Bernie McGill
Dropping Your Gaze: A Day of Mindfulness and Writing with Michelle Gibb and Bernie McGill at Flowerfield Arts Centre, Portstewart
Flowerfield Arts Centre 185 Coleraine Road, PORTSTEWART, Northern Ireland, United KingdomMindfulness is the practice of learning to be present. It is also beneficial for calming the physical state of the body and quietening the mind. Whether you’re new to writing or have been writing for a while and are looking for a way to rejuvenate your approach, this day of guided mindfulness and writing exercises, led by two experienced facilitators, will refresh and enhance your writing skills and leave you with a simple toolkit that you can use in your everyday practice. Alongside focused writing exercises, you will learn: the importance of breath work and how to calm your breathing; how reducing the mind chatter can help centre your writing focus; a fifteen second calming technique; visualisation guidance and advice; short and simple brain gym exercises. All levels welcome. Please bring a packed lunch. Bernie McGill is the author of two novels: The Watch House and The Butterfly Cabinet and of a short story collection, Sleepwalkers. She has worked for twenty-five years as a creative writing facilitator, is a Writer in Schools with Poetry Ireland and a Professional Mentor with the Irish Writers’ Centre. www.berniemcgill.com Michelle Gibb is a poet, life coach and yoga teacher whose work has been published locally by A […]
On the Same Page at the River Mill Writers’ Retreat with Sheena Wilkinson & Bernie McGill
River Mill Writers' Retreat 43 Ballyclander Road, Downpatrick, United KingdomA day-long intensive fiction writing and editing workshop for committed writers facilitated by two of Northern Ireland’s most acclaimed fiction writers. Come prepared to write, share your work and learn how to take your skills to the next level. From the first spark of inspiration to sending your work out into the world, Bernie and Sheena will guide you through the process, drawing on their own experiences in publishing and offering practical advice for the submission process. The workshop fee includes lunch and refreshments. To book, contact Paul Maddern at inforivermill@gmail.com. Bernie McGill is the author of Sleepwalkers, a collection of stories short-listed in 2014 for the Edge Hill Short Story Prize, and of two novels: The Watch House and The Butterfly Cabinet. Her stories have been widely anthologised, in the award-winning The Long Gaze Back, The Glass Shore and, most recently, Female Lines. She is the recipient of a number of Arts Council of Northern Ireland Awards, is a creative writing facilitator in the community and with Poetry Ireland’s Writers in Schools Programme as well as a Professional Mentor for the Irish Writers’ Centre. She is Royal Literary Fund Writing Fellow at the Seamus Heaney Centre, Queen’s University, Belfast. Sheena Wilkinson […]
Novel Writing with Bernie McGill
The Playhouse Theatre & Arts Centre 5-7 Artillery Street, Derry, United KingdomThis 16 hour course will run on Saturday 9th & Saturday 23rd February and Saturday 9th & Saturday 23rd March 2019 from 10.00am-2.15pm each day at the Playhouse Theatre & Arts Centre, Artillery Road, Derry. In this course, participants will look at: structuring work; writing openings with impact; developing setting; creating credible characters; selecting point of view; writing dialogue; editing and redrafting; outlets for completed work. You will be invited to take part in writing exercises to further develop your work and to share your writing with other class members. Suitable for committed writers who are beginning or developing a novel. Participants should come with