The Pig's Back
@thepigsback.bsky.social
The Pig's Back is a literary journal based in Donegal. Edited by Dean Fee + Emily Cooper. Produced by the Regional Cultural Centre, Letterkenny.
Pinned
Issue Six of The Pig's Back is now available for pre-order. Featuring essays and fiction from Emily Iseult Duggan, Máiréad Enright (@maireadenright.bsky.social), Laura Fitzgerald, Sam Furlong (@samfurlong.bsky.social), Kerry Mahony, Kathy Stevens (@kathystevens91.bsky.social) and Paul Whyte.🐷 Link 👇
Reposted by The Pig's Back
Ordered @dan-sinnamon.bsky.social and @johannawinant.bsky.social’s freshly published Close Reading for the 21st Century to our library and pre-ordered next issue of @thepigsback.bsky.social (with an essay by Sophie Corser!!) - great day for anticipatory reading joy www.thepigsback.ie/shop/p/issue...
Issue Seven — The Pig's Back
Featuring writing from Sophie Corser, Wendy Erskine, Rosa Mäkelä, Dara McWade, Laura Morris, Nicole Morris and Odrán Waldron.
www.thepigsback.ie
October 21, 2025 at 4:55 PM
Ordered @dan-sinnamon.bsky.social and @johannawinant.bsky.social’s freshly published Close Reading for the 21st Century to our library and pre-ordered next issue of @thepigsback.bsky.social (with an essay by Sophie Corser!!) - great day for anticipatory reading joy www.thepigsback.ie/shop/p/issue...
Issue Seven of The Pig's Back is now available for pre-order. Featuring new writing from Sophie Corser, Wendy Erskine, Rosa Mäkelä, Dara McWade, Laura Morris, Nicole Morris and Odrán Waldron.
October 21, 2025 at 5:08 PM
Issue Seven of The Pig's Back is now available for pre-order. Featuring new writing from Sophie Corser, Wendy Erskine, Rosa Mäkelä, Dara McWade, Laura Morris, Nicole Morris and Odrán Waldron.
Reposted by The Pig's Back
The inaugural Dublin Small Press Fair is happening at the end of November!
30+ presses, events, readings, and more. Organised by me and @eireannmor.bsky.social. More information coming very soon - follow @dublinsmpressfair.bsky.social for updates
30+ presses, events, readings, and more. Organised by me and @eireannmor.bsky.social. More information coming very soon - follow @dublinsmpressfair.bsky.social for updates
October 15, 2025 at 2:02 PM
The inaugural Dublin Small Press Fair is happening at the end of November!
30+ presses, events, readings, and more. Organised by me and @eireannmor.bsky.social. More information coming very soon - follow @dublinsmpressfair.bsky.social for updates
30+ presses, events, readings, and more. Organised by me and @eireannmor.bsky.social. More information coming very soon - follow @dublinsmpressfair.bsky.social for updates
🐷 End of Summer Sale 🐷
For the next week we have up to 30% off select back issues on our website. There are literally only 1 or 2 of some of these left. So if you’re short one to fill the set (so far), get yourself over to our website before they sell out for good.
For the next week we have up to 30% off select back issues on our website. There are literally only 1 or 2 of some of these left. So if you’re short one to fill the set (so far), get yourself over to our website before they sell out for good.
August 14, 2025 at 11:07 AM
🐷 End of Summer Sale 🐷
For the next week we have up to 30% off select back issues on our website. There are literally only 1 or 2 of some of these left. So if you’re short one to fill the set (so far), get yourself over to our website before they sell out for good.
For the next week we have up to 30% off select back issues on our website. There are literally only 1 or 2 of some of these left. So if you’re short one to fill the set (so far), get yourself over to our website before they sell out for good.
"I was seventeen years old, pale as pasta water and about to carry out what would become the most elaborate sting operation ever seen in the history of Xtra-Vision video rental, main street, Tipperary Town, Ireland."
— Dove Sta Memoria: My Brain on Video Games, Paul Whyte
— Dove Sta Memoria: My Brain on Video Games, Paul Whyte
July 9, 2025 at 1:57 PM
"I was seventeen years old, pale as pasta water and about to carry out what would become the most elaborate sting operation ever seen in the history of Xtra-Vision video rental, main street, Tipperary Town, Ireland."
— Dove Sta Memoria: My Brain on Video Games, Paul Whyte
— Dove Sta Memoria: My Brain on Video Games, Paul Whyte
"Peter had told me they couldn’t get you off the mountain—something about money, and you being too heavy. I didn’t get it. I remembered how he used to pick you up like you were a sack of potatoes."
