Write-on

Christmas Special!!

Our Christmas Special this week is bursting at the seams with a multitude of submissions rich in humour, reflection, memoir, seasonal spice, quiet moments, and festive spirit. Viewers are requested to contribute to the on-screen atmosphere by donning Christmas gear – Santa Claus hats, Rudolph noses, jingle bells, tinsel and fairy lights, anything goes … And don’t forget to equip yourselves with suitable nourishment and beverages – we recommend a pile of mince pies and several jugs of hot punch – for the long list of Christmas contributions promises to take us way beyond normal closing time at 9pm, extending into the wee hours of Friday morning. And if you’re new to our Christmas Specials: be prepared to be surprised!! We then take a break of several weeks to recover, and will be reconvening in early January 2026. Until then: Happy Christmas, everyone, and a Great Start into the New Year! The Bottom Drawer  Foundling Christmas Story   Mary Rose  Tobin In this tender Christmas chapter set at the Foundling Hospital, Lucy moves through the winter weeks surrounded by chapel music, childish quarrels, and the first flickers of festive excitement. A sprig of holly appears over the pulpit; whispers spread that Dickens once sat among their pews; and Mrs Buchan’s stories of Handel give music a new, almost luminous importance in the girls’ imaginations.   Amid schoolroom tensions and unkindness, Lucy’s singing becomes her anchor — something steady in a world that often feels sharp. When the Christmas chorus list is posted, she finds herself chosen, much to the amazement (and irritation) of some of the others. In rehearsals, her quiet talent draws the respectful attention of Mrs Buchan and Mr Ellison, who sense more ability in her than she dares to see in herself.   But as Christmas approaches, the season brings both promise and challenge. Lucy is tested in unexpected ways, discovering that music can belong to her even when circumstances shift beyond her control. The chapter captures the fragile hopes of childhood, the harshness and kindness woven through Foundling life, and the way a single Advent season can shape a girl’s sense of who she might become.   The Clock   Kathleen Phelan In this quiet, atmospheric flash fiction, a stopped mantel clock becomes the centre of a home steeped in memory. As Eileen returns each month to dust, tidy, and sit alone with the silence, the clock symbolises not absence but presence — a delicate boundary between grief and letting go. With subtle emotional weight, the story traces the moment she must decide whether time should begin again. A Dip   Póilín Brennan In this lyrical and exhilarating memoir-poem, Póilín Brennan captures an unexpected moment of wild-hearted freedom on the Burren coast. What begins as a rainy, reluctant afternoon becomes a spontaneous initiation as four friends cross slick rocks and step into the crashing Atlantic. The sea roars, stones clatter, laughter rises, and the women emerge exhilarated and bonded — cleansed by the wild energy of the ocean.   Almost Home   James Conway In this poignant winter poem, James Conway contrasts the bright hum of a city preparing for Christmas with the quiet suffering of those living on its margins. Old Tom curls into cardboard beneath the snow-lit streets until the Salvation Army offers warmth, food, and a fleeting sense of belonging. A tender meditation on loneliness, compassion, and the longing for home.   Bridie’s Last Christmas Pudding   Anne McManus This riotously funny Galway monologue introduces Bridie — a woman with fifty years of pudding-making behind her and absolutely no patience left for fools, footpaths, or fellas who don’t even like Christmas pudding yet never stop roaring for it. After calamities involving spilled fruit, rum-drunk dogs, a hot port in Naughton’s, and an explosive kitchen disaster, Bridie declares an end to the pudding tradition once and for all. A glorious mix of chaos, affection, and razor-sharp wit.   Ciao Mugwort, Is It Yourself!   Póilín Brennan A shimmering, mystical travel poem in which Mugwort reveals herself on a lay-by in the Apennines. What begins as an espresso break becomes an enchanted moment of silver petals, flutes weaving spells, and mythic echoes rising through the trees. A luminous piece about intuition and the small miracles that find us.   Fra and Emma, March 1943   Olga Peters Set in wartime Berlin, this powerful chapter from A Normal Couple follows sisters Fra and Emma as they await Walter’s return from Stalingrad. Over tea and whispered confessions, they speak of fear, resistance, denunciation, and the moral tightrope ordinary people walked under Nazism. A compelling portrait of conscience, courage, and survival in dark times. The Festivities   Póilín Brennan A warm and nostalgic celebration of Christmas rituals: Tara china, Kimberley biscuits, draft-board battles, and a mother whose magic touch made every holiday shimmer. A tender tribute to the small, joyful traditions that made Christmas unforgettable.   Just For Today   Frank Fahy   In this tender and quietly powerful story, Frank follows Danielle as she faces a Christmas Day she both wants and fears — her first time returning to the family table after months of sobriety. The piece unfolds in small, telling moments: the awkward kindnesses, the cautious welcomes, the emotional landmines that linger beneath familiar traditions. With great sensitivity, Frank captures the fragile balancing act of someone trying to rebuild trust while steadying herself through the long, complicated hours of a holiday. A compassionate, beautifully observed portrait of courage, vulnerability, and the hope of beginning again — just for today.   Fidelis   Tom Doyle On a rain-soaked Christmas Eve, a young man’s desperate search for a meaningful gift leads to a shaggy toy dog, a bus full of onlookers, and unexpected grace. A warm, nostalgic story about sincerity, embarrassment, and first love.   The Goose   Tom Curtin In this uproarious and affectionate memoir, a live goose named Gráinne arrives in a potato sack and turns the household upside down. Failed execution plans, pub-based strategy sessions, a mysterious woman with a rusty breadknife, and a final feast to remember make this a classic Irish Christmas tale full of humour and heart.   The Thimbles   Kathleen Phelan Two sisters discover a small cloth bundle hidden deep in an old desk — inside, a pair of delicate porcelain thimbles. As morning light fills the room, the thimbles awaken memories of their grandmother’s hands and unspoken understandings between the sisters. A tender, quietly moving flash piece about inheritance, distance, and the gentle mending we do for one another. My Teddy Bear Kathleen Phelan A tender poem celebrating the simple, enduring loyalty of a childhood teddy — a small companion who listens, guards, and stays even as the years move on. The Away Team   Helena Clare This warm, funny memoir recounts the Christmas when a young American niece, Annie, arrived in Galway for the first time. With her confident opinions and New York grandparents to compete with, the Irish family quickly realise they are the “away team” — determined to win her heart through decorations, nativity scenes, Christmas cake, and shared tradition. A charming slice of family life full of affection, humour, and memory.   Adeste Fideles   Mary Hodson A richly evocative remembrance of Midnight Mass in a rural parish, where candlelight, incense, and hymn-singing drew the whole community together. Through the eyes of a young girl watching her mother’s voice rise clear and strong in Latin, the piece becomes a love letter to tradition — to faith carried across generations, and to the quiet holiness of a night that never loses its magic.   Bittersweet Christmas   Joyce Butcher A deeply moving reflection on the dual nature of Christmas — the bright childhood magic of 1959 contrasted with the darker family realities that unfolded later. Through love, loss, resilience, and eventual healing, Joyce traces how new generations can reclaim joy and gently rewrite old stories.   Losing My Glasses   Kathleen Phelan A quietly luminous poem in which the blur of misplaced glasses becomes a new way of seeing the world. Edges soften, colours drift, and the speaker discovers fleeting clarity in the gentleness of imperfection.         The Writing Workshop   Kathleen Phelan In this playful and affectionate send-up of creative writing groups, Kathleen Phelan captures the chaos, charm, and biscuit-fuelled brilliance of writers trying (and failing) to be profound. With dream clouds, lost pens, poetic sheep, and a tutor on the brink, this witty piece will resonate with anyone who’s ever stared down a blank page — and found laughter waiting instead of genius.