a 250 word outline for a novel. Works-in-progress are welcomed. Bernie McGill is the author of Sleepwalkers, a collection of stories short-listed in 2014 for the Edge Hill short story prize, and of the novels The Butterfly Cabinet and The Watch House. She has been published in the UK, the US and in translation in Italy and in the Netherlands. Her short fiction has appeared in acclaimed anthologies The Long Gaze Back, The Glass Shore and Female Lines, and for the theatre she has written The Haunting of Helena Blunden and The Weather Watchers. She works as a professional mentor with the Irish Writers Centre in Dublin and […]
Bernie McGill & Sheena Wilkinson – Northern Irish Fiction Event at IWHC, Manchester
Irish World Heritage Centre 1 Irish Town Way, MANCHESTERWe are delighted to welcome two fantastic Northern Irish writers, Bernie McGill and Sheena Wilkinson, to share their work at the Irish World Heritage Centre, Manchester, on Monday 1st April. Bernie McGill is the author of Sleepwalkers, a collection of stories short-listed in 2014 for the Edge Hill Short Story Prize, and of the novels The Butterfly Cabinet and The Watch House (a story of infidelity, secrets and murder in a small Irish island community, inspired by Marconi’s experiments in wireless telegraphy in the late nineteenth century). In 2012, Julian Fellowes, creator of Downton Abbey named The Butterfly Cabinet his novel of the year. She has been published in the UK, the US and in translation in Italy and in the Netherlands. Her short fiction has appeared in acclaimed anthologies The Long Gaze Back, The Glass Shore and Female Lines (all by New Island Books, Dublin), and for the theatre she has written, The Haunting of Helena Blunden and The Weather Watchers. She lives in Portstewart in Northern Ireland with her family, works as a professional mentor with the Irish Writers’ Centre and as a Writer in Schools for Poetry Ireland. She is currently Writing Fellow with the Royal Literary […]
In Sight of Rathlin Writing Workshops at Corrymeela, Ballycastle
Corrymeela Ballycastle 5 Drumaroan Road, Ballycastle, United KingdomA Day of Free Writing Workshops organised by Ballycastle Writers' Group at Corrymeela, Ballycastle. Special Guest – Joan Newmann 10am Meet and Greet 10.30am Choice of Three Workshops (1) Poetry with Kate Newmann (2) Poetry with Ruth Carr (3) Fiction Writing with Bernie McGill 12.30pm Lunch 1.30pm Choice of Three Workshops (1) Poetry with Kate Newmann (2) Poetry with Ruth Carr (3) Fiction Writing with Bernie McGill 3.30pm Writers' Showcase These workshops are free to participants and can be booked via Ballycastle Writers' Group's Facebook Page. Participants are welcome to book into one or two workshops. Lunch is provided. The day will finish with a Writers' Showcase in which all participants are welcome to read a short piece of their work.
Creative Writing Workshop with Bernie McGill at Burnavon Arts Centre, Cookstown
Burnavon Arts & Cultural Centre Burn Road, Cookstown, United KingdomA practical workshop on the everyday craft of writing, with the aim of sparking ideas for new work. All levels of experience welcome, from experienced writers to first-timers, poets and fiction writers alike. The workshop will be fully participative with attendees taking part in writing exercises throughout the morning. Come with writing materials and be prepared to write. Suitable for 16y+ Book online or Tel. Burnavon Arts & Cultural Centre on 028 8676 9949 Bernie McGill is the author of two novels: The Watch House and The Butterfly Cabinet (named by Julian Fellowes as his novel of the year in 2012), and Sleepwalkers, a collection of short stories, shortlisted for the Edge Hill Prize in 2014.
