Gerard Beirne
@gerardbeirne.bsky.social
Author of 8 books of fiction & poetry. Recent:The Thickness of Ice (novel, Baraka Books, 2024);The Death Poems (Salt, 2023).Winner of Rubery Award for Fiction. Shortlisted Danuta Gleed Award, Bord Gais Irish Book Awards, & Kerry Group Irish Fiction Award.
Pinned
Gerard Beirne
@gerardbeirne.bsky.social
· Jul 15
2025 Winners
FICTION Winner The Thickness of Ice by Gerard Beirne A restrained, but immersive novel set in the subarctic town of Churchill, Manitoba. We shift between different times and focuses and that makes...
www.ruberybookaward.com
Very pleased to have won the 2025 International Rubery Book Award for Fiction for The Thickness of Ice (Baraka Books).
www.ruberybookaward.com/2025-winners...
www.ruberybookaward.com/2025-winners...
Reposted by Gerard Beirne
Yup, I can recommend this one! 😉
Lots of great writing courses coming up at the Irish Writers Centre @irishwriterscentre.bsky.social in the New Year including this one fro yours truly:
irishwriterscentre.ie/courses/the-...
irishwriterscentre.ie/courses/the-...
The Contemporary American Short Story with Gerard Beirne - Irish Writers Centre
6-week online course exploring the American short story with Gerard Beirne. Starts Wednesday 28 January 2026, 7.00pm - 9.00pm.
irishwriterscentre.ie
December 18, 2025 at 8:29 PM
Yup, I can recommend this one! 😉
Poem by Denis Johnson (via Narrative)
December 17, 2025 at 7:32 PM
Poem by Denis Johnson (via Narrative)
“Those who believe in telekinetics, raise my hand.”
― Kurt Vonnegut
― Kurt Vonnegut
December 17, 2025 at 1:22 PM
“Those who believe in telekinetics, raise my hand.”
― Kurt Vonnegut
― Kurt Vonnegut
Reposted by Gerard Beirne
Oh my goodness. My son just sent a picture of where he is asking if I knew. I did.
December 15, 2025 at 8:39 PM
Oh my goodness. My son just sent a picture of where he is asking if I knew. I did.
Reposted by Gerard Beirne
Without libraries, I would be a pauper, intellectually and spiritually.
James Michener
James Michener
December 14, 2025 at 12:15 AM
Without libraries, I would be a pauper, intellectually and spiritually.
James Michener
James Michener
Without libraries, I would be a pauper, intellectually and spiritually.
James Michener
James Michener
December 14, 2025 at 12:15 AM
Without libraries, I would be a pauper, intellectually and spiritually.
James Michener
James Michener
Reposted by Gerard Beirne
Sitting with my window open, listening to the ridiculously civilised Sligo nightlife unfolding outside, with Fairytale of New York drifting gently across the Garavogue River.
December 13, 2025 at 12:17 AM
Sitting with my window open, listening to the ridiculously civilised Sligo nightlife unfolding outside, with Fairytale of New York drifting gently across the Garavogue River.
Reposted by Gerard Beirne
Take a few minutes of peace:
Sinéad O’Connor (born December 8, 1966) sings Silent Night.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWpX...
Sinéad O’Connor (born December 8, 1966) sings Silent Night.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWpX...
Silent Night (Long Version)
YouTube video by Sinead O'Connor - Topic
www.youtube.com
December 13, 2025 at 7:39 PM
Take a few minutes of peace:
Sinéad O’Connor (born December 8, 1966) sings Silent Night.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWpX...
Sinéad O’Connor (born December 8, 1966) sings Silent Night.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWpX...
“We have to continually be jumping off cliffs and developing our wings on the way down.”
― Kurt Vonnegut
― Kurt Vonnegut
December 12, 2025 at 11:34 PM
“We have to continually be jumping off cliffs and developing our wings on the way down.”
― Kurt Vonnegut
― Kurt Vonnegut
"...a range of short stories from leading contemporary American writers, blending close reading with creative practice. Participants will study their techniques... and apply what you learn to your own writing to strengthen your craft and develop your voice.#2
irishwriterscentre.ie/courses/the-...
irishwriterscentre.ie/courses/the-...
