Ashlyn’s 18th at Topolabamba, Glasgow
Saturday, 14th April, 2024 Topolabamba, 89 St Vincent Street, Glasgow G2 5TF On Saturday I went into town to help celebrate my greatniece Ashlyn Young’s 18th birthday. The planning had taken a great deal of thought, finding a lovely restaurant that could cater for 20 plus customers on a Saturday night. Ideally somewhere located near […]
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Saturday, April 13, 2024 | Filed under: Book and Event Reviews, Street Food Glasgow
Close Range Coulport – poem by Finola Scott
Finola Scott, will be performing alongside other poets, Hugh McMillan, Stuart Paterson and Chrys Salt at Peace Poetry Night – a Burns Night Fundraiser for Nuclear Disarmament. Host: Gerry Loose. Thursday 25 January, 2024 at The Renfield Centre Glasgow Book tickets
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Thursday, January 18, 2024 | Filed under: Books, Talks, Poetry and Creative Writing Events, Burns Events, Events, Fairs, Festivals and Fundraisers, stories and poems, Writing
Alan Sharp and From Greenock to Hollywood at the Glasgow Film Theatre
by Dave Manderson Recently I brought out a book about Alan Sharp, the first to trace his career and life from start to end. It came out in April this year. Shortly afterwards I asked the Glasgow Film Theatre if they’d put on a season of Alan’s films, and now I’m curating four of the […]
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Wednesday, September 27, 2023 | Filed under: Book and Event Reviews, Cinema, Events, Fairs, Festivals and Fundraisers, Pat's Home Page Blog, What's On Glasgow West End: cinema, clubs, theatre, music, events, festivals, community and more
To See Ourselves – film about the lead up to the Scottish Referendum in 2014
(To See Ourselves is screening at CCA, Glasgow 16 March, 2024) In the run up to the referendum in 2014, Jane McAllister, filmmaker, New Licht Film, spent many hours following her dad, Fraser, around Musselburgh as he threw himself wholeheartedly into the campaign for Scottish Independence. It was not Jane’s initial intention to make a […]
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Monday, September 25, 2023 | Filed under: Book and Event Reviews, Cinema, Pat's Home Page Blog
Mary Irvine’s Blog: The Magic Scales by Paul Murdoch
I recently met with author Paul Murdoch , who is asthmatic, to talk about his latest publication ‘The Magic Scales’. Living with asthma “At four years old I remember rolling down a grassy hill on a summer’s day. I tried to take a breath, but I couldn’t. This carried on throughout my childhood. Sometimes I […]
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Saturday, September 23, 2023 | Filed under: Book and Event Reviews, Books, Talks, Poetry and Creative Writing Events, Mary Irvine: Writer and Philhellene
Cast A Cold Eye – Robbie Morrison
Review by Pat Byrne In 2021 Edge of the Grave by Robbie Morrison was Bloody Scotland Debut Prize winner. His follow up novel, Cast a Cold Eye, sees him one of the four McIlvanney Prize finalists at Bloody Scotland 2023. With another novel set in Glasgow in the 1930s we again meet up with Inspector […]
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Thursday, September 14, 2023 | Filed under: Book and Event Reviews, Books, Talks, Poetry and Creative Writing Events
Glasgow Writers: Brian Hamill
R.I.P. Sadly Brian Hamill died in May, 2021 – only 39 years of age – so accomplished and so much to live for. In October, 2019, Brian set up The Common Breath ‘The aim was to provide an exciting new stream of fiction for readers to enjoy, publishing both classic and contemporary work, and to […]
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Tuesday, September 12, 2023 | Filed under: Books, Talks, Poetry and Creative Writing Events, writers, Writing
Secret Wrapped in Lead by Braw Clan
Review by Pat Byrne I’m really glad we made the effort to travel down to Symington, South Lanarkshire, last month to catch Secret Wrapped in Lead, Braw Clan’s debut theatrical production . We actually set off more than once to drive down to Clydesdale for the show – thank heavens we eventually made it! Seldom […]
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Tuesday, August 29, 2023 | Filed under: Book and Event Reviews, Pat's Home Page Blog
Glasgow Writers: Pauline Lynch
Pauline is directing Secret Wrapped In Lead – The chilling debut production of Braw Clan, the new Scots language theatre company based in Clydesdale. 19 – 29 July, 2023. Glasgow Launch ‘Wildest of All’ Waterstones Sauchiehall Street 26 October, 2017 Pauline Lynch is an actor and writer. She began her professional life playing Lizzie in […]
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Sunday, June 25, 2023 | Filed under: Ten Writers Telling Lies, writers, Writing
Mary Irvine: Review of ‘Gods of the Crossroads’ by Robin Lloyd-Jones
Helensburgh based Robin Lloyd- Jones is the author of some 18 books, fiction and non-fiction, many receiving prizes, including his biography of W.H. Murray ‘The Sunlit Summit’, which won the Saltire Society Research Book of the Year Award in 2003 His first historical novel, ‘Lord of the Dance’, 1982, set in sixteenth-century India was the […]
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Sunday, May 14, 2023 | Filed under: Book and Event Reviews, Books, Talks, Poetry and Creative Writing Events, Free Events, Mary Irvine: Writer and Philhellene
