Where is Shane MacGowan’s 1916 Rifle?

We are sad to report that a Lee Enfield rifle, used in the 1916, Rising, belonging to the late great Shane MacGowan, has gone missing. The Lee Enfield 303 rifle was used by volunteers during Easter Week, and was given as a present to Shane MacGowan for his 60th birthday by fellow singer Glen Hansard. … Read more

Featured Artist: Caleb Butterly

As a child I was drawn to draw figures. I watched my mother paint and listened to my father tell stories. As my study and practice of art and anatomy have progressed in depth and complexity so too has my choice of models. As we all grow, live, love and age we acquire scars, stretchmarks, … Read more

Podcast: Musician of the Month John Cummins

We have a special edition in our Musician of the Month series as Frank Armstrong interviews John Cummins of the Dublin band Shakalak. Aficionados of the Dublin cultural scene over the past decade or two are likely to be familiar with John Cummins. Cutting a dash with a distinctive Rasputin beard and Reggae styles, John’s … Read more

Poem: ‘Faerie Fire’ by Rye Jaffe

Faerie Fire From forests, fields and fens, fair folk are found, where witchery winds with the wailing wind, dug deep down dreams drooled by departed drowned, as painfully professed by powers pinned. In iron, imps immersed incur ill eye, manacled to mortal machinations, while led by living lights, our lost lives lie sunk ‘neath stars … Read more

Joujouka Redux

My wrist watch stops dead shortly after we arrive in Tangier (at 21:16 – 2/6/2022, to be precise), which is symbolically appropriate. Time runs differently in Joujouka, the rural village located some 110km south of here in the Rif Mountains, for which this urbane, noisy, historically cosmopolitan port city is on this occasion serving as … Read more

Featured Artist: Dorje de Burgh

My relationship with making art began aged twenty-one as a means to bolster my ego and be cool. I chose photography, mainly because I can’t draw. Also my mum and her brothers were into photography in their twenties, so there were a few nice old cameras around my house when I was growing up.  Maybe … Read more

This Is The Leg I Use When I’m Thinking

His blue look was on the ground, as though it held the reason for the last five minutes. She took him all in. The hair was wavy on top and cropped tight at the sides, sprinkled grey. He looked down at her on the step. Are you ok? My hero? she ventured. From her seat … Read more

Raise the Bar Events

I’m the youngest of five, and I grew up in a home surrounded by musicians and artists. My parents and siblings all participated in art or music in some form and shared circles with those of similar interests, with our home setting the stage as the hangout spot to what were in my eyes some … Read more

Poem: St. Patrick’s Day 2024

St. Patrick’s Day 2024 My dream takes me to the White House where Kelly green fountain streams spit red globules, ricochet on the pristine lawns. Dirty skies sit low, a brazen breeze propels smell of sizzling flesh to the oval office stage where emerald men show cause bear not the crystal bowl of shamrock, Mr … Read more

Musician of the Month: Squalloscope (Anna Kohlweis)

There is a poem by Mary Ruefle called „Provenance“. It ends with with the following words: „So I have gone up to the little room in my face, I am making something out of a jar of freckles and a jar of glue I hated childhood I hate adulthood And I love being alive. This … Read more