The Contemporary American Short Story with Gerard Beirne - Irish Writers Centre
6-week online course exploring the American short story with Gerard Beirne. Starts Wednesday 28 January 2026, 7.00pm - 9.00pm.
irishwriterscentre.ie
December 11, 2025 at 10:07 PM
"...a range of short stories from leading contemporary American writers, blending close reading with creative practice. Participants will study their techniques... and apply what you learn to your own writing to strengthen your craft and develop your voice.#2
irishwriterscentre.ie/courses/the-...
irishwriterscentre.ie/courses/the-...
Reposted by Gerard Beirne
Dorothy Parker on the most beautiful words in the English language:
"The ones I like … are "cheque" and "enclosed."
"The ones I like … are "cheque" and "enclosed."
December 9, 2025 at 8:49 PM
Dorothy Parker on the most beautiful words in the English language:
"The ones I like … are "cheque" and "enclosed."
"The ones I like … are "cheque" and "enclosed."
Dorothy Parker on the most beautiful words in the English language:
"The ones I like … are "cheque" and "enclosed."
"The ones I like … are "cheque" and "enclosed."
December 9, 2025 at 8:49 PM
Dorothy Parker on the most beautiful words in the English language:
"The ones I like … are "cheque" and "enclosed."
"The ones I like … are "cheque" and "enclosed."
Reposted by Gerard Beirne
Announcing my upcoming online workshop in #haiku and related forms @irishwriterscentre.bsky.social. It will run (in the evenings) for four weeks from Monday 12th January. All likes / shares / mentions much appreciated! 🙏🏻 irishwriterscentre.ie/courses/japa...
Japanese Short Forms with Maeve O'Sullivan - Irish Writers Centre
4-week online writing course looking at Japanese poetry forms with Maeve O'Sullivan. Starts Tuesday 12 January 2026, 6.30pm - 8.30pm.
irishwriterscentre.ie
December 9, 2025 at 1:57 PM
Announcing my upcoming online workshop in #haiku and related forms @irishwriterscentre.bsky.social. It will run (in the evenings) for four weeks from Monday 12th January. All likes / shares / mentions much appreciated! 🙏🏻 irishwriterscentre.ie/courses/japa...
Reposted by Gerard Beirne
We're thrilled to be supporting @poetryireland.bsky.social's Poet in Residence program.
Our congratulations to Sean Borodale!
Our congratulations to Sean Borodale!
Poetry Ireland is delighted to announce the appointment of Sean Borodale as its new Poet in Residence.
Read more about Sean and the role at: www.poetryireland.ie/news/poetry-...
The Poet in Residence is supported by @brinkerhoffpoetry.bsky.social
Read more about Sean and the role at: www.poetryireland.ie/news/poetry-...
The Poet in Residence is supported by @brinkerhoffpoetry.bsky.social
December 9, 2025 at 8:33 PM
We're thrilled to be supporting @poetryireland.bsky.social's Poet in Residence program.
Our congratulations to Sean Borodale!
Our congratulations to Sean Borodale!
Wishing Tom Waits a very happy 76th birthday!
December 7, 2025 at 11:11 PM
Wishing Tom Waits a very happy 76th birthday!
Reposted by Gerard Beirne
Me when I post about my own books.
December 7, 2025 at 7:01 PM
Me when I post about my own books.
Reposted by Gerard Beirne
Book of the Year
Eoin at his best—sentence by sentence. Courageous, stark, & uncompromising.
Taking a true story, he nevertheless creates—like all great writers—his own unique version of that world, complete with its own language, which reveals the truth more clearly than reality can reveal itself.
Eoin at his best—sentence by sentence. Courageous, stark, & uncompromising.
Taking a true story, he nevertheless creates—like all great writers—his own unique version of that world, complete with its own language, which reveals the truth more clearly than reality can reveal itself.