— Snow White, Kathy Stevens
— Snow White, Kathy Stevens
June 30, 2025 at 4:47 PM
"Peter had told me they couldn’t get you off the mountain—something about money, and you being too heavy. I didn’t get it. I remembered how he used to pick you up like you were a sack of potatoes."
— Snow White, Kathy Stevens
— Snow White, Kathy Stevens
Our editor Emily is running an 8-week non-fiction editing course with the Irish Writer's Centre.
"Each week we will workshop the participants’ work-in-progress with a focus on peer feedback, editing and structure, with the aim of building self-editing skills."
"Each week we will workshop the participants’ work-in-progress with a focus on peer feedback, editing and structure, with the aim of building self-editing skills."
🔹 UPCOMING COURSES 🔹
Self-Editing Non-Fiction with Emily Cooper
Aimed at writers with a body of non-fiction (small or large) that they are hoping to polish for publication.
🕣 6.30pm-8.30pm
📅 9 July 2025 (8 sessions)
💻 Online
irishwriterscentre.ie/courses/self...
Self-Editing Non-Fiction with Emily Cooper
Aimed at writers with a body of non-fiction (small or large) that they are hoping to polish for publication.
🕣 6.30pm-8.30pm
📅 9 July 2025 (8 sessions)
💻 Online
irishwriterscentre.ie/courses/self...
Self-Editing Non-Fiction with Emily Cooper - Irish Writers Centre
Starts Wednesday 9 July 2025. 8-week evening course aimed at writers with a body of non-fiction that they are hoping to polish for publication.
irishwriterscentre.ie
June 24, 2025 at 2:07 PM
Our editor Emily is running an 8-week non-fiction editing course with the Irish Writer's Centre.
"Each week we will workshop the participants’ work-in-progress with a focus on peer feedback, editing and structure, with the aim of building self-editing skills."
"Each week we will workshop the participants’ work-in-progress with a focus on peer feedback, editing and structure, with the aim of building self-editing skills."
"The woman at reception smiles like nothing bad has ever happened to her. She leads us around the retreat centre with such pride that you would think she built it with her bare hands."
— Saturn Return, Kerry Mahony
— Saturn Return, Kerry Mahony
June 10, 2025 at 11:47 AM
"The woman at reception smiles like nothing bad has ever happened to her. She leads us around the retreat centre with such pride that you would think she built it with her bare hands."
— Saturn Return, Kerry Mahony
— Saturn Return, Kerry Mahony
Reposted by The Pig's Back
For the Irish Itinerary Podcast (@efacis.bsky.social), I had a fun chat with Dean Fee and Emily Cooper of @thepigsback.bsky.social about their editing of the magazine, Irish literary journals and the Journals Fleadh, and their own writing:
www.efacis.eu/podcast
www.efacis.eu/podcast
May 29, 2025 at 12:24 PM
For the Irish Itinerary Podcast (@efacis.bsky.social), I had a fun chat with Dean Fee and Emily Cooper of @thepigsback.bsky.social about their editing of the magazine, Irish literary journals and the Journals Fleadh, and their own writing:
www.efacis.eu/podcast
www.efacis.eu/podcast
"Though Martin often watches home improvement shows and Netflix documentaries about bludgeoned women in bed on his laptop, he doesn’t believe there is any place for a television in an adult’s apartment."
— 'I could not have written this without you' by Sam Furlong.
— 'I could not have written this without you' by Sam Furlong.
May 28, 2025 at 1:07 PM
"Though Martin often watches home improvement shows and Netflix documentaries about bludgeoned women in bed on his laptop, he doesn’t believe there is any place for a television in an adult’s apartment."
— 'I could not have written this without you' by Sam Furlong.
— 'I could not have written this without you' by Sam Furlong.
Reposted by The Pig's Back
Issue 19 (spring/summer 2025) is gone to print! View the contents and pre-order your copy at the link in bio 😎
bansheepress.org/shop/p/issue...
bansheepress.org/shop/p/issue...
Issue 19 | Spring/Summer 2025 — Banshee Press
128 pages ISSN: 2009-857X ISBN: 978-1-917161-17-6
bansheepress.org
May 23, 2025 at 3:32 PM
Issue 19 (spring/summer 2025) is gone to print! View the contents and pre-order your copy at the link in bio 😎
bansheepress.org/shop/p/issue...
bansheepress.org/shop/p/issue...
