Launch of On Light & Carbon

I just wanted to make a quick post to thank all those who made it along to my launch last week in the Teachers' Club, Dublin, as well as those who couldn't be there and sent kind messages.

Here are a few pictures from the evening!

Having a quick cig before starting when my cousin Owen O'Connor caught me on film - or I guess, pixels. A massive thanks to him for all the wonderful shots from the night.

Inside, I introduce Theo Dorgan. Naturally, I was extremely grateful to have him taking the time to read the collection and coming along to say some words about it.

Theo spoke with his usual wicked charm, not to mention his deeply lucid and sharp observations about the work. He made a better summary of it, and its themes, than I could have managed. I was truly honoured to have him there to launch the vessel.

After the fantastic intro, I read a selection of poems from the book.

One thank you I forgot to make on the night was to my great friend and artist Brian Walsh who conceived the cover design for this one; and to Mike Fortune-Wood for doing such a lovely job developing it!

Then there were copies to be signed, thankfully...

And we finished the evening - as we started it - with some beautiful music by my cousin Mick O'Brien on uileann pipes and his daughter, Ciara, on fiddle. It was a real pleasure to have them there and play so well.

And to end, a final pic of a happy poet!

Again, thanks to all who made it along on a chilly but clear November evening, and to those who couldn't but I know would've like to, if they could've made it.

So the book is launched and only now feels properly published. Which brings me to a final, massive, thank you to my publishers Adele Ward and Mike Fortune-Wood, of Ward Wood Publishing, for getting my words out there into the world.