Flowers An Irish Times 'Book to Look Forward to in 2023' A fearless portrait of a society on the brink as a mother faces a terrible choice, from an internationally award-winning author On a dark, wet evening in Dublin, scientist and mother-of-four Eilish Stack answers her front door to find the GNSB on her doorstep. Two officers from Ireland’s newly formed secret police want to speak with her husband, Larry, a trade unionist for the Teachers’ Union of Ireland. Things are falling apart. Ireland is in the grip of a government that is taking a turn towards tyranny. And as the blood-dimmed tide is loosed, Eilish finds herself caught within the nightmare logic of a collapsing society — assailed by unpredictable forces beyond her control and forced to do whatever it takes to keep her family together. Exhilarating, terrifying, propulsive and confrontational, Prophet Song is a work of breathtaking originality and devastating insight, a novel that can be read as a parable of the present, the future and the past.
oneworld-publications.com
January 25, 2026 at 9:51 AM
I'd recommend people in the US read this book today.
Remembering the guy at house parties who always tries to take over the music to play you 'real hot shit,' in other words, the seven millionth attempt to play arcade five, the flaming lips, and, maybe, Beirut.
Is he still a thing?
Is he still a thing?
January 24, 2026 at 5:31 PM
Remembering the guy at house parties who always tries to take over the music to play you 'real hot shit,' in other words, the seven millionth attempt to play arcade five, the flaming lips, and, maybe, Beirut.
Is he still a thing?
Is he still a thing?
Strumpet City
What a line.
What a line.
January 24, 2026 at 3:35 PM
Strumpet City
What a line.
What a line.
Good stuff for a Saturday afternoon.
Thick as a Brick - Album by Jethro Tull | Spotify
Jethro Tull · album · 1972 · 4 songs
open.spotify.com
January 24, 2026 at 1:21 PM
Good stuff for a Saturday afternoon.
From now on, imagine Trump's speeches in valley girl vocal fry.
'oh my gawd, it's juhst soh unfair, we got everything, then we wanted more and they said no? Like worst people ever!'
Then you realise how small, how weak the man really is.
A petulant embarrassment.
'oh my gawd, it's juhst soh unfair, we got everything, then we wanted more and they said no? Like worst people ever!'
Then you realise how small, how weak the man really is.
A petulant embarrassment.
January 21, 2026 at 4:57 PM
From now on, imagine Trump's speeches in valley girl vocal fry.
'oh my gawd, it's juhst soh unfair, we got everything, then we wanted more and they said no? Like worst people ever!'
Then you realise how small, how weak the man really is.
A petulant embarrassment.
'oh my gawd, it's juhst soh unfair, we got everything, then we wanted more and they said no? Like worst people ever!'
Then you realise how small, how weak the man really is.
A petulant embarrassment.
Slightly surreal listening to Schwab's do-de-da-do-de-da-do earnings call pre-call muzak for work, when everyone in the world is listening to the orange nitwit at Davos.
January 21, 2026 at 1:31 PM
Slightly surreal listening to Schwab's do-de-da-do-de-da-do earnings call pre-call muzak for work, when everyone in the world is listening to the orange nitwit at Davos.
Christ, minus 7 outside, inside this taxi, his thermostat's at 35...
And he's wearing a bubble boiler coat...
God damn, why!? Just because it's freezing out, doesn't mean beach weather inside...
I'm dressed for the cold, this cab is ghastly as a result.
And he's wearing a bubble boiler coat...
God damn, why!? Just because it's freezing out, doesn't mean beach weather inside...
I'm dressed for the cold, this cab is ghastly as a result.
January 21, 2026 at 3:22 AM
Christ, minus 7 outside, inside this taxi, his thermostat's at 35...
And he's wearing a bubble boiler coat...
God damn, why!? Just because it's freezing out, doesn't mean beach weather inside...
I'm dressed for the cold, this cab is ghastly as a result.
And he's wearing a bubble boiler coat...
God damn, why!? Just because it's freezing out, doesn't mean beach weather inside...
I'm dressed for the cold, this cab is ghastly as a result.
Where did all the adults in the US go?
Can we ask the bond market to do us a favour and force someone like Mario Draghi on them? You know... Boring ... Competent... Dull... Not utterly fucking mental.
It's not a big ask, right? An actual adult in charge?
They elect movie & TV stars. It's weird.
Can we ask the bond market to do us a favour and force someone like Mario Draghi on them? You know... Boring ... Competent... Dull... Not utterly fucking mental.
It's not a big ask, right? An actual adult in charge?
They elect movie & TV stars. It's weird.
January 20, 2026 at 3:08 PM
Where did all the adults in the US go?
Can we ask the bond market to do us a favour and force someone like Mario Draghi on them? You know... Boring ... Competent... Dull... Not utterly fucking mental.
It's not a big ask, right? An actual adult in charge?
They elect movie & TV stars. It's weird.
Can we ask the bond market to do us a favour and force someone like Mario Draghi on them? You know... Boring ... Competent... Dull... Not utterly fucking mental.
It's not a big ask, right? An actual adult in charge?
They elect movie & TV stars. It's weird.
Isn't there an incompetence article in the US constitution? You'd think now might be an appropriate time.
January 18, 2026 at 9:16 AM
Isn't there an incompetence article in the US constitution? You'd think now might be an appropriate time.
I've been accosted by a Styrian truck driver who keeps buying me shots.
Amazingly my German is vaguely holding out.
Amazingly my German is vaguely holding out.
