New writing

Race to the finish?

Monday 16th June 2025

Island Voices, Orkney 2025 Island Games, compiled Gabrielle Barnby, cover Megumi Barrington-Uenoyama

I sit down to write a reflection on finishing Island Voices (a collection celebrating island communities participating in Orkney 2025 Island games) and become straightaway wary of the word 'finish'. The physical item went into production last week, written pieces and illustrations that were considered finished have been submitted and released to my good keeping [...]Read more...

A Year and a Day

Friday 12th July 2024

By this time next year the Orkney 2025 Island Games will have had its first day of competition. There will already be winners and losers, moments of success and disappointment will have passed. After observing many hours of youngsters playing sports, primarily football, I feel that while winning is the aim, losing really is where […]

Carduelis carduelis

Thursday 30th May 2024

Carduelis carduelis ‘All of life is sacrament.’ I was told this central tenant of Quaker belief by a fellow poet and past pupil of catholic school. ‘I love that,’ I replied, and took a sip of the newly sacramental coffee in the cup before me. I felt glad for this small revelation, it chimed with […]

Hampden Park – BRAW WORDS

Monday 4th March 2024

Braw Words – The Hampden Park Collections I’m delighted to be the new Maker of the Braw Words collection at the Hampden Collections where football and poetry link up. I can’t wait to cheer on all the youngsters who have a shot at writing or finding poems and submitting them to Braw Words. Football and […]

SHIPS – launch day huddle

Thursday 23rd November 2023

Saturday was a gala day for the newly formed Scottish Highlands and Islands Poetry Society with successful launches on-line and at Waterstones Inverness. This week has been full of ‘feel good’ satisfaction at two events that both sailed smoothly. Just as ‘chance favours the prepared mind’ I think any successful endeavour requires a large […]