At Sea with Words: Creative Writing Workshop with Bernie McGill
Parochial Hall, Rathlin Island , United KingdomAs part of the Rathlin Sound Maritime Festival, author Bernie McGill is hosting a free writing workshop in the Parochial Hall on Rathlin Island on Wednesday 29th May from 11am-1pm. No previous experience required. Come with writing materials and be prepared to write. Numbers are limited. Booking essential. Please phone the Rathlin Visitor Information Centre on 028 2076 0054 to book a place. You'll find the ferry timetable between Ballycastle and Rathlin here, and if you fancy spending a night or two on the island around the time of the festival, you'll find details of accommodation on Rathlin here. The Festival runs from 24th May to 2nd June this year and there's lots on offer, from boat blessings to beach cleans, pop up crab shacks to little pirates' discos. Full programme available here. Bernie McGill is the author of The Watch House, a novel set on Rathlin Island at the time of Marconi's wireless telegraphy experiments of 1898. The Watch House has been shortlisted for the Irish/European Union Prize for Literature. ‘McGill writes about life, love and telegraphy with a poet’s clarity’ The Sunday Times ‘McGill proves once again she is a masterful storyteller . . . historical fiction at its […]
Launch of Belfast Stories Anthology at Belfast Book Festival
Crescent Arts Centre 2-4 University Road, BELFAST, United KingdomJoin Doire Press for the launch of Belfast Stories, a collection of short fiction set throughout the neighbourhoods of the city, written by both established and emerging writers who live in or have a strong connection to Belfast. Edited by Paul McVeigh and Lisa Frank. The writers in Belfast Stories include: Linda Anderson, Lucy Caldwell, Jan Carson, Wendy Erskine, Jamie Guiney, Peter Hollywood, Caoilinn Hughes, Rosemary Jenkinson, Winnie M Li, Bernie McGill, Michael Nolan, David Park, Glenn Patterson, Ian Sansom, Dawn Watson and Shannon Yee. The anthology also features photos and background information on each neighbourhood, as well as local listings and a map displaying where each of the stories takes place. The preface and photos are by Malachi O’Doherty. This launch event will include readings by some of the writers featured in the anthology, including Jan Carson, Bernie McGill, Dawn Watson and Shannon Yee, among others, and will be launched by Damian Smyth.
Novel Writing: First Chapters with Bernie McGill at the John Hewitt International Summer School
Market Place Theatre, Armagh Market Street, Armagh, Armagh, United KingdomBernie McGill will take the Novel Writing: First Chapters workshops at the John Hewitt International Summer School at the Market Place Theatre, Armagh, on Monday 22nd, Tuesday 23rd and Thursday 25th July from 2.45pm-4.45pm on each of the three days. In response to audience feedback, we have extended the duration of our popular creative writing workshops to two hours per class and provided space in the Summer School programme for workshop participants to work on their creative writing outside of class time. Each workshop runs over three sessions and class sizes are kept to 15 or fewer to ensure everyone gets a chance to participate. Participants should attend all three workshop sessions. Our seven tutors are all experienced facilitators and published authors. For the full workshop schedule, including Short Story with Heather Richardson, Flash Fiction with Jan Carson, Memoir Writing with Ferdia MacAnna, Poetry with Siobhan Campbell, Poetry with Kathryn Maris, and Getting Started with Nessa O'Mahony, as well as full details of all Summer School events go to the John Hewitt Society website. Spaces are limited – advance booking is essential. To book Novel Writing: First Chapters go to the Market Place Theatre website or telephone the Box Office on 028 […]
Scribes at the Duncairn with Bernie McGill, Natalya O’Flaherty and Danny Morrison
Duncairn Cultural Arts Centre Duncairn Avenue, Belfast, United KingdomThis free event with wine reception (from 6.30pm) is part of the Feile Belfast 2019 programme. There will be readings from each of the three writers and a Q&A, chaired by Marnie Kennedy, as well as an opportunity for questions from the audience. Marnie is Shared Reading facilitator and coordinator of Stories@theDuncairn, a volunteer-led, community literature project in North Belfast. For more information, Tel. the Duncairn on 028 90 747 114 or turn up on the evening. No booking required. Bernie McGill is the author of two novels, The Butterfly Cabinet and The Watch House (shortlisted for the Irish European Union Prize for Literature in 2019) and of Sleepwalkers, a collection of stories shortlisted in 2014 for the Edge Hill short story prize. She has been published in the UK, the US and in translation in Italy and the Netherlands. Her short fiction has appeared in anthologies Belfast Stories, The Long Gaze Back, The Glass Shore and Female Lines. She is the Royal Literary Fund Writing Fellow, based at the Seamus Heaney Centre, Queen’s University, Belfast. Amazing spoken word artist Natalya O’Flaherty has shot to national prominence with bravura performances at the National Concert Hall and Electric Picnic, appearing twice on The Late […]