Genre	Title	Author
Memoir	The Away Team	Helena Clare
Memoir	Adeste Fideles	Mary Hodson
Poem	A Dip	Póilín Brennan
Poem	Ciao Mugwort, is it Yourself!	Póilín Brennan
Poem	The Festivities	Póilín Brennan
Poem	Almost Home	James Conway
Poem	The Writing Workshop	Kathleen Phelan
Poem	My Teddy Bear	Kathleen Phelan
Poem	Losing My Glasses	Kathleen Phelan
Short Story	Bridie’s Last Christmas Pudding	Anne McManus
Short Story	The Goose	Tom Curtin
Short Story	Bittersweet Christmas	Joyce Butcher
Short Story	Fidelis	Tom Doyle
Short Story	Just for Today	Frank Fahy
Novel Extract	A Normal Couple	Olga Peters
Novel Extract	Foundling Girls in the Chapel	Mary Rose Tobin
Novel Extract	The Boy in the Bed	Frank Fahy
Flash Fiction	The Clock	Kathleen Phelan
Flash Fiction	The Thimbles	Kathleen Phelan
Festive Fun	Write-on Christmas Crackers	All Members

We have a magnificent line up of texts from different genres for this Thursday’s session, the second last this year. The focus is on the festive season, and our creative members have emersed themselves in the Christmas mood, resulting in poems, memoirs and stories reflecting the special atmosphere of these days.

As well as this, our Mug of the Month contest is due again. Fierce competition is expected to find the winner, who, this time, will have the notable distinction of harbouring Mugsy over the Christmas holidays until we reconvene in January!

And if time allows, there are many more items in the Bottom Drawer waiting to be presented. As usual, we can be sure that our 120 minutes of Write-On productivity will be over in a flash!

And here is the line-up of items in…

…The Bottom Drawer

A Christmas Story by  Elizabeth Hannon In this warm and nostalgic memoir, Elizabeth Hannon revisits the Christmas traditions that shaped her family across generations. What begins with the rediscovery of a beloved childhood book — Miss Flora McFlimsey’s Christmas Eve — unfolds into moments of magic, chaos, laughter, and tender ritual. From turkey markets to nativity plays, from handmade decorations to firelit storytelling, this piece celebrates the sensory richness of family Christmases and the enduring power of shared memory.   The Clock  by Kathleen Phelan In this quiet, atmospheric flash fiction, a stopped mantel clock becomes the centre of a home steeped in memory. As Eileen returns each month to dust, tidy, and sit alone with the silence, the clock symbolises not absence but presence — a delicate boundary between grief and letting go. With subtle emotional weight, the story traces the moment she must decide whether time should begin again.   The Thimbles  by Kathleen Phelan Two sisters discover a small cloth bundle hidden deep in an old desk — inside, a pair of delicate porcelain thimbles. As morning light fills the room, the thimbles awaken memories of their grandmother’s hands and unspoken understandings between the sisters. A tender, quietly moving flash piece about inheritance, distance, and the gentle mending we do for one another.   Longing  by Anne McManus In this luminous winter vignette, a snowy night transforms the world beyond the window into something magical and unreachable. The narrator’s quiet yearning to run through the whiteness is met with a tender moment of connection — a lift toward the cold air, the beauty, the possibility. A brief but powerful meditation on desire, confinement, and grace.         The Away Team  by Helena Clare This warm, funny memoir recounts the Christmas when a young American niece, Annie, arrived in Galway for the first time. With her confident opinions and New York grandparents to compete with, the Irish family quickly realise they are the “away team” — determined to win her heart through decorations, nativity scenes, Christmas cake, and shared tradition. A charming slice of family life full of affection, humour, and memory.   Adeste Fideles  by Mary Hodson A richly evocative remembrance of Midnight Mass in a rural parish, where candlelight, incense, and hymn-singing drew the whole community together. Through the eyes of a young girl watching her mother’s voice rise clear and strong in Latin, the piece becomes a love letter to tradition — to faith carried across generations, and to the quiet holiness of a night that never loses its magic.   The Elf in the Cornflakes by  Mary Hodson A laugh-out-loud Christmas memoir about being utterly convinced that the Elf on the Shelf truly moves by magic. Through earnest storytelling, solemn grandchildren, and one unforgettable conversation in a gift shop, Mary charts her hilarious journey from wonder to realisation. A delightful, self-mocking celebration of how Christmas mischief can enchant children — and adults — in equal measure.   Unowned Fields  by James Conway In this darkly playful tale, Amy wanders the wild “unowned fields,” a place thick with rumours, forgotten sins, and imagined creatures rustling in the grass. By day she works in a peculiar shop that never closes; by night she listens for mysteries modernity can’t explain. Humour and unease intertwine as the truth about a long-vanished tax man surfaces — in a way only James Conway could deliver.   Chapter 41 – The Boy in the Bed by  Frank Fahy Christopher finds new confidence as spring arrives: he moves more steadily, sheds his crutches except on damp days, and transforms the yard into a kingdom of engines, tools, and possibility. Indoors, tension thickens, yet outside a resurrected Morris Minor becomes a moment of triumph — a sign that the world is finally tilting in his favour.   Bittersweet Christmas by  Joyce Butcher A deeply moving reflection on the dual nature of Christmas — the bright childhood magic of 1959 contrasted with the darker family realities that unfolded later. Through love, loss, resilience, and eventual healing, Joyce traces how new generations can reclaim joy and gently rewrite old stories.   Losing My Glasses by  Kathleen Phelan A quietly luminous poem in which the blur of misplaced glasses becomes a new way of seeing the world. Edges soften, colours drift, and the speaker discovers fleeting clarity in the gentleness of imperfection.   Fidelis  by Tom Doyle On a rain-soaked Christmas Eve, a young man’s desperate search for a meaningful gift leads to a shaggy toy dog, a bus full of onlookers, and unexpected grace. A warm, nostalgic story about sincerity, embarrassment, and first love.   The Writing Workshop by  Kathleen Phelan In this playful and affectionate send-up of creative writing groups, Kathleen Phelan captures the chaos, charm, and biscuit-fuelled brilliance of writers trying (and failing) to be profound. With dream clouds, lost pens, poetic sheep, and a tutor on the brink, this witty piece will resonate with anyone who’s ever stared down a blank page — and found laughter waiting instead of genius.

Genre	Title	Author
Memoir	A Christmas Story	Elizabeth Hannon
Memoir	The Away Team	Helena Clare
Memoir	The Elf in the Cornflakes	Mary Hodson
Memoir	Adeste Fideles	Mary Hodson
Short Story	Unowned Fields	James Conway
Short Story	Bittersweet Christmas	Joyce Butcher
Short Story	Fidelis	Tom Doyle
Flash Fiction	The Clock	Kathleen Phelan
Flash Fiction	The Thimbles	Kathleen Phelan
Novel Extract	Chapter 41 The Boy in the Bed	Frank Fahy
Poem	Longing	Anne McManus
Poem	The Writing Workshop	Kathleen Phelan
Poem	Losing My Glasses	Kathleen Phelan
Website	The Write-on Story (Living History & Reflections)	All Members

27 November 2025

The Bottom Drawer for Thursday, 27 November 2025, 7.00pm – 9.00pm

This week’s Bottom Drawer offers a beautifully balanced mix of memoir, short fiction, poetry and seasonal reflection — the kind of varied and generous collection that always makes our Thursday sessions lively and absorbing. Themes of memory, childhood, friendship, humour and the small turning-points of ordinary life thread their way through the work, promising a warm and engaging two hours on Zoom.

Our two featured serial chapters return: Foundling Girls in the Chapel continues with Lucy’s departure from the Foundling Hospital — a moment of excitement, fear and quiet resilience — while The Boy in the Bed moves into early spring, where Christopher’s world widens into engines, radios and possibility. Alongside these, we have vivid personal stories, village comedy, gentle filmic reflection, poems full of warmth and observation, and a collaborative update from the Write-on Story project.

We also remind everyone of this month’s Mug of the Month competition. The new keywords are CAN and COVER, and your 50-word (maximum) entries should reach Anne Murray by 30 November at annemurraypost@yahoo.ie. As always, we look forward to seeing the creative twists you find in the prompts.

And here are this week’s contents in full:

Chapter 6 – How Beautiful Are the Feet by Mary Rose Tobin

Lucy turns sixteen and learns that she is to leave the Foundling Hospital for service in Westbourne Terrace. Excitement and dread ripple through the dormitory; Polly, devastated, clings to the last hours before the friends must part.

Chapter 41 – The Boy in the Bed by Frank Fahy

Christopher has regained his rhythm and independence. The yard becomes his workshop and refuge, and the roar of a resurrected Morris Minor marks a small but powerful triumph.

