Born in Yorkshire, 1945. Had a happy childhood – sorry about that! No ‘mispers’ there!Aye Write 2019, Tom Shields review by Mary Irvine
Aye Write Festival 2019 Tom Shields Mitchell Library Sunday, 24th March 1.15 p.m. One of the many things I love about Glasgow and its people is the humour, the banter and, at the above event, I was not disappointed. Tom Shields is perhaps best known for the humorous ‘Tom Shields’ Diary’ which appeared in ‘The […]
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Tuesday, March 26, 2019 | Filed under: Aye Write Book Festival 2019, Book and Event Reviews, Books, Talks, Poetry and Creative Writing Events, Mary Irvine: Writer and Philhellene
Aye Write: Kamal Ahmed: The Life and Times of a Very British Man review Mary Irvine
Aye Write Festival Friday, 22nd March, 2019 Royal Concert Hall The main theme of Kamal’s presentation was the notion of being British. What is it that makes anyone British? What is identity? Kamal’s mother was white English, his father Sudanese, making Kamal mixed race or half-caste in the parlance of the70s/80s when mixed marriages were […]
Aye Write 2019: ‘It’s Not About the Burqa’ Mariam Khan, Amna Saleem’ review Mary Irvine
Aye Write Festival 2019 3 p.m. Sunday, 17th March, Mitchell library It’s Not About the Burqa: Muslim Women on Faith, Feminism, Sexuality and Race – Mariam Khan, Amna Saleem When, in 2016, Mariam Khan read David Cameron’s comment that linked the radicalization of Muslim men to the ‘traditional submissiveness’ of Muslim women, she felt she should […]
Saturday, March 23, 2019 | Filed under: Aye Write Book Festival 2019, Book and Event Reviews, Books, Talks, Poetry and Creative Writing Events, Mary Irvine: Writer and Philhellene
Neil Oliver at Aye Write 2019 review by Mary Irvine
Aye Write Festival 2019 Neil Oliver 11.30 a.m. -12.30 p.m. Saturday, March 16th Strathclyde Suite Royal Concert Hall Having driven through heavy snow (Alexandria), meeting heavy sleet (Dumbarton), being overcharged by Scotrail, then very cold rain (Glasgow) I finally arrived at the Royal Concert Hall for my first 2019 visit to the prestigious ‘Aye Write’ […]
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Wednesday, March 20, 2019 | Filed under: Aye Write Book Festival 2019, Books, Talks, Poetry and Creative Writing Events, Mary Irvine: Writer and Philhellene
Charlie Gracie, Meet the Author, Fruin Farm review by Mary Irvine
Meet the Author Charlie Gracie – ‘To Live With What You Are’ The final meeting of the Meet The Author events for 2018 took place once again at the picturesque Fruin Farm, Glen Fruin, Helensburgh G84 9EE This time we welcomed Charlie Gracie, originally from Baillieston but now domiciled at the other side of the Ben. […]
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Wednesday, January 2, 2019 | Filed under: Books, Talks, Poetry and Creative Writing Events, Mary Irvine: Writer and Philhellene
Mary Irvine’s Blog: Michael J Malone at Book Week Scotland 2018
A very appreciative audience enjoyed an entertaining two hours during the recent Book Week 2018 when the Helensburgh Library played host to poet turned novelist Michael J Malone. He spoke of his early writing life and the benefits of joining a writers’ group for support and encouragement, as well as offering critiques. Having had many […]
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Tuesday, November 27, 2018 | Filed under: Books, Talks, Poetry and Creative Writing Events, Mary Irvine: Writer and Philhellene
Catriona Malan ‘Meet the Author’ at Fruin Farm
‘Meet the Author’ at Fruin Farm (Back by Popular Demand) Not a shuffle, not a cough, ne’er a sniffle. Total absorption in the event. And what was the event? The award winning poet from Helensburgh, Catriona Malan, who was being interviewed on her life and work. From her birth to the present day Catriona took […]
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Sunday, November 25, 2018 | Filed under: Books, Talks, Poetry and Creative Writing Events, Mary Irvine: Writer and Philhellene
Mary Irvine: Scottish Writers Centre Comes Home
A full house, good poetry and prose speakers, an interesting discussion (with a revelation) and a very entertaining and talented singer. All in one evening and all for free! The event was a celebration of the Mexican Day of the Dead organised by Dove Tales in which the courage of conscientious objectors was honoured in […]
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Wednesday, November 7, 2018 | Filed under: Books, Talks, Poetry and Creative Writing Events, Mary Irvine: Writer and Philhellene
Mary Irvine’s Blog: Freedom Bound – Escaping Slavery in Scotland
Freedom Bound – Escaping Slavery in Scotland by Warren Pleece, Shazleen Khan and Robin Jones, pub. BHP Comics, Glasgow 2018. I recently spent a couple of hours in Our Lady and St. Patrick’s School in Dumbarton. The reason for the visit was to hand over a set of thirty books. These were Book One of […]
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Saturday, October 13, 2018 | Filed under: Black History Month Glasgow, Mary Irvine: Writer and Philhellene
Public Lecture of the Publishing Scotland’s International Fellows Glasgow – review by Mary Irvine
‘Main entrance, first right, first left.’ I was early. Reliant on train times, and the ‘drop of a hat’ cancellations, I had taken an early train. No problems. Partick not busy. Metro to Kelvinbridge. Pleasant walk through grassed area to steps leading up to Gibson Street and on to University Avenue, arriving at the main […]
Monday, August 27, 2018 | Filed under: Books, Talks, Poetry and Creative Writing Events, Mary Irvine: Writer and Philhellene
Mary Irvine’s blog: How authors relax or do they?
