Galway’s Luke Morgan was one of five poets from across Ireland who took part in a new Writers’ Showcase series, held in the Irish Writers’ Centre, Dublin, last week.

The inaugural event, The Out of Towners, brought together five outstanding poets to celebrate newly published work – and Luke’s powerful reading from his latest collection Blood Atlas, which was launched here in Galway, in Charlie Byrne’s Bookshop last month, was a highlight.

Luke, from Oughterard. is highly regarded as a poet and filmmaker, and he recently received the 2025 Lawrence O’Shaughnessy Poetry Award from the University of St Thomas, Minnesota.

Those taking part alongside Luke included another award-winning poet, Afric McGlinchey who lives in West Cork. Her latest collection is À la belle étoile – the odyssey of Jeanne Baré, published by Salmon Poetry.

Also from Cork was Lauren O’Donovan who recently won the Patrick Kavanagh Poetry Award and the Fool for Poetry Chapbook Competition. Her debut Taxidermy Heart and new chapbook Superposition were both published this year.

D’or Seifer from Limerick recently celebrated the publication of her debut collection On Being Un/Able to Walk Through Walls (Revival Press). She is the founder of Lime Square Poets and co-hosts Limerick’s First Wednesday Series, as well as co-editing Skylight 47 literary magazine.

1. C. Flynn recently relocated from Australia to Dublin and his debut collection The Colour of Extinction, published by Renard Press in 2024, was The Observer’s Poetry Book of the Month. His work has appeared in more than 100 literary journals worldwide.

At the event, in the Irish Writers’ Centre in Parnell Square, each poet read from their new collections and chapbooks.

The evening was organised and hosted by the Creative Projects Coordinator at the Writers’ Centre, Damien B. Donnelly.

For more information on the Irish Writers Centre’s national programmes visit www.irishwriterscentre.ie

Pictured: Luke Morgan with fellow poet Afric McGlinchey (left) and Maeve O’Sullivan of the Irish Writers’ Centre, at the launch of a new series of Writers Showcase events at the Centre. These puts a spotlight on newly published writers from across Ireland.