Bittersweet Christmas by Joyce Butcher

A moving remembrance of a childhood Christmas that holds both innocence and later sorrow — yet ultimately speaks of resilience, healing, and the making of a gentler home for the next generation.

The Cleansing Fire by Mary Hawkshaw

A sparkling, comic tale from rural Ireland, where an “authentic” turf fire becomes a little too authentic for visiting guests.

The First Music by Mary Hawkshaw

A tender, filmic meditation on earliest sound, belonging and the lullabies that shape us.

Losing My Glasses by Kathleen Phelan

A poem of blurred edges and soft clarity, where a missing pair of glasses opens the world in unexpected ways.

My Teddy Bear by Kathleen Phelan

A gentle, affectionate rhyme celebrating the steadfast presence of a childhood companion.

The Writing Workshop by Kathleen Phelan

A witty send-up of creative writing chaos — lost pens, lofty intentions and the joyful disorder of group creativity.

Fidelis by Tom Doyle

A warm, funny and nostalgic Christmas Eve story about a young man, a toy dog, and the small risks of early love.

The Write-on Story by Write-on Members

Our collaborative, living history of the group — a project that continues to grow as new voices add their reflections.

We look forward to welcoming everyone on Thursday evening.

As ever, entries for the Bottom Drawer can be sent to bd.writeon@gmail.com.

Genre	Title	Author
Novel Extract	Chapter 6 How Beautiful Are the Feet	Mary Rose Tobin
Novel Extract	Chapter 41 The Boy in the Bed	Frank Fahy
Short Story	Bittersweet Christmas	Joyce Butcher
Short Story	The Cleansing Fire	Mary Hawkshaw
Song / Short Film	The First Music	Mary Hawkshaw
Poem	Losing My Glasses	Kathleen Phelan
Poem	My Teddy Bear	Kathleen Phelan
Poem	The Writing Workshop	Kathleen Phelan
Short Story	Fidelis	Tom Doyle
Website	The Write-on Story (Living History & Reflections)	All Members

Personal memoirs of fondly or humorously remembered incidents, objects, moments predominate in the texts that joined the precious contents in the Bottom Drawer this past week. A successful mix of story, poetry, song and nostalgia can be drawn on for a lively, inspiring and moving two hours of creativity in our Zoom session on Thursday. Be sure not to miss it! We look forward to receiving your entries and texts at bd.writeon@gmail.com

We also have two new Key Words for our Mug of the Month competition: CAN and COVER. The 50-word (max) text containing these words should reach Anne Murray by November 30 (an extended deadline this month). annemurraypost@yahoo.ie

And here are the contents of the Bottom Drawer to date:

The Book by James Conway In this luminous and delicately observed poem, James Conway traces a lifetime through the presence of a single, blue-bound book — a companion whose colour “hailstones washed clean by the blood of the sea” lingers long after childhood. What begins as a slim, slippery volume in young hands becomes, over the decades, a vessel of memory: its vowels tight with discipline, its pages alive with “wild horses” and the hours that shaped (or slipped past) a life. ‘The Book’ is at once an elegy and a celebration — a tender meditation on ageing, imagination, and the quiet objects that carry our stories for us when we no longer can.   A Sense of Place by Anne McManus In this richly woven memoir, Anne McManus traces her family’s roots through the landscapes of Sligo, guided always by her mother’s deep belonging to Rathanoragh — a small ring of fields filled with hawthorn, primroses and the memory of generations. Through pony traps, side roads, cockle-gathering on Culleenamore, and journeys to Coney Island, Anne evokes a childhood shaped by stories, sea winds, and the quiet rituals of rural life. Intertwining family lore with local history — from Neolithic tombs to Queen Maeve’s cairn on Knocknarea — she honours a mother whose love of place became an inheritance of its own. A tender, vivid remembrance of land, lineage and the ties that outlast time.   The Notebook Dieter by Mary Hodson With irresistible humour and a generous wink at her own foibles, Mary Hodson charts a lifelong battle with diets, notebooks, and the irresistible pull of buttery spuds. From slimming classes that feel like confession to weddings that undo months of lettuce-fuelled resolve, she captures the rituals, temptations, and small triumphs familiar to anyone who has ever tried to be “good” — and failed deliciously. Full of sharp observation and affectionate self-mockery, The Notebook Dieter is ultimately a celebration of community, perseverance, and the comforting truth that life’s real measures are laughter, shared stories, and salmon-coloured pillbox hats that made us feel radiant.     A Bittersweet Remembrance of a Christmas Past by Joyce Butcher In this deeply moving personal reflection, Joyce Butcher revisits a childhood Christmas in 1959 — a time of pine-scented excitement, careful tinsel, and two little girls posing proudly beside a freshly decorated tree. What begins as a warm, innocent memory gradually unfolds into a poignant contrast with the darker reality that later emerged: a father whose brilliance and artistic ambition were eroded by alcohol, anger and disappointment, and a family whose happiness slowly fractured as the years passed.   Yet the heart of the piece beats with resilience, love, and the enduring strength of a mother who protected her children and later found peace in her final years. Now, with a grandson bringing joy back into the season, Joyce reflects on what it means to break harmful cycles and to build a gentler, safer home. A tender, honest and ultimately hopeful Christmas remembrance.

The Clensing Fire by Mary Hawkshaw In this sharply observed village comedy, Mary Hawkshaw turns a simple B&B mishap into a hilarious parable of pride, piety, and pyromania. Nora and Tommy Kelly, long-married and long-suffering, have joined the “Global B&B” revolution — offering tourists a rustic Irish experience in their tiny cottage. But when two oversized English guests mistake the range for an electric cooker, the “authentic” turf fire soon lives up to its name.   Mary’s dialogue sparkles with wit and rural rhythm, capturing the gossiping neighbours, the stoic humour of Irish women, and the quiet love between two people bound by endurance. The Cleansing Fire is a comic gem that moves effortlessly from farce to tenderness — a story where the smoke clears, but the laughter lingers.

The First Music by Mary Hawkshaw In this gentle, reflective short film, memory and melody intertwine. The First Music evokes the wonder of early sound — a child’s discovery of rhythm, a mother’s lullaby, the heartbeat of belonging. Through quiet imagery and voice, it reminds us that music is not only something we hear, but something we are born knowing.

Herself by Póilín Brennan Póilín Brennan’s poem ‘Herself’ captures the music and mischief of a mind in motion. Its quicksilver lines tumble and twist like speech itself — full of wit, warmth, and self-mockery. The poem celebrates the art of rambling conversation, where thoughts flow like an old river, meandering, sparkling, and settling into moments of sudden clarity. A lively, affectionate portrait of the storyteller’s spirit.  

There Comes a Time by Tom Doyle
This thoughtful reflection explores life’s turning points — those moments of transition that invite (or force) us to change course. With graceful insight and gentle wisdom, Doyle examines how personal crises, epiphanies, synchronicities, or tipping points can become opportunities for growth rather than defeat. Drawing inspiration from thinkers like David Brooks and Louis L’Amour, he reminds us that even in adversity, we can “suffer our way to wisdom.” A resonant and uplifting meditation for anyone standing at life’s crossroads.

Fidelis by Tom Doyle On a rain-soaked Christmas Eve, an anxious young man searches Dublin for the perfect gift — something that will say both love and I tried. What he finds instead is a shaggy toy dog named Fidelis, a bus full of onlookers, and a series of small humiliations that lead to an unexpected grace. Warm, funny, and gently nostalgic, Fidelis captures the tender awkwardness of first love and the quiet triumph of sincerity over style.

Losing My Glasses by Kathleen Phelan  
In this quietly radiant poem, a lost pair of glasses becomes a portal to a softer, more painterly world. Through drifting fog, blurred edges, and the memory of Monet and Turner, the speaker discovers not confusion but a fleeting kind of clarity — a gentle unravelling of precision in favour of presence. A meditation on vision, ageing, and grace, this piece reminds us that sometimes, the blur shows us what sharpness cannot.  

The Writing Workshop by Kathleen Phelan  
In this playful and affectionate send-up of creative writing groups, Kathleen Phelan captures the chaos, charm, and biscuit-fuelled brilliance of writers trying (and failing) to be profound. With dream clouds, lost pens, poetic sheep, and a tutor on the brink, this witty piece will resonate with anyone who’s ever stared down a blank page — and found laughter waiting instead of genius.  