December 4, 2025 at 3:11 PM
Book of the Year
Eoin at his best—sentence by sentence. Courageous, stark, & uncompromising.
Taking a true story, he nevertheless creates—like all great writers—his own unique version of that world, complete with its own language, which reveals the truth more clearly than reality can reveal itself.
Eoin at his best—sentence by sentence. Courageous, stark, & uncompromising.
Taking a true story, he nevertheless creates—like all great writers—his own unique version of that world, complete with its own language, which reveals the truth more clearly than reality can reveal itself.
Reposted by Gerard Beirne
In all joking seriousness: You know how people use "factoid" to mean "cute little fact" as opposed to its original Mailerian definition of, basically, "something utterly bogus that appears in print and thus gains credence"?
1/
1/
Here's a fun factito:
Agnes signed a fancy $6,000-a-week contract* with MGM in the 1940s, with the very particular stipulation that she be allowed to continue to perform on the radio.
*So maybe $100,000 a week these days?
Agnes signed a fancy $6,000-a-week contract* with MGM in the 1940s, with the very particular stipulation that she be allowed to continue to perform on the radio.
*So maybe $100,000 a week these days?
Here are two views of birthday girl Agnes Moorehead performing the celebrated radio drama Sorry, Wrong Number (written by Lucille Fletcher, who was also the first Mrs. Bernard Herrmann and much later wrote my beloved Night Watch*).
*The play, not the dreadful film adaptation.
*The play, not the dreadful film adaptation.
December 6, 2025 at 6:22 PM
In all joking seriousness: You know how people use "factoid" to mean "cute little fact" as opposed to its original Mailerian definition of, basically, "something utterly bogus that appears in print and thus gains credence"?
1/
1/
Reposted by Gerard Beirne
It's like recognizing that the old-time sense of "begs the question" is irrevocably poisoned but still declining to use its newerfangled definition.
4/2
4/2
December 6, 2025 at 6:37 PM
It's like recognizing that the old-time sense of "begs the question" is irrevocably poisoned but still declining to use its newerfangled definition.
4/2
4/2
Joan Didion born December 5, 1934
December 5, 2025 at 8:48 PM
Joan Didion born December 5, 1934
Reposted by Gerard Beirne
In my defence, there will be books!
The ILT brings you all the essential news about Irish literature… and, well, a few other national obsessions too.
Late Late Toy Show 2025: What time does it start, what’s the theme, how to watch from abroad.
www.irishtimes.com/culture/tv-r...
Late Late Toy Show 2025: What time does it start, what’s the theme, how to watch from abroad.
www.irishtimes.com/culture/tv-r...
Late Late Toy Show 2025: What time does it start, what’s the theme, how to watch from abroad
Television: Marking the official start of Christmas in Ireland, the toy show arrives this week shrouded in more secrecy than usual
www.irishtimes.com
December 5, 2025 at 4:35 PM
In my defence, there will be books!
Reposted by Gerard Beirne
(I have included clips from 6 of P&P’s films in this thread on the off chance that some folks—w/ the exception of @patburke.bsky.social, obvs—have not seen all of them.)
December 5, 2025 at 4:35 PM
(I have included clips from 6 of P&P’s films in this thread on the off chance that some folks—w/ the exception of @patburke.bsky.social, obvs—have not seen all of them.)
“English words are like prisms. Empty, nothing inside, and still they make rainbows.”
― Denis Johnson
― Denis Johnson
December 5, 2025 at 4:21 PM
“English words are like prisms. Empty, nothing inside, and still they make rainbows.”
― Denis Johnson
― Denis Johnson
Reposted by Gerard Beirne
Introduce yourself by naming five books by Irish writers that you have read.
At Swim Two Birds - O'Brien
The Van - Doyle
The Unnamable - Beckett
Rachel's Holiday - Keyes
We Don't Know Ourselves - O'Toole
The Van - Doyle
The Unnamable - Beckett
Rachel's Holiday - Keyes
We Don't Know Ourselves - O'Toole
December 5, 2025 at 4:15 PM
Introduce yourself by naming five books by Irish writers that you have read.