I was recently asked to write a short piece on ‘How Writers Relax. I contacted the usual suspects and came up with the following. Have to admit the replies to the above brought no surprises. Mostly physical activities, presumably to counteract the effects of sitting when writing. So in no particular order these were the […]
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Monday, August 20, 2018 | Filed under: Mary Irvine: Writer and Philhellene
Mary Irvine blogging about A Goodbye Lunch
My oldest grandson, Ryan, (twenty-five) has been planning to spend a year working in Australia. His Aussie girlfriend, from Sydney, had returned to find a flat and get a job. Ryan set about getting all the paperwork, including the important twelve month work permit. All respect to the Australian embassy for their super-efficiency in offering […]
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Tuesday, May 29, 2018 | Filed under: Eating and drinking Glasgow West End, Mary Irvine: Writer and Philhellene
Writers’ Workshop Day at Fruin Farm, Nr. Helensburgh
Wednesday, 20th June 2018 The venue is the picturesque Fruin Farm at the Cross Keys roundabout on the A818, Helensburgh, G84 9EE (www.fruinfarm.co.uk) Programme 10.15 am Robin Lloyd-Jones Building a character 11.15 am Coffee 11.30 am Mary Edward Editing 12.45 pm Lunch […]
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Mary Irvine’s Blog: A Sad Day – Murder of Martin Luther King Jr
A Sad Day Fifty years ago, on April 4th 1968, Martin Luther King Jr was murdered on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel, Memphis, Tennessee. For MLK I am afraid of them They’re black I am afraid of them They’re foreign I am afraid of them They’re disfigured I am afraid of them They’re crippled […]
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Wednesday, April 4, 2018 | Filed under: Mary Irvine: Writer and Philhellene, stories and poems
Mary Irvine’s Blog: Open Mic Hits The Sticks
First Monday Open Mic – Function Room Balloch House Hotel Ann MacKinnon (Balloch), George Gibson (Bonhill) and Mary Irvine (Alexandria) were coming home one night from giving readings at the Scottish Writers’ Centre (CCA, Glasgow). George commented on the fact we needed to travel so far from our homes in order to perform at spoken […]
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Friday, March 16, 2018 | Filed under: Books, Talks, Poetry and Creative Writing Events, Mary Irvine: Writer and Philhellene
The Magician by Mary Irvine
The Magician looked down on his audience. All smoke and mirrors – that’s all my life has been. All smoke and mirrors. Still it has given me a good living. Brought up in such a progressive country, good education, lots of opportunities. The government there really knew how to manipulate people. A good learning curve, […]
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Wednesday, February 7, 2018 | Filed under: Mary Irvine: Writer and Philhellene
The Square, Broomhill, Glasgow – Restaurant Review by Mary Irvine
‘Breakfast, full Scottish to light? Morning coffee with homemade buns/cake? Late up? Try the brunch, great selection. Lunch (business or pleasure) with soups, sandwiches, light plates. A comprehensive á la carte menu for dinner. Festive fare available. All reasonably priced. The children’s menu incredible value. Pleasant surroundings, discreet lighting, a mixture of banquettes and […]
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Monday, December 18, 2017 | Filed under: Eating and drinking Glasgow West End, European Restaurants, Mary Irvine: Writer and Philhellene, Scottish Restaurants
Mary Irvine’s blog: Writing about Greece and Byres Road Book Festival
Hello there, Have fallen behind recently with reading/writing reviews/events etc. Gave myself three weeks to finish my novel set on the island of Spetses. What a friend described as ‘a thinly veiled biography’. It is now ‘finished’ and is going through stringent edits, not only proof reading but inconsistencies, loose ends, especially getting rid of […]
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Wednesday, November 1, 2017 | Filed under: Mary Irvine: Writer and Philhellene
Mary Irvine’s Blog: PC Gone Mad, To Kill A Mocking Bird
Just read a newspaper article re the banning of the book ‘To Kill a Mocking Bird.’ (The Washington Post 17/10/17, ) This is PC gone mad. If we ‘destroy’ art and literature of the past because it is being judged, out of context, to be non-PC are we not destroying/distorting history? Are we not destroying a very […]
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Saturday, October 21, 2017 | Filed under: Books, Talks, Poetry and Creative Writing Events, Mary Irvine: Writer and Philhellene
Mary Irvine’s Blog: Another Musical Musing, October, 2017
I have mentioned before that I don’t have a TV. I tell people it’s because I can’t afford the licence fee but it’s actually because I know it would interfere too much in my life. I listen to the radio quite a lot. There’s quite a calming influence about Radio 4 which I find very […]
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Saturday, October 14, 2017 | Filed under: Mary Irvine: Writer and Philhellene