The Write-on Story by Write-on Members
This living project is part history, part invitation. The Story of Write-on charts the journey of the group from its earliest days in Galway’s Westside to its vibrant, international membership today — a community united by creativity, encouragement, and shared achievement. But this isn’t just Frank Fahy’s account. It’s a collaborative, evolving ‘book’ — a living archive where every member is invited to add their voice. Whether you joined in person or online, last week or years ago, your story matters. This project gathers those experiences: first impressions, favourite moments, what Write-on has meant to you. The result will be a mosaic of memory and insight — and a welcoming window into Write-on for new and potential members. Published prominently on our website, The Story of Write-on is both a record and a beacon. All are invited to contribute.  

Genre	Title	Author
Memoir	A Sense of Place	Anne McManus
Short Story	The Notebook Dieter	Mary Hodson
Short Story	The Cleansing Fire	Mary Hawkshaw
Short Story	Fidelis	Tom Doyle
Short Story	Bittersweet Christmas	Joyce Butcher
Poem	The Book	James Conway
Poem	Herself	Póilín Brennan
Poem	The Writing Workshop	Kathleen Phelan
Poem	Losing My Glasses	Kathleen Phelan
Song	The First Music	Mary Hawkshaw
Non-Fiction	There Comes a Time	Tom Doyle
Website	The Write-on Story (Living History & Reflections)	All Members

Our Bottom Drawer is filling up! Six sparkling new texts have flown in this past week, providing even more variety for our selection on Thursday evening. Be sure not to miss a stimulating two hours full of song, poetry and story, humour, reflection and wisdom. We look forward to receiving your entries and texts at bd.writeon@gmail.com

We also have two new Key Words for our Mug of the Month competition: CAN and COVER. The 50-word (max) text containing these words should reach Anne Murray by November 30 (an extended deadline this month). annemurraypost@yahoo.ie

And here are the contents of the Bottom Drawer to date:

The Clensing Fire by Mary Hawkshaw In this sharply observed village comedy, Mary Hawkshaw turns a simple B&B mishap into a hilarious parable of pride, piety, and pyromania. Nora and Tommy Kelly, long-married and long-suffering, have joined the “Global B&B” revolution — offering tourists a rustic Irish experience in their tiny cottage. But when two oversized English guests mistake the range for an electric cooker, the “authentic” turf fire soon lives up to its name.   Mary’s dialogue sparkles with wit and rural rhythm, capturing the gossiping neighbours, the stoic humour of Irish women, and the quiet love between two people bound by endurance. The Cleansing Fire is a comic gem that moves effortlessly from farce to tenderness — a story where the smoke clears, but the laughter lingers.

The First Music by Mary Hawkshaw In this gentle, reflective short film, memory and melody intertwine. The First Music evokes the wonder of early sound — a child’s discovery of rhythm, a mother’s lullaby, the heartbeat of belonging. Through quiet imagery and voice, it reminds us that music is not only something we hear, but something we are born knowing.

Mary Fraser by Helena Clare Set in the haunting landscape of Glencoe, Mary Fraser draws us into a mother’s quiet battle to shield her children from unseen harm. Delia Connaughton, carrying her sons and their fears across borders, encounters the mysterious healer Mary Fraser — a woman whose calm wisdom bridges faith, folklore, and the natural world. Through their meeting, Helena Clare evokes the lingering pulse of Irish superstition, maternal courage, and women’s intuitive strength. A story rich in atmosphere, tenderness, and quiet revelation.

At the Bend in the Road by Mary Hodson Marking a milestone birthday, a woman reflects on the bends and turns that have shaped her life — love, loss, laughter, and the quiet lessons of time. With gentle wisdom and lyrical grace, she discovers that growing older is not an ending but another curve in the long, beautiful road.  

Herself by Póilín Brennan Póilín Brennan’s poem ‘Herself’ captures the music and mischief of a mind in motion. Its quicksilver lines tumble and twist like speech itself — full of wit, warmth, and self-mockery. The poem celebrates the art of rambling conversation, where thoughts flow like an old river, meandering, sparkling, and settling into moments of sudden clarity. A lively, affectionate portrait of the storyteller’s spirit.  

The Pipes by Póilín Brennan
A tender slice of rural memory where land-drainage becomes family ritual and quiet apprenticeship. Brennan’s speaker watches a father’s method — spade, sléan, gravel, fall, pipes — then claims a small, brilliant fix when two lengths won’t meet, discovering that being ‘cliste’ comes in many forms. Practical lore, sensory detail, and a child’s proud ingenuity make this a warm, satisfying read. 

There Comes a Time by Tom Doyle
This thoughtful reflection explores life’s turning points — those moments of transition that invite (or force) us to change course. With graceful insight and gentle wisdom, Doyle examines how personal crises, epiphanies, synchronicities, or tipping points can become opportunities for growth rather than defeat. Drawing inspiration from thinkers like David Brooks and Louis L’Amour, he reminds us that even in adversity, we can “suffer our way to wisdom.” A resonant and uplifting meditation for anyone standing at life’s crossroads.

Fidelis by Tom Doyle On a rain-soaked Christmas Eve, an anxious young man searches Dublin for the perfect gift — something that will say both love and I tried. What he finds instead is a shaggy toy dog named Fidelis, a bus full of onlookers, and a series of small humiliations that lead to an unexpected grace. Warm, funny, and gently nostalgic, Fidelis captures the tender awkwardness of first love and the quiet triumph of sincerity over style.

At the Bend in the Road by Mary Hodson Marking a milestone birthday, a woman reflects on the bends and turns that have shaped her life — love, loss, laughter, and the quiet lessons of time. With gentle wisdom and lyrical grace, she discovers that growing older is not an ending but another curve in the long, beautiful road.

Losing My Glasses by Kathleen Phelan  
In this quietly radiant poem, a lost pair of glasses becomes a portal to a softer, more painterly world. Through drifting fog, blurred edges, and the memory of Monet and Turner, the speaker discovers not confusion but a fleeting kind of clarity — a gentle unravelling of precision in favour of presence. A meditation on vision, ageing, and grace, this piece reminds us that sometimes, the blur shows us what sharpness cannot.  

My Teddy Bear by Kathleen Phelan
A gentle rhyme about childhood comfort and the quiet loyalty of a beloved toy. Told with tenderness and simplicity, this poem evokes the timeless bond between a child and their teddy bear — a companion who guards, listens, and stays, even when the years move on. A warm and nostalgic piece sure to stir hearts of all ages.  

The Writing Workshop by Kathleen Phelan  
In this playful and affectionate send-up of creative writing groups, Kathleen Phelan captures the chaos, charm, and biscuit-fuelled brilliance of writers trying (and failing) to be profound. With dream clouds, lost pens, poetic sheep, and a tutor on the brink, this witty piece will resonate with anyone who’s ever stared down a blank page — and found laughter waiting instead of genius.  

Foundling Girls – Chapter 2 by Mary Rose Tobin
In this rich and textured chapter, daily life at the Foundling Hospital unfolds through classrooms, sewing benches, and the echoing tones of hymn practice. Lucy, Polly, Hetty and Clara each work to shape their futures — and preserve traces of their pasts. From needlework to music drills, the girls are schooled in obedience and precision, yet each one holds a secret token of identity hidden close. Through whispered confidences and fleeting moments of grace, Lucy begins to imagine transformation — the dream of becoming something new, not just mended. This chapter weaves discipline, friendship, and longing into a vivid portrait of girlhood under watchful eyes.  

Chapter 7 – The Boy in the Bed by Frank Fahy In this quietly harrowing chapter, two visiting doctors arrive to set up the traction rig that will hold young Christopher O’Shea in place for months to come. Through the rain-washed calm of the house, each movement — the tightening of straps, the click of metal joints, the father’s hovering pride — becomes a study in tension and control. The Doctors captures the moment when care turns mechanical, love becomes procedure, and a family begins its long vigil at the bedside.  