January 17, 2026 at 7:33 PM
I've been accosted by a Styrian truck driver who keeps buying me shots.
Amazingly my German is vaguely holding out.
Amazingly my German is vaguely holding out.
Went to an Eng lit event in a European city. Was sure it'd suck (it largely did, bar 2, and 2 nice people in crowd), but it strikes me just how homogeneous these things now are. No risk taking, no attempt at art, just drab beige and authenticity bingo.
January 16, 2026 at 11:33 AM
Went to an Eng lit event in a European city. Was sure it'd suck (it largely did, bar 2, and 2 nice people in crowd), but it strikes me just how homogeneous these things now are. No risk taking, no attempt at art, just drab beige and authenticity bingo.
How it's taken me 40 years to read Strumpet City...
January 15, 2026 at 12:16 AM
How it's taken me 40 years to read Strumpet City...
I absolutely bloody love that this was reported in the news...
Aer Lingus passenger horrified after ordering sandwich on flight from Dublin | Dublin Live
EXCLUSIVE: Oisín Breen was on a flight from Dublin to Toronto when he was served with something "atrocious", and he is now contemplating steering clear of the airline altogether
www.dublinlive.ie
January 13, 2026 at 9:34 PM
I absolutely bloody love that this was reported in the news...
If Iran does break from the Ayatollah, just how badly does that hurt Russia, I wonder.
Would China fill the weapons shortfall?
Would China fill the weapons shortfall?
January 13, 2026 at 6:01 PM
If Iran does break from the Ayatollah, just how badly does that hurt Russia, I wonder.
Would China fill the weapons shortfall?
Would China fill the weapons shortfall?
Duck yeah
Trump may be the beginning of the end for ‘enshittification’ – this is our chance to make tech good again | Cory Doctorow
The US president is weaponising tech, but his tariffs and Brexit provide a surprising opportunity to gain back digital control of our lives, says science fiction author, activist and journalist Cory Doctorow
www.theguardian.com
January 10, 2026 at 4:41 PM
Duck yeah
Art is not about you.
January 10, 2026 at 1:07 PM
Art is not about you.
Ah Dublin Dublin Dublin Town
January 9, 2026 at 6:51 PM
Ah Dublin Dublin Dublin Town
Hessell, my best friend, the rabbit, died today, last year.
I miss him greatly.
Last of a wonderful warren of four.
My love for them is absolute.
I miss him greatly.
Last of a wonderful warren of four.
My love for them is absolute.
January 5, 2026 at 2:08 AM
Hessell, my best friend, the rabbit, died today, last year.
I miss him greatly.
Last of a wonderful warren of four.
My love for them is absolute.
I miss him greatly.
Last of a wonderful warren of four.
My love for them is absolute.
Happy New Year from Jamaica!
December 31, 2025 at 11:07 PM
Happy New Year from Jamaica!
Christmas, the time of giving.
@aerlingus1.bsky.social long haul flight, hold my beer.
#enshittification #ripoffireland
@aerlingus1.bsky.social long haul flight, hold my beer.
#enshittification #ripoffireland
December 26, 2025 at 10:24 PM
Christmas, the time of giving.
@aerlingus1.bsky.social long haul flight, hold my beer.
#enshittification #ripoffireland
@aerlingus1.bsky.social long haul flight, hold my beer.
#enshittification #ripoffireland
The pleasures of home.
December 17, 2025 at 3:43 PM
The pleasures of home.
"'Censorship of free speech' is mere code for the regulation of social media corporations," says Fintan O'Toole.
Solid article.
Solid article.
Fintan O'Toole: This is a column about the Opium War - all resemblance to living people entirely intended
For the opium lords of 1839, think the tech bros of 2025. For opium, think algorithms
www.irishtimes.com
December 16, 2025 at 7:39 AM
"'Censorship of free speech' is mere code for the regulation of social media corporations," says Fintan O'Toole.
Solid article.
Solid article.
Tomorrow, the 36-day Odyssey begins.
Edinburgh -> Dublin -> Toronto -> Jamaica -> Toronto -> Dublin -> Vienna -> Edinburgh.
Thank god for remote working.
Edinburgh -> Dublin -> Toronto -> Jamaica -> Toronto -> Dublin -> Vienna -> Edinburgh.
Thank god for remote working.
December 15, 2025 at 12:36 PM
Tomorrow, the 36-day Odyssey begins.
Edinburgh -> Dublin -> Toronto -> Jamaica -> Toronto -> Dublin -> Vienna -> Edinburgh.
Thank god for remote working.
Edinburgh -> Dublin -> Toronto -> Jamaica -> Toronto -> Dublin -> Vienna -> Edinburgh.
Thank god for remote working.
Reposted by Oisín Breen
🚨 The UK government just published a breakdown of the responses to its consultation on AI & copyright:
- 95% of respondents want AI companies to pay for their training data (made up of 88% saying strengthen copyright law, & 7% saying leave it as is)
🧵 1/2
- 95% of respondents want AI companies to pay for their training data (made up of 88% saying strengthen copyright law, & 7% saying leave it as is)
🧵 1/2
December 15, 2025 at 11:22 AM
🚨 The UK government just published a breakdown of the responses to its consultation on AI & copyright:
- 95% of respondents want AI companies to pay for their training data (made up of 88% saying strengthen copyright law, & 7% saying leave it as is)
🧵 1/2
- 95% of respondents want AI companies to pay for their training data (made up of 88% saying strengthen copyright law, & 7% saying leave it as is)
🧵 1/2