Leiper’s Attic at Cottiers Glasgow review by Mary Irvine
I recently had dinner with a companion at this newly opened restaurant in the tastefully furbished upper room of this former church, sensitively transformed into a theatre, bar and venue for that special occasion. We were shown to our table and our coats taken – didn’t have to hang them on the back of our […]
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Tuesday, September 19, 2017 | Filed under: Eating and drinking Glasgow West End, Mary Irvine: Writer and Philhellene, Scottish Restaurants
Mary Irvine’s Blog:Merchant City Festival Outdoor Stage at the Tron 22.07.2017
The positive – the offer of hours of free music. The negative – the unpredictability of the Scottish weather! Fortunately the former outweighed the latter and I donned wet gear and boarded the train for Argyle Street. A slight digression at this point (you can do that in blogs!) re: Scotrail – use them often […]
Tuesday, August 8, 2017 | Filed under: Mary Irvine: Writer and Philhellene, Merchant City Festival, Ten Writers Telling Lies
Mary Irvine’s Blog: Review of ‘A Murder of Crows’ – A Debut Novel by Ian Skewis
Have to admit I am not a great reader of the detective novel. However, in order to write a review one does not have to be such. One can review any book on its literary merit. I did, as a teenager – some years ago, own and read those of Agatha Christie. My confession is […]
Friday, July 28, 2017 | Filed under: Books, Talks, Poetry and Creative Writing Events, Mary Irvine: Writer and Philhellene
Mary Irvine’s Blog: Time Out, Glasgow Women’s Library, St Louis Partick,July, 2017
Glasgow Women’s Library Have been quite busy of late finishing off half completed ‘stuff’. A couple of weekends ago I took some time out – away from the computer. Saturday I attended a book launch at the Glasgow Women’s Library. Arriving in the square outside Bridgeton train station, I was surprised to see it decorated […]
Friday, July 21, 2017 | Filed under: Mary Irvine: Writer and Philhellene
Mary Irvine’s Blog: Anne and Mary’s Local Tales Review
‘Anne and Mary’s Local Tales’ Book 2 is now available at the Hub, Dumbarton or post free via the email below. Book 2 takes us a wee bit further afield with Burns’ visit to West Dunbartonshire, the contribution of Tobias Smollett of Renton and the Church of St Mahew in Cardross, as well as recognising […]
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Thursday, July 20, 2017 | Filed under: Mary Irvine: Writer and Philhellene
Mary Irvine’s Blog: Autumn Voices: Exploring creativity in later life & writing comp for over 60s.
In October 2016 I attended a Luminate event in which Larry Butler and Robin Lloyd-Jones, both over 70 (Robin’s actually over 80!) and still actively writing – not living on past glories), interviewed each other about their work and their projects concerning creativity in later life as well as writing for well-being. There were also […]
Friday, May 12, 2017 | Filed under: Mary Irvine: Writer and Philhellene
Ten Writers Telling Lies book and cd launch review by Mary Irvine
Ten writers telling lies… The date, Thursday 27th April, 2017. The venue, Cottiers Theatre, Glasgow. The event, the culmination of a 15 month project between ten authors and the accomplished musician/songwriter, Jim Byrne. I had attended several ‘taster’ sessions during the project and couldn’t wait to see it in its entirety. And I was not […]
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Wednesday, May 3, 2017 | Filed under: Mary Irvine: Writer and Philhellene, Pat's Home Page Blog, Ten Writers Telling Lies
Mary Irvine’s blog: Spa Day at the Carrick
It was that time of the year again. A Spa Day (courtesy of my son and daughter-in-law) at the Carrick*. For regular readers – I do believe I have reached double figures – I make no apology for another review of this establishment. It’s good to re-assess restaurants, accommodation etc and spas. Mustn’t let standards […]
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Friday, April 21, 2017 | Filed under: Mary Irvine: Writer and Philhellene
Mary Irvine’s blog: Lennox Heritage Society review talk in February, 2017
Lennox Heritage Society Talk Feb 8th 2017 Seven thirty p.m., a smattering of people. Was this going to be the worst attended meeting of the year? Were the numbers normally attending boycotting me especially! By the start at half-past 7 there were some fifty plus people ready to hear all about Margaret […]
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Thursday, April 20, 2017 | Filed under: Mary Irvine: Writer and Philhellene
Mary Irvine: Musings from Spetses 3.
Spetses – an interlude on St David’s Day 2017 Did my teacher training in North Wales. Good student days. Even managed some academic work. My son was born there. Got a soft spot for the place. One of the pieces of music that always touches me deeply is a recording of Paul Robeson singing the […]
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Wednesday, March 1, 2017 | Filed under: Mary Irvine: Writer and Philhellene