The Write-on Story by Write-on Members
This living project is part history, part invitation. The Story of Write-on charts the journey of the group from its earliest days in Galway’s Westside to its vibrant, international membership today — a community united by creativity, encouragement, and shared achievement. But this isn’t just Frank Fahy’s account. It’s a collaborative, evolving ‘book’ — a living archive where every member is invited to add their voice. Whether you joined in person or online, last week or years ago, your story matters. This project gathers those experiences: first impressions, favourite moments, what Write-on has meant to you. The result will be a mosaic of memory and insight — and a welcoming window into Write-on for new and potential members. Published prominently on our website, The Story of Write-on is both a record and a beacon. All are invited to contribute.  

Genre	Title	Author
Short Story	The Clensing Fire	Mary Hawkshaw
Short Story	At the Bend in the Road	Mary Hodson
Short Story	Fidelis	Tom Doyle
Poem	The Pipes	Póilín Brennan
Poem	Herself	Póilin Brennan
Poem	Losing My Glasses	Kathleen Phelan
Poem	The Writing Workshop	Kathleen Phelan
Poem	My Teddy Bear	Kathleen Phelan
Song	The First Music	Mary Hawkshaw
Novel Extract	Mary Fraser	Helena Clare
Novel Extract	Chapter 7 – The Boy in the Bed	Frank Fahy
Novel Extract	Chapter 2 – Foundling Girls in the Chapel	Mary Rose Tobin
Non-Fiction	There Comes a Time	Tom Doyle
Website	The Story of Write-on (Living History & Reflections from our Members)	All Members

                                           

Welcome to another session of our weekly Write-On presentations. Since we skipped last week’s meeting to celebrate Halloween, October’s Mug of the Month contest is taking place tonight. Eight sportive souls grappled with the key words WALK and EXERCISE and produced a fine trail of texts. There’s bound to be nail-nibbling indecision when it comes to our electronic voting for the new Mug of the Month, proud holder of the famous Mug and even prouder Bearer of the title that goes with it. – And this will only be the prologue to a rich selection of texts from many genres, taken from our Bottom Drawer of submitted pieces as listed below. An enjoyable evening to all our contributors and viewers!

Bob-ná-Bia by Mary Hodson A vivid remembrance of Halloween in rural Ireland — when turf fires glowed, neighbours gathered, and folklore met faith at the kitchen hearth. Blending humour, warmth, and quiet reflection, this story captures the deeper spirit of the season: belonging, remembrance, and the mysteries that flicker just beyond the firelight.

At the Bend in the Road by Mary Hodson Marking a milestone birthday, a woman reflects on the bends and turns that have shaped her life — love, loss, laughter, and the quiet lessons of time. With gentle wisdom and lyrical grace, she discovers that growing older is not an ending but another curve in the long, beautiful road.

The First Music by Mary Hawkshaw In this gentle, reflective short film, memory and melody intertwine. The First Music evokes the wonder of early sound — a child’s discovery of rhythm, a mother’s lullaby, the heartbeat of belonging. Through quiet imagery and voice, it reminds us that music is not only something we hear, but something we are born knowing.  

Losing My Glasses by Kathleen Phelan  
In this quietly radiant poem, a lost pair of glasses becomes a portal to a softer, more painterly world. Through drifting fog, blurred edges, and the memory of Monet and Turner, the speaker discovers not confusion but a fleeting kind of clarity — a gentle unravelling of precision in favour of presence. A meditation on vision, ageing, and grace, this piece reminds us that sometimes, the blur shows us what sharpness cannot.  

My Teddy Bear by Kathleen Phelan
A gentle rhyme about childhood comfort and the quiet loyalty of a beloved toy. Told with tenderness and simplicity, this poem evokes the timeless bond between a child and their teddy bear — a companion who guards, listens, and stays, even when the years move on. A warm and nostalgic piece sure to stir hearts of all ages.  

The Writing Workshop by Kathleen Phelan  
In this playful and affectionate send-up of creative writing groups, Kathleen Phelan captures the chaos, charm, and biscuit-fuelled brilliance of writers trying (and failing) to be profound. With dream clouds, lost pens, poetic sheep, and a tutor on the brink, this witty piece will resonate with anyone who’s ever stared down a blank page — and found laughter waiting instead of genius.  

Halloween by Thomas MacMahon A short poem that captures the eerie charm and earthy humour of an Irish Halloween. Through flickering firelight, remembered voices, and autumn’s wind, Halloween evokes the warmth of tradition and the thin line between the living and the lost.

Clodagh’s Wedding by Tom Curtin Clodagh O’Sullivan has always seemed untouchable – perfectly composed, mysteriously single, and faintly amused by other people’s entanglements. So when an ivory-edged invitation arrives announcing her marriage to a man no one has ever heard of, her friends react with disbelief, envy, and a dash of alarm. The story unfolds through the wry eyes of one of those friends, whose trip home for the wedding becomes a comedy of errors: an ill-timed lunch, a chaotic journey through rain-soaked backroads, and a reception that veers from farce to quiet revelation. Funny, humane, and finely observed, Clodagh’s Wedding explores friendship, self-deception, and the strange ways love and pride collide. Beneath the laughter, it leaves a small ache – a reminder that even the most curated lives hide their share of longing.

The Hollow by James Conway Sara’s search for an island grave draws her into dangerous waters — and into the company of Rolf, a solitary boatman with secrets of his own. Their voyage across a treacherous bay becomes both a physical crossing and a haunting encounter with loss, belief, and the pull of the unseen. Atmospheric and quietly spellbinding, The Hollow lingers like sea-mist over the western shore.  

There Comes a Time by Tom Doyle
This thoughtful reflection explores life’s turning points — those moments of transition that invite (or force) us to change course. With graceful insight and gentle wisdom, Doyle examines how personal crises, epiphanies, synchronicities, or tipping points can become opportunities for growth rather than defeat. Drawing inspiration from thinkers like David Brooks and Louis L’Amour, he reminds us that even in adversity, we can “suffer our way to wisdom.” A resonant and uplifting meditation for anyone standing at life’s crossroads.

Fidelis by Tom Doyle On a rain-soaked Christmas Eve, an anxious young man searches Dublin for the perfect gift — something that will say both love and I tried. What he finds instead is a shaggy toy dog named Fidelis, a bus full of onlookers, and a series of small humiliations that lead to an unexpected grace. Warm, funny, and gently nostalgic, Fidelis captures the tender awkwardness of first love and the quiet triumph of sincerity over style.

Foundling Girls – Chapter 2 by Mary Rose Tobin
In this rich and textured chapter, daily life at the Foundling Hospital unfolds through classrooms, sewing benches, and the echoing tones of hymn practice. Lucy, Polly, Hetty and Clara each work to shape their futures — and preserve traces of their pasts. From needlework to music drills, the girls are schooled in obedience and precision, yet each one holds a secret token of identity hidden close. Through whispered confidences and fleeting moments of grace, Lucy begins to imagine transformation — the dream of becoming something new, not just mended. This chapter weaves discipline, friendship, and longing into a vivid portrait of girlhood under watchful eyes.  

Chapter 7 – The Boy in the Bed by Frank Fahy In this quietly harrowing chapter, two visiting doctors arrive to set up the traction rig that will hold young Christopher O’Shea in place for months to come. Through the rain-washed calm of the house, each movement — the tightening of straps, the click of metal joints, the father’s hovering pride — becomes a study in tension and control. The Doctors captures the moment when care turns mechanical, love becomes procedure, and a family begins its long vigil at the bedside.  

Did We Survive? – A Letter to the Future by Mary Hawkshaw
In this moving personal meditation, Mary Hawkshaw writes across time to an imagined future reader, asking whether humanity has survived its own contradictions. Blending memory, media, and moral questioning, the piece reflects on invention and indifference, beauty and brutality, the thrill of creativity and the burden of witnessing. It is both a letter and a lament — and a powerful call to remember what we were, and what we might still become.