SCCAN Stories for Change – PLACE Workshop
Tuesday 18 APRIL, 2023, 10 a.m. until 1.30 p.m. – ONLINE Learn how to write about place in this Write Here, Write Now workshop from SCCAN Storyteller Collective! Book a place at Eventbrite Free places for concessions As writers on climate we have the ability to let places, their past, present and possible futures speak […]
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Thursday, April 13, 2023 | Filed under: Books, Talks, Poetry and Creative Writing Events, Classes and Workshops, Pat's Home Page Blog, Writing, Zoom and online events
Mary Irvine’s Blog: Review of Warp and Weft by Ann MacKinnon
Balloch poet, Ann MacKinnon writes poetry in both Scots and English. Her previous pamphlet was ‘Modren Makars: Yin’, a collaboration with two other powerful Scottish poets. Finola Scott and Irene Howat.* Inspiration In her lates pamphlet ‘Warp and Weft’ Ann has gone solo with a selection of some twenty poems, some in Scots, some in […]
Read the full article: Mary Irvine’s Blog: Review of Warp and Weft by Ann MacKinnon
Monday, March 20, 2023 | Filed under: Book and Event Reviews, Books, Talks, Poetry and Creative Writing Events, Mary Irvine: Writer and Philhellene
Home Grown In Glasgow – a poem for International Women’s Day by Ruby McCann
Home Grown In Glasgow I am woman a sister of Glasgow a pale skinned, freckled-faced Scot a she-child fae the sou’ side a native Glaswegian Mither Glasgow shaped me I am a child of many born into this city I am Pict, I am Celt I am Irish, Scottish, and Glaswegian a city born, […]
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Tuesday, March 7, 2023 | Filed under: International Womens Day, Poetry, stories and poems, Writing
Le Vent du Nord, Celtic Connections 2023
Le Vent du Nord brought their Joie de Vivre to the Old Fruitmarket Glasgow! Le Vent du Nord, Canadian folk group from Saint-Antoine-sur-Richelieu Quebec. performed at the Old Fruitmarket Glasgow, at Celtic Connections music festival on 19 January, 2023. The award winning band celebrated their 20th year with their 11th album 20 Printemps and are […]
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Saturday, February 4, 2023 | Filed under: Book and Event Reviews, Celtic Connections 2023, Music Reviews
Best Laid Schemes – Dexter Gordon Place
Two Novellas – Crimes for our Times Donning another hat, Ian R Mitchell who has written several books on mountaineering and on Glasgow history, turned during the years of Covid to writing a couple of crime stories which he has published pseudonymously – with the new name to go with the new hat. Tales for […]
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Wednesday, January 18, 2023 | Filed under: Books, Talks, Poetry and Creative Writing Events, New Books by Scottish Writers
Mary Irvine’s Blog: ‘Blackbird Singing’ – an evening with Graham Morgan
‘Blackbird Singing’ – a review Thirty souls came along to the latest ‘An Evening with…’ event at the Helensburgh library, last Thursday. This time the author was Graham Morgan, who was in conversation with Robin Lloyd-Jones. Under discussion was Graham’s second book, ‘Blackbird Singing’, a sequel to his debut book ‘Start’. Pictures in words In […]
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Monday, October 24, 2022 | Filed under: Book and Event Reviews, Books, Talks, Poetry and Creative Writing Events, Mary Irvine: Writer and Philhellene
Spark My Words – Creative Writing Sessions with Lesley O’Brien
Fridays 2, 9 & 23 September, 2022 at 11am – 1pm Meet at the Yellow Gazebo at the Peoples Palace, Glasgow Green Spark My Words is a series of mini-adventures exploring the familiar in a new way, to spark your imagination and get you writing. Sessions are facilitated by Lesley O’Brien, singer, poet and storyteller All […]
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Sunday, August 21, 2022 | Filed under: Classes and Workshops, Pat's Home Page Blog, Writing
Mary Irvine’s Blog: Review – The Way Home by Robin Scott-Elliot
The Way Home by Robin Scott Elliot ‘The Way Home is a novel based on the true, tragic story of one family’s destruction…’ The Telegram The sun glistened on the Clyde as Gertie watched the postman walking down the street, coming ever closer to her parents’ house in Cardross where she was staying whilst her […]
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Roy’s West End View: History is bunk …and it ends just outside London
This is going to sound like a rant from an embittered nationalist who, like those wee terrier dogs that can’t resist a nip at any likely passing ankle, take offence at practically anything and sometimes nothing at all. But truth will out. There I was, happily watching a BBC item about how a ship carrying […]
Read the full article: Roy’s West End View: History is bunk …and it ends just outside London
Tuesday, June 21, 2022 | Filed under: Pat's Home Page Blog, Roy's West End View, Writing
Aye Write Three Debut Authors (interviewed by Matthew Keeley)
Review by Mary Irvine Aye Write 2022. Matthew Keeley interviewed three writers of debut novels: James Cahill, Julie Owen Moylan and Liam Konemann. James Cahill ‘Tiepolo Blue’ This debut novel deals with an art restorer at Cambridge who is not particular enamoured with ‘modern’ art until he wakes up one morning to see a modern […]
