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‘The Lost Isle of Saint Columba’, an exciting new poetry collection by award winning Donegal poet Alan Millar, will be launched, as part of Heritage Week, in Letterkenny Central Library, on Thursday August 20, at 6.30pm. This latest collection, in Ulster-Scots, with English translations, builds on Alan’s inaugural collection, ‘Echas Frae the Big Swilly Swally’, published in 2023. The collection records Alan’s ACNI assisted journey from his native Ulster to the Inner Hebridean island of Colonsay. There, he rediscovered the powerful legacy of Saint Columba and his 6th Century Columban mission, centred on Iona; for the first-time hearing of the monastic isle of Hinba whose location has baffled academics and scholars for decades. Commenting, Alan said: “I absolutely revelled in poetically documenting my personal journey through the Hebrides. These poems and prose pieces are my imaginative glimpses into the daily lives of our hunter gatherer ancestors and the lives of Saint Columba and his followers. I raiked tae Colonsay wi a speirn heid, an her muse gied bak a hairtsome screed.” Rias Buidh Join Alan as he recreates his own Hinba of the mind, centered on the wonderful ‘Rias Buidhe Cross’, an early Christian stone carving, pictured on the front cover his book. Diffusing ancient with contemporary, he carries us beyond our geographical and cultural boundaries, the boundaries between real and imagined. Alan continued: “The ‘Mise Brither frae Raphoe’ suite of poems, inspired by Umberto Eco’s novel ‘The name of the Rose’, are set among monks on Hinba. I travel with Brither frae Raphoe on his creative journey carving the stone, having been commissioned to do so by Abbot Odhrán.” Millar’s ‘owersettins’ of Ulster-Scots aren’t quite translations, allowing the Scots and English to engage with each other, in the treatment of some challenging contemporary issues. First reviews Initial reactions to the collection are immensely positive: “‘The Lost Isle of Saint Columba’ is an important, complex piece of work that is up there with some of the best contemporary writing.” Wesley Hutchinson, Professor Emeritus (Irish Studies) Sorbonne Nouvelle. “Alan’s incisive poetry and prose proves a feast for the senses: texture, colour, taste, smell and outlook – whether you’re reading in English or Ulster-Scots or both.” Áine Toner, Features Editor, Belfast Telegraph. Check out the National Heritage Week website at heritageweek.ie/event-listings for this and other events taking place across Donegal. To purchase your copy PayPal £12.50 (£10 = £2.50 p&p), to Alan Millar at amillar.reporting@ymail.com or go to the Colmcille Press website. Published by Colmcille Press, and made possible by the Donegal County Council Artists Bursary, ‘The Lost Isle of Saint Columba’, is being launched in Letterkenny Central Library, Oliver Plunkett Road, Letterkenny, Co Donegal at 6.30pm on Thursday August 20.

Former Irish Ambassador Ray Bassett, pictured here with Seán Brown's widow Bridie, says the new book chronicles 'in great detail the long and winding road which has been forced on the Brown family in their quest for truth and justice'. Reviewed by Ray Bassett The subject matter of this book, “A Bitter Harvest”, should be of major concern to us all. The murder of Seán Brown, a friend and neighbour of Nobel Prize winner Seamus Heaney. was carried out as a deep and dark operation. That an individual, who cultivated cross community links and described by follow club man, Laurence Diamond, as “a great human being”, should have been marked out for such an horrific fate, seems almost beyond comprehension. Seán Brown represented decency and community which makes what happened to him all the more unfathomable...

Our good friends at the Letterkenny Cathedral Quarter Literary Festival are delighted to announce that their 2026 Poetry Competition is now open for submissions. This year’s competition theme is “New World” — a prompt open to wide interpretation and creative exploration by poets across the island of Ireland. Five shortlisted poets will be invited to read their work at the Letterkenny Cathedral Quarter Literary Festival on Saturday 17th October 2026, when the overall winner will also be announced. The competition judge for 2026 is acclaimed poet and author Deirdre Hines. Deirdre is the author of The Language of Coats (New Island), which includes her Listowel Prize-winning collection, and The Mermelf: A Fable for Our Times (Austin Macauley Publishers), runner-up in the London Book Festival 2024. Her Japanese Poetry Workbook: Master Haiku, Tanka, Renku, Haibun & more with prompts is an Amazon Top 50 bestseller. The Festival Committee extends sincere thanks to Brennan’s Pharmacy and Donegal ETB for sponsoring the competition prizes. The overall winner will receive €150, with the runner-up receiving €100. Three highly commended entries will also receive cash prizes. The closing date for entries is Friday 21st August 2026, with results to be announced by the end of September. Author and poet Deirdre Hines who will be judging this year's competition Submission Guidelines Entries must be the author’s own unpublished work. This includes print, online publication, or broadcast. Simultaneous submissions are accepted; however, entrants should notify organisers immediately if work is accepted elsewhere. The theme for this year’s competition is “New World.” Entrants must be over 18 years of age and either resident in Ireland or from the island of Ireland. Poems may be submitted in English, or in Irish accompanied by an English translation. Entry is free. Entrants may submit up to two poems, with only one submission per person. Poems must not exceed 30 lines each, excluding title, and should be typed in a clear 12pt font. The author’s name must not appear on the submitted work. The body of the submission email must include the entrant’s name, county, and telephone number. Shortlisted poets will be expected to attend and read at the Festival Prize Winners’ Evening on 17th October 2026. Copyright remains with the author. The judge’s decision is final. Entry to the competition implies acceptance of all rules. Poems should be submitted as a Word document by email to lkcqfest@gmail.com no later than 21st August 2026. For further information, follow the Letterkenny Cathedral Quarter Literary Festival website https://lkcqlitfest.weebly.com/ and on Letterkenny Cathedral Quarter social media.