The Write-on Story by Write-on Members
This living project is part history, part invitation. The Story of Write-on charts the journey of the group from its earliest days in Galway’s Westside to its vibrant, international membership today — a community united by creativity, encouragement, and shared achievement. But this isn’t just Frank Fahy’s account. It’s a collaborative, evolving ‘book’ — a living archive where every member is invited to add their voice. Whether you joined in person or online, last week or years ago, your story matters. This project gathers those experiences: first impressions, favourite moments, what Write-on has meant to you. The result will be a mosaic of memory and insight — and a welcoming window into Write-on for new and potential members. Published prominently on our website, The Story of Write-on is both a record and a beacon. All are invited to contribute.                                              

Genre	Title	Author
Short Story	Bob-ná-Bia	Mary Hodson
Short Story	At the Bend in the Road	Mary Hodson
Short Story	Fidelis	Tom Doyle
Short Story	The Hollow	James Conway
Short Story	Clodagh’s Wedding	Tom Curtin
Poem	Losing My Glasses	Kathleen Phelan
Poem	The Writing Workshop	Kathleen Phelan
Poem	My Teddy Bear	Kathleen Phelan
Poem	Halloween	Thomas MacMahon
Song	The First Music	Mary Hawkshaw
Novel Extract	Chapter 7 – The Boy in the Bed	Frank Fahy
Novel Extract	Chapter 2 – Foundling Girls in the Chapel	Mary Rose Tobin
Non-Fiction	There Comes a Time	Tom Doyle
Reflection	Did We Survive? – A letter to the Future	Mary Hawkshaw
Website	The Story of Write-on (Living History & Reflections from our Members)	All Members

Our Bottom Drawer has been filled up with a whole new collection of stories, novel extracts, poems, memoirs, songs, plays, reflections – a wonderful testimony to the diversity of styles, interests and creativity of our group. Don’t miss what promises to be another stimulating and satisfying evening’s entertainment!

A reminder: the coming Sunday is the deadline for submissions to the Mug of the Month competition. The key words which must be included in the 50-word (max.) text are EXERCISE and WALK. Send to annemurraypost@yahoo.ie .

The Arrest – A Student Nurse’s Lesson by Mary Hodson In this powerful memoir piece, a first-year nursing student in a London hospital faces a moment of crisis when a patient suddenly deteriorates under her care. What follows is a deeply human account of fear, instinct, and the unexpected kindness of those around her. With vivid details of the 1970s hospital hierarchy and the emotional terrain of early training, this story offers readers a window into the making of a nurse — not in the classroom, but in a single unforgettable moment that tests her courage and shapes her calling.     A Short Experimental Play by James Conway   In this surreal, darkly comic café scene, three voices — or perhaps just one fractured voice — bicker, reminisce, and unravel over stale cakes, imagined waitresses, and the memory of a long-departed minder. What begins as a tribute spirals into something stranger: a theatre of memory, madness, and self-interrogation. With wit, bite, and flashes of real tenderness, Conway’s play challenges identity and the unreliability of truth — all over a pot of coffee and a cake fished from the bin.     After Dada’s Letter by Helena Clare   When Delia receives a letter from home, her fragile sense of safety is shaken. In the quiet Scottish countryside where she and her children have taken refuge, something ancient and unsettling still stalks them — a force tied to a family curse, a ghostly old woman, and a child who walks with unseen companions. This haunting story delicately blends folklore, maternal love, and the strange gifts children sometimes carry. Rooted in the rhythms of rural life, it explores how fear can pass from one generation to the next — and how courage can too.   Losing My Glasses by Kathleen Phelan   In this quietly radiant poem, a lost pair of glasses becomes a portal to a softer, more painterly world. Through drifting fog, blurred edges, and the memory of Monet and Turner, the speaker discovers not confusion but a fleeting kind of clarity — a gentle unravelling of precision in favour of presence. A meditation on vision, ageing, and grace, this piece reminds us that sometimes, the blur shows us what sharpness cannot.   My Teddy Bear by Kathleen Phelan A gentle rhyme about childhood comfort and the quiet loyalty of a beloved toy. Told with tenderness and simplicity, this poem evokes the timeless bond between a child and their teddy bear — a companion who guards, listens, and stays, even when the years move on. A warm and nostalgic piece sure to stir hearts of all ages.   The Writing Workshop by Kathleen Phelan   In this playful and affectionate send-up of creative writing groups, Kathleen Phelan captures the chaos, charm, and biscuit-fuelled brilliance of writers trying (and failing) to be profound. With dream clouds, lost pens, poetic sheep, and a tutor on the brink, this witty piece will resonate with anyone who’s ever stared down a blank page — and found laughter waiting instead of genius.   Creation by Póilín Brennan [No synopses required at the request of the author.]     Foundling Girls – Chapter 2 by Mary Rose Tobin In this rich and textured chapter, daily life at the Foundling Hospital unfolds through classrooms, sewing benches, and the echoing tones of hymn practice. Lucy, Polly, Hetty and Clara each work to shape their futures — and preserve traces of their pasts. From needlework to music drills, the girls are schooled in obedience and precision, yet each one holds a secret token of identity hidden close. Through whispered confidences and fleeting moments of grace, Lucy begins to imagine transformation — the dream of becoming something new, not just mended. This chapter weaves discipline, friendship, and longing into a vivid portrait of girlhood under watchful eyes.   Chapter 2 – The Boy in the Bed by Frank Fahy   The long-anticipated return from hospital is anything but triumphant. In this taut and quietly powerful chapter, Christopher O’Shea is delivered home not by ambulance but by van, strapped to a stretcher and carried awkwardly through the narrow staircase by strangers and family alike. Told through the silent weight of glances, effort, and unspoken fear, this episode captures the emotional dislocation of homecoming — a boy altered, a house changed, a family straining under the new reality. With spare prose and unflinching detail, this chapter deepens the novel’s exploration of physical vulnerability and emotional silence.     There Comes a Time by Tom Doyle This thoughtful reflection explores life’s turning points — those moments of transition that invite (or force) us to change course. With graceful insight and gentle wisdom, Doyle examines how personal crises, epiphanies, synchronicities, or tipping points can become opportunities for growth rather than defeat. Drawing inspiration from thinkers like David Brooks and Louis L’Amour, he reminds us that even in adversity, we can “suffer our way to wisdom.” A resonant and uplifting meditation for anyone standing at life’s crossroads. Slopum Cum Dasum by Tom Doyle A wry and warmly nostalgic memoir, Slopum Cum Dasum captures the clash between generational values through the lens of one painted door. Doyle recalls his father’s almost holy devotion to craftsmanship — a perfectionist whose painstaking three-month mission to paint the front door became the stuff of legend on their Phibsboro street. But when the narrator, now a bell-bottomed teenager, attempts to repaint that same door in a bold shade of green, the result is swift maternal outrage and the unravelling of what once gleamed with pride. Told with wit, affection, and a painter’s eye for detail, this essay is a tribute to both the art of doing things well — and the inevitability of messing them up.   Lost Souls – A Song by Mary Hawkshaw This darkly comic gospel ballad follows three souls who arrive at Heaven’s gate, each expecting a reward for their past deeds — one for faith, one for service, one for wealth. But the reception they get is far from what they imagined. With sharp rhymes and a twist of satire, Lost Souls explores what really counts when the final reckoning comes. Not everyone makes the cut — not even for Hell. Did We Survive? – A Letter to the Future by Mary Hawkshaw In this moving personal meditation, Mary Hawkshaw writes across time to an imagined future reader, asking whether humanity has survived its own contradictions. Blending memory, media, and moral questioning, the piece reflects on invention and indifference, beauty and brutality, the thrill of creativity and the burden of witnessing. It is both a letter and a lament — and a powerful call to remember what we were, and what we might still become. The Write-on Story by Write-on Members This living project is part history, part invitation. The Story of Write-on charts the journey of the group from its earliest days in Galway’s Westside to its vibrant, international membership today — a community united by creativity, encouragement, and shared achievement. But this isn’t just Frank Fahy’s account. It’s a collaborative, evolving ‘book’ — a living archive where every member is invited to add their voice. Whether you joined in person or online, last week or years ago, your story matters. This project gathers those experiences: first impressions, favourite moments, what Write-on has meant to you. The result will be a mosaic of memory and insight — and a welcoming window into Write-on for new and potential members. Published prominently on our website, The Story of Write-on is both a record and a beacon. All are invited to contribute.