'My father had said a lot of quotable things over his lifetime: 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑒𝑤𝑎𝑟𝑛𝑒𝑑 𝑖𝑠 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑚𝑒𝑑, or 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑛𝑜 𝑝𝑜𝑐𝑘𝑒𝑡𝑠 𝑖𝑛 𝑎 𝑠ℎ𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑑. “None of these are head stone appropriate,” I said to him.'
— from Land Eats You by Laura Fitzgerald
— from Land Eats You by Laura Fitzgerald
May 19, 2025 at 2:08 PM
'My father had said a lot of quotable things over his lifetime: 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑒𝑤𝑎𝑟𝑛𝑒𝑑 𝑖𝑠 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑚𝑒𝑑, or 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑛𝑜 𝑝𝑜𝑐𝑘𝑒𝑡𝑠 𝑖𝑛 𝑎 𝑠ℎ𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑑. “None of these are head stone appropriate,” I said to him.'
— from Land Eats You by Laura Fitzgerald
— from Land Eats You by Laura Fitzgerald
Reposted by The Pig's Back
"He thought Susan was a good girl, but foolish and in need of protection. He remembered her appearance on the day he arrested her: sweating, pale and aching in the septic ward of the Sparkhill Women’s Hospital."
— 'I am not going to punish you', Máiréad Enright.
— 'I am not going to punish you', Máiréad Enright.
April 28, 2025 at 1:42 PM
"He thought Susan was a good girl, but foolish and in need of protection. He remembered her appearance on the day he arrested her: sweating, pale and aching in the septic ward of the Sparkhill Women’s Hospital."
— 'I am not going to punish you', Máiréad Enright.
— 'I am not going to punish you', Máiréad Enright.
"He thought Susan was a good girl, but foolish and in need of protection. He remembered her appearance on the day he arrested her: sweating, pale and aching in the septic ward of the Sparkhill Women’s Hospital."
— 'I am not going to punish you', Máiréad Enright.
— 'I am not going to punish you', Máiréad Enright.
April 28, 2025 at 1:42 PM
"He thought Susan was a good girl, but foolish and in need of protection. He remembered her appearance on the day he arrested her: sweating, pale and aching in the septic ward of the Sparkhill Women’s Hospital."
— 'I am not going to punish you', Máiréad Enright.
— 'I am not going to punish you', Máiréad Enright.
🐷SUBMISSIONS NOW OPEN🐷
Send us your best essays and short fiction. Window closes at the end of the month and once again, please read the guidelines. thepigsback.ie/submit
Send us your best essays and short fiction. Window closes at the end of the month and once again, please read the guidelines. thepigsback.ie/submit
April 15, 2025 at 9:45 AM
🐷SUBMISSIONS NOW OPEN🐷
Send us your best essays and short fiction. Window closes at the end of the month and once again, please read the guidelines. thepigsback.ie/submit
Send us your best essays and short fiction. Window closes at the end of the month and once again, please read the guidelines. thepigsback.ie/submit
"I know that it's safer for children to walk to and from school in daylight; that there might be tear gas and harassment, but there are also witnesses. In the dark, it is more difficult to see, the soldiers and settlers are less watched and children can go missing."
April 14, 2025 at 2:39 PM
"I know that it's safer for children to walk to and from school in daylight; that there might be tear gas and harassment, but there are also witnesses. In the dark, it is more difficult to see, the soldiers and settlers are less watched and children can go missing."
Submissions open tomorrow!
🐷SUBMISSIONS 🐷
The submission window for our next issue will open between the 15th and the 30th April. We're looking for your best essays and short fiction. Please read the guidelines before submitting. thepigsback.ie/submit
The submission window for our next issue will open between the 15th and the 30th April. We're looking for your best essays and short fiction. Please read the guidelines before submitting. thepigsback.ie/submit
Submit — The Pig's Back
thepigsback.ie
April 14, 2025 at 10:52 AM
Submissions open tomorrow!
🐷SUBMISSIONS 🐷
The submission window for our next issue will open between the 15th and the 30th April. We're looking for your best essays and short fiction. Please read the guidelines before submitting. thepigsback.ie/submit
The submission window for our next issue will open between the 15th and the 30th April. We're looking for your best essays and short fiction. Please read the guidelines before submitting. thepigsback.ie/submit
Submit — The Pig's Back
thepigsback.ie
April 11, 2025 at 12:20 PM
🐷SUBMISSIONS 🐷
The submission window for our next issue will open between the 15th and the 30th April. We're looking for your best essays and short fiction. Please read the guidelines before submitting. thepigsback.ie/submit
The submission window for our next issue will open between the 15th and the 30th April. We're looking for your best essays and short fiction. Please read the guidelines before submitting. thepigsback.ie/submit
Reposted by The Pig's Back
I was lucky enough to participate in this last year, and would recommend it to anyone. (One of the pieces I workshopped is coming out in the new @thepigsback.bsky.social, and the open supportive atmosphere Arnold created helped give me the confidence to submit it. So now.).