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Wednesday, June 15, 2022 | Filed under: Aye Write Book Festival 2022, Book and Event Reviews, Mary Irvine: Writer and Philhellene
The Literary Treatment of Racism – Lola Rose
The literary treatment of racism in the works of Jane Eyre and Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl ‘The black slave narrators sought to indict both those who enslaved them and the metaphysical system drawn upon to justify their enslavement. They did so using the most enduring weapon at their disposal, the printing […]
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Wednesday, June 1, 2022 | Filed under: Lola Rose: aspiring writer, Writing
A Road Runs Through It by Frankie Gault
A short story of hope, hardship and heartbreak… Charlie opened the kitchen door, Michael c’mon son, that’s half seven, yer breakfasts ready and you’ve work tae go tay. Marie put her cup on the table Ah wish ye widny call it work when ye know fine well it isny. So ye’ll no be […]
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Tuesday, May 31, 2022 | Filed under: stories and poems, Writing
The Wanderlust Women – three poems
Poems from the Wanderlust Women, Lesley Benzie, Donna Campbell and Linda Jackson. Recently performed on their trip to Tuscany. At Dieppe Lesley Benzie At Dieppe the ferry approached the same pale cream cliffs that we left ahin in Newhaven. A remnant that we were once o the same landmass afore risin sea levels an a […]
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Thursday, May 26, 2022 | Filed under: Books, Talks, Poetry and Creative Writing Events, stories and poems, Writing
Aye Write: Prof Dame Sue Black ‘The Books that Made Me
Review by Mary Irvine A near-full Main Auditorium of the Mitchell library enthusiastically greeted a very popular speaker who was to be interviewed by broadcaster Clare English on the six books that have played a significant part in the life of Professor Sue Black. Sue also has a very long list of other titles and […]
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Wednesday, May 25, 2022 | Filed under: Aye Write Book Festival 2022, Book and Event Reviews, Mary Irvine: Writer and Philhellene, Pat's Home Page Blog, Writing
Poetry by Maryam Raza
Teetering steps turn to tenacious strides. Wavering buds bloomed into matchless flowers The gruff morphed to poise Whilst the sturdy attained unsurmountable strength. Sweltering summer rooms, a furnace moulding gold. A world of glamour deeply layered with intellect, Eternal memories etched, a treasure box that unlocked coveted opportunities. Spiralling laughters echo forever. The towering trees […]
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Thursday, May 12, 2022 | Filed under: stories and poems, Writing
A Scottish Soldier Foresees His Death by Frankie Gault
Frankie Gault’s version of the WB Yeats poem ‘An Irish Airman Foresees His Death’ (contains swearing) Ah wis nineteen when ah joined the British Army. It wis the first time ah had made a decision for, aboot, and by masel. In the late seventies, a hectic housing scheme in the West of Scotland didny appear […]
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Tuesday, May 3, 2022 | Filed under: stories and poems, Writing
Mary Irvine’s Blog: Interview with debut author Evelyne Lawrie
‘Gie Me a Word’ An interview with debut author by Evelyne C. Lawrie Where were you born/brought up? I was born and brought up in Bonhill in 1936. I went to Bonhill Primary and then the Vale of Leven Academy. Christie Primary School, in Middleton Street, was the original Academy. I then attended the West […]
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Monday, April 25, 2022 | Filed under: Book and Event Reviews, Books, Talks, Poetry and Creative Writing Events, Mary Irvine: Writer and Philhellene
A Letter to Prophet Muhammad ( pbuh) – Rizwan Akhtar
(Yeats says tread softly because you tread on my dreams) I have laid bare my heart sealed by your memory, birds trees together sing a genre of melancholic desert song plead for your intervention summers are too hot to spend but have heard the wind deflected by your Green Dome brings a flood of fragrance, […]
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Wednesday, April 13, 2022 | Filed under: Books, Talks, Poetry and Creative Writing Events, Rizwan Akhtar – Poet, Writing
An Evening With Louise Welsh – The Second Cut
Waterstones, Sauchiehall Street, 17 February, 2022 – review by Pat Byrne Twenty years ago Louise Welsh’s debut crime novel, The Cutting Room, was launched at Waterstones Book Shop, Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow. The prize winning book introduced us to Rilke, a Glaswegian auctioneer and coincidental amateur detective. On 17 February, 2022, there was a strong sense […]
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Sunday, February 20, 2022 | Filed under: Book and Event Reviews, Books, Talks, Poetry and Creative Writing Events, Pat's Home Page Blog
A Valentine’s Day Poem by Rizwan Akhtar
The Train ever since that day a memory keeps shivering on a white table sheet with a stain of a cup’s bottom discovered a small wish silence swallowed I nabbed your hands like a desperate commuter though the last train is totally empty symptoms pointed paradoxes kept for the rest of the journey a dream […]
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Monday, February 14, 2022 | Filed under: Love Poems, Stories and Tales from Glasgow writers, Poetry, Valentines Day Glasgow