This week, our Bottom Drawer offers a beautifully balanced mix of story, reflection, and poetic pause. We wish all participants an enjoyable and stimulating evening. The Bottom Drawer Here are the synopses of the items currently held in Write-on’s Bottom Drawer — our active store of submitted manuscripts. From this collection, the weekly programme is carefully selected. Gene Pool by Anne McManus Set in a bustling French bar at lunchtime, Gene Pool explores a moment of quiet observation amid the clamour of conversation, clinking glasses and shouted orders. The unnamed narrator finds herself alone, surrounded by confident, talkative men who seem to belong — until a stranger sits beside her, setting off a conversation that shifts the tone from superficial to intimate. With sharp dialogue and a light but knowing touch, the story gradually reveals the vulnerabilities beneath outward bravado, touching on family, identity, and the traces of the past that shape us. A brief encounter becomes something more — a reflection on connection, coincidence, and the quiet ways in which lives intersect. Foundling Girls – Chapter 1 by Mary Rose Tobin Chapter 1 – I Know That My Redeemer Liveth   Nine-year-old Lucy lies awake in the dormitory of London’s Foundling Hospital, surrounded by the restless breath and muffled coughs of fifty sleeping girls. Haunted by dreams of a lost foster home and drawn to mysterious music in the night, Lucy begins to sense that her voice may carry more than just sound—it may carry hope. As dawn breaks over a tightly regulated world of slates, chalk, and scripture recitation, we glimpse the fierce discipline and quiet tenderness that shape the girls’ daily lives. In the chapel, beneath the painted gaze of angels and saints, Lucy hears something that will echo long after the final bell has rung.   Chapter 7 – The Boy in the Bed by Frank Fahy   A silent girl arrives without warning, carrying only a small case and a parcel. Her name is Henrietta, and she’s here to help — or so Rita says. What follows is a day of unspoken observation: Christopher in his bed, the girl moving through the house like smoke, and a household not quite sure what to make of her. She speaks little, obeys quickly, and reveals almost nothing — but by nightfall, something shifts. A spark passes between the boy and the girl with the fire-lit hands. And though neither of them has words for it yet, everything begins to change. The Weight of Small Things by Kathleen Phelan Grief doesn’t always come crashing in — sometimes it lingers in the ordinary. A boiling kettle. The way someone washes fruit. A silence before a laugh. In this gentle, precise meditation, absence is felt through ritual, memory, and the quiet rituals that survive a loss. A poem about what remains — and how, slowly, almost imperceptibly, something like peace begins to grow. There Comes a Time by Tom Doyle This thoughtful reflection explores life’s turning points — those moments of transition that invite (or force) us to change course. With graceful insight and gentle wisdom, Doyle examines how personal crises, epiphanies, synchronicities, or tipping points can become opportunities for growth rather than defeat. Drawing inspiration from thinkers like David Brooks and Louis L’Amour, he reminds us that even in adversity, we can “suffer our way to wisdom.” A resonant and uplifting meditation for anyone standing at life’s crossroads. Slopum Cum Dasum by Tom Doyle A wry and warmly nostalgic memoir, Slopum Cum Dasum captures the clash between generational values through the lens of one painted door. Doyle recalls his father’s almost holy devotion to craftsmanship — a perfectionist whose painstaking three-month mission to paint the front door became the stuff of legend on their Phibsboro street. But when the narrator, now a bell-bottomed teenager, attempts to repaint that same door in a bold shade of green, the result is swift maternal outrage and the unravelling of what once gleamed with pride. Told with wit, affection, and a painter’s eye for detail, this essay is a tribute to both the art of doing things well — and the inevitability of messing them up. Write-on Creative Writing Challenge: Scene and Reveal This week’s creative writing session features three short, imaginative prompts designed to spark storytelling from a single moment. Members are invited to write their own version of the scene, guided only by the setup. Afterwards, we’ll hear how a well-known published author tackled the same idea — and open up discussion on tone, voice, and storytelling choices. The Write-on Story by Write-on Members This living project is part history, part invitation. The Story of Write-on charts the journey of the group from its earliest days in Galway’s Westside to its vibrant, international membership today — a community united by creativity, encouragement, and shared achievement. But this isn’t just Frank Fahy’s account. It’s a collaborative, evolving ‘book’ — a living archive where every member is invited to add their voice. Whether you joined in person or online, last week or years ago, your story matters. This project gathers those experiences: first impressions, favourite moments, what Write-on has meant to you. The result will be a mosaic of memory and insight — and a welcoming window into Write-on for new and potential members. Published prominently on our website, The Story of Write-on is both a record and a beacon. All are invited to contribute. MOTM (Mug of the Month) Keywords: WALK and EXERCISE Use one. Use both. Write a sonnet. Write a haiku. Write a single brilliant line on the back of a receipt. Just… write.   Closing Date: 26 October 2025   annemurraypost@yahoo.ie Write-On now has a dedicated submissions email: bd.writeon@gmail.com

The Bottom Drawer
Genre	Title	Author
Short Story	Gene Pool	Anne McManus
Poem	The Weight of Small Things	Kathleen Phelan
Writing Challenge	Scene and Reveal	All Members
Novel Extract	Chapter 7 – The Boy in the Bed	Frank Fahy
Novel Extract	Chapter 1 – Foundling Girls in the Chapel	Mary Rose Tobin
Website	The Story of Write-on (Living History & Reflections from our Members)	All Members

What’s new in The Bottom Drawer this week? Read on ….!

Sing to Me, Nevermore   This week we’re treated to not one but two original songs. First, Mary Hawkshaw’s haunting musical response to Poe’s The Raven — Once Upon a Midnight — draws on the rhythms and shadows of that gothic classic. The synopsis offers a glimpse into the eerie beauty of her composition. Then comes Frank Fahy’s own tribute to friendship, journalism, and the spirit of 1974, when a newspaper called Western Life helped forge a lifelong bond. That memory now lives on in music, echoing across the decades.

History, Fiction, and Futures in Progress   We’re thrilled to feature a new extract from Mary Rose Tobin’s novel The Foundlings (set in the Foundling Hospital, London), a long-matured work that is at last nearing full bloom. Her lyrical prose and emotional clarity continue to impress.   We also glimpse the next chapter of Olga Peters’ forthcoming A Normal Couple — Part Two. This thoughtful and sharp-eyed novel explores love, disappointment, and what counts as “normal” in a world tilted sideways.

Poetry from the People In verse, we welcome: Póilín Brennan’s bilingual offering Le Chéile / Together, a tender celebration of shared listening, myth, and community. Kathleen Phelan, whose gentle nature observations always restore the spirit. And James Conway, who offers a new piece with his signature philosophical lens.

Write-on now has a dedicated submissions email! bd.writeon@gmail.com     Website www.write-on.ie

Here are the synopses of the items currently held in Write-on’s Bottom Drawer — our active store of submitted manuscripts. From this collection, the weekly programme is carefully selected.

Once Upon a Midnight by Mary Hawkshaw

Inspired by Edgar Allan Poe’s iconic poem The Raven, Mary Hawkshaw’s musical interpretation is a haunting and lyrical response to one of literature’s most enduring works. Drawing on Poe’s rhythms and imagery — the “dreary December,” the ghostly presence, and the echo of loss — she transforms the poem into a contemporary soundscape that is both elegy and exploration. With evocative phrases like “ghosts of my last” and “girls on the floor,” her piece moves beyond simple homage to become a powerful meditation on memory, absence, and the echoes that remain when love — or sanity — is lost.

Charlotte Wants an Answer by Olga Peters

In wartime Berlin, a walk by the lake takes a chilling turn for Charlotte and her friend Franzie when they witness an ominous column of people—Jews—being herded through the city under heavy guard. The women’s quiet afternoon is shattered, and Charlotte, a doctor accustomed to the cold logic of dissection, is shocked into urgent questioning. As Charlotte demands answers, the story broadens into a tense and intimate domestic gathering, where old loyalties, wartime propaganda, and fragments of truth collide. How far will Charlotte go to preserve her integrity? And how much do any of them really want to know?

He Was Despised by Mary Rose Tobin

When young Lucy arrives for her usual singing lesson, she expects another quiet Thursday of scales and arpeggios. But fate intervenes — the soprano for the Albert Hall’s Good Friday Messiah has fallen ill, and Lucy is thrust into the spotlight with only days to prepare. Guided by her passionate mentor Professor Montefiore, she must rise to a challenge that could make — or break — her. A story of talent, fear, and transcendence, this moving piece captures the moment a shy girl becomes a star… and perhaps something more.