Next Thursday, 03 April, 5pm, is the deadline to apply for places in the Summer School from @stingingfly.bsky.social . I'll be running the ONLINE Creative Non-Fiction Workshop. Hope you can join me!
April 1, 2025 at 4:36 PM
I was lucky enough to participate in this last year, and would recommend it to anyone. (One of the pieces I workshopped is coming out in the new @thepigsback.bsky.social, and the open supportive atmosphere Arnold created helped give me the confidence to submit it. So now.).
🐷 Issue Six 🐷 is back from the printers and will be dropping in through letterboxes and into the best bookshops in the next few days.
Featuring new work from Emily Iseult Duggan, Máiréad Enright, Laura Fitzgerald, Sam Furlong, Kerry Mahony, Kathy Stevens and Paul Whyte.
Featuring new work from Emily Iseult Duggan, Máiréad Enright, Laura Fitzgerald, Sam Furlong, Kerry Mahony, Kathy Stevens and Paul Whyte.
April 1, 2025 at 10:54 AM
🐷 Issue Six 🐷 is back from the printers and will be dropping in through letterboxes and into the best bookshops in the next few days.
Featuring new work from Emily Iseult Duggan, Máiréad Enright, Laura Fitzgerald, Sam Furlong, Kerry Mahony, Kathy Stevens and Paul Whyte.
Featuring new work from Emily Iseult Duggan, Máiréad Enright, Laura Fitzgerald, Sam Furlong, Kerry Mahony, Kathy Stevens and Paul Whyte.
Reposted by The Pig's Back
Issue Six of The Pig's Back is now available for pre-order. Featuring essays and fiction from Emily Iseult Duggan, Máiréad Enright (@maireadenright.bsky.social), Laura Fitzgerald, Sam Furlong (@samfurlong.bsky.social), Kerry Mahony, Kathy Stevens (@kathystevens91.bsky.social) and Paul Whyte.🐷 Link 👇
March 4, 2025 at 2:13 PM
Issue Six of The Pig's Back is now available for pre-order. Featuring essays and fiction from Emily Iseult Duggan, Máiréad Enright (@maireadenright.bsky.social), Laura Fitzgerald, Sam Furlong (@samfurlong.bsky.social), Kerry Mahony, Kathy Stevens (@kathystevens91.bsky.social) and Paul Whyte.🐷 Link 👇
Reposted by The Pig's Back
We love to see it @samfurlong.bsky.social
🐷 💚 🔥
🐷 💚 🔥
Issue Six of The Pig's Back is now available for pre-order. Featuring essays and fiction from Emily Iseult Duggan, Máiréad Enright (@maireadenright.bsky.social), Laura Fitzgerald, Sam Furlong (@samfurlong.bsky.social), Kerry Mahony, Kathy Stevens (@kathystevens91.bsky.social) and Paul Whyte.🐷 Link 👇
March 4, 2025 at 2:53 PM
We love to see it @samfurlong.bsky.social
🐷 💚 🔥
🐷 💚 🔥
Reposted by The Pig's Back
Very pleased about this.
Issue Six of The Pig's Back is now available for pre-order. Featuring essays and fiction from Emily Iseult Duggan, Máiréad Enright (@maireadenright.bsky.social), Laura Fitzgerald, Sam Furlong (@samfurlong.bsky.social), Kerry Mahony, Kathy Stevens (@kathystevens91.bsky.social) and Paul Whyte.🐷 Link 👇
March 4, 2025 at 6:33 PM
Very pleased about this.
Issue Six of The Pig's Back is now available for pre-order. Featuring essays and fiction from Emily Iseult Duggan, Máiréad Enright (@maireadenright.bsky.social), Laura Fitzgerald, Sam Furlong (@samfurlong.bsky.social), Kerry Mahony, Kathy Stevens (@kathystevens91.bsky.social) and Paul Whyte.🐷 Link 👇
March 4, 2025 at 2:13 PM
Issue Six of The Pig's Back is now available for pre-order. Featuring essays and fiction from Emily Iseult Duggan, Máiréad Enright (@maireadenright.bsky.social), Laura Fitzgerald, Sam Furlong (@samfurlong.bsky.social), Kerry Mahony, Kathy Stevens (@kathystevens91.bsky.social) and Paul Whyte.🐷 Link 👇