The Weight of Small Things by Kathleen Phelan

Grief doesn’t always come crashing in — sometimes it lingers in the ordinary. A boiling kettle. The way someone washes fruit. A silence before a laugh. In this gentle, precise meditation, absence is felt through ritual, memory, and the quiet rituals that survive a loss. A poem about what remains — and how, slowly, almost imperceptibly, something like peace begins to grow.

Remembering the Days by Frank Fahy

‘We built a dream with borrowed type / And ink that stained our skin…’ So begins this lyrical tribute to the newspaper adventure that changed everything. In 1974, two young men — Frank Fahy and Tom Curtin — launched Western Life, a new Galway city newspaper born of vision, grit, and friendship. Half a century later, that friendship endures, and this song remembers not just the publication they created, but the bond that carried them through. A heartfelt reflection on legacy, risk, and camaraderie — and a reminder of how the boldness of youth can echo through a lifetime.  

Le Chéile le Póilín Brennan  

Ag meascadh Gaeilge agus Béarla, miotais agus an nua‑aimsearthacht, tugann an dán fileata seo cuireadh dúinn éisteacht go domhain — le crainn, le beacha, le scéalta cois tine, agus lena chéile. Músclaíonn Póilín Brennan mothú cuimhne roinnte agus neart pobail, fréamhaithe sa nádúr agus sa chomhluadar. Le macallaí an tseanchaí agus cogar ón talamh, is ceiliúradh é Le Chéile ar an méid is féidir a chloisteáil — agus a leigheas — nuair a stopaimid le chéile.  

Together by Póilín Brennan

Blending Irish and English, myth and modernity, this lyrical poem invites us to gather in deep listening — to trees, to bees, to firelight stories, and to each other. Póilín Brennan evokes a sense of shared memory and collective strength, rooted in community and the natural world. With echoes of the shanachí and whispers from the land, Le Chéile is a celebration of what can be heard — and healed — when we pause together.    

A Man’s World by James Conway

This short, impressionistic poem mixes painterly abstraction with a punch of working-man defiance. James Conway imagines a canvas pulsing with raw, elemental colours — cerebral greys, bruised reds, and deepest blues — overlaid with tools, sweat, and noise. A meditation on masculinity and creation, the poem reclaims the phrase “It’s a man’s world” not as a boast, but as a textured surface for thought, work, and expression.

The Write-on Story by Write-on Members

This living project is part history, part invitation. The Story of Write-on charts the journey of the group from its earliest days in Galway’s Westside to its vibrant, international membership today — a community united by creativity, encouragement, and shared achievement. But this isn’t just Frank Fahy’s account. It’s a collaborative, evolving ‘book’ — a living archive where every member is invited to add their voice. Whether you joined in person or online, last week or years ago, your story matters. This project gathers those experiences: first impressions, favourite moments, what Write-on has meant to you. The result will be a mosaic of memory and insight — and a welcoming window into Write-on for new and potential members. Published prominently on our website, The Story of Write-on is both a record and a beacon. All are invited to contribute.

MOTM (Mug of the Month) Keywords: WALK and EXERCISE Use one. Use both. Write a sonnet. Write a haiku. Write a single brilliant line on the back of a receipt. Just… write.   Closing Date: 26 October 2025   annemurraypost@yahoo.ie

Genre	Title	Author
Song	Once upon a Midnight	Mary Hawkshaw
Song	Remembering the Days	Frank Fahy
Poem	The Weight of Small Things	Kathleen Phelan
Poem	A Man’s World	James Conway
Poem	Le Chéile/Together	Póilín Brennan
Novel Extract	He was Despised	Mary Rose Tobin
Novel Extract	A Normal Couple, 2	Olga Peters
Website	The Story of Write-on (Living History &  Reflections from our Members)	All Members

Here are the synopses of the items currently held in Write-on’s Bottom Drawer — our active store of submitted manuscripts. From this collection, the weekly programme is carefully selected.

The In-Laws by Mary Hodson

It’s the summer of 1975, and our young Irish narrator is head over heels for a London lad with a Triumph Herald, a navy suit, and a love for Neil Diamond. What starts as a dreamy date to Jesus Christ Superstar takes an unexpected turn when he casually swings by his parents’ flat — with her in tow. No warning. No heads-up. Just a girl in towering platformsandals, suddenly face to face with a startled London mother and a bemused, pipe-smoking father. Cue the Royal Albert china, the dainty biscuits, and the kind of tea that could strip paint. In this hilarious, tender flashback, we watch a mortified girl try to make a good impression, a mother try to make sense of it all, and a quietly grinning boy who knew exactly what he was doing. A story about first love, first impressions, and that unforgettable first time you meet the people who might one day become… the in-laws.

The Incident by Geraldine Warren

Hannah Mullen is doing her best to hold it together. With a family christening looming and her husband’s political campaign in full swing, she’s expected to smile, show up, and behave. But something inside her is unravelling. There’s a sound no one else seems to hear — a low, insistent buzzing that builds with every new message, every photo, every reminder of what she’s lost. And then, one scorching Saturday morning, it all comes to a head. Set against the charged backdrop of a city in motion, The Incident is a taut, unsettling story about the moment everything changes — and the price of keeping up appearances when the world expects you to be fine.

The Weight of Small Things by Kathleen Brennan

Grief doesn’t always come crashing in — sometimes it lingers in the ordinary. A boiling kettle. The way someone washes fruit. A silence before a laugh. In this gentle, precise meditation, absence is felt through ritual, memory, and the quiet rituals that survive a loss. A poem about what remains — and how, slowly, almost imperceptibly, something like peace begins to grow.

Dementia by Gráinne Keogh

Delicate and poignant, this short poem captures a fleeting moment of lucid memory in the midst of cognitive decline. As the scent of honeysuckle and the hush of evening stir a sudden recollection of childhood, the narrator slips briefly into joy before being gently guided back to the present. Gráinne Keogh’s debut contribution is tender, restrained, and quietly powerful.

Le Chéile / Together by Poilin Brennan

Blending Irish and English, myth and modernity, this lyrical poem invites us to gather in deep listening — to trees, to bees, to firelight stories, and to each other. Pauline Brennan evokes a sense of shared memory and collective strength, rooted in community and the natural world. With echoes of the shanachí and whispers from the land, Le Chéile is a celebration of what can be heard — and healed — when we pause together.

Meáchan na Rudaí Beaga by Poilin Brennan

Ní thagann an brón i dtólamh — uaireanta, fanann sé sna gnáthrudaí. Coire ag fiuchadh. Torthaí á ní. Ciúnas sula dtosaíonn gáire. Léiríonn an dán cumhachtach seo an chaoi a maireann caillteanas ionainn, gan focal, gan radharc – ach fós, go láidir. Taispeántas álainn ar conas a fhásann suaimhneas – mall, mar chaonach ar chloch – gan torann, gan deifir, ach le cineáltas ciúin.

Chapter 3: The Boy in the Bed by Frank Fahy

The middle room is cleared, the bed arrives, and the weight begins its pull. In this quiet but unflinching chapter, we witness the first days of Christopher’s confinement — the installation of the traction device, the reactions of each family member, and the early signs of how life must now adjust. Told with restraint and precision, the chapter explores control, sacrifice, and endurance — not only in the child’s body, but in the family itself, as routines, roles, and hopes are quietly rearranged around the quiet, steady tug of the rope.

A Man’s World by James Conway

This short, impressionistic poem mixes painterly abstraction with a punch of working-man defiance. James Conway imagines a canvas pulsing with raw, elemental colours — cerebral greys, bruised reds, and deepest blues — overlaid with tools, sweat, and noise. A meditation on masculinity and creation, the poem reclaims the phrase “It’s a man’s world” not as a boast, but as a textured surface for thought, work, and expression.

Glencoe by Helena Clare

When Cordelia Hamilton — Cory to her friends — leaves North Carolina for the Scottish Highlands, she’s not looking for answers. Not really. But as soon as she arrives, the past begins to stir. A rowan sprig confiscated at passport control. A stranger who greets her by name. A family house untouched since the day her great-uncle died. And then — something in the road that only she can see. Haunted by questions her grandmother never answered, Cory is drawn deeper into the hills of Glencoe, into a curse older than anyone will admit, and into a legacy she was never meant to ignore. A story of kinship, memory, and the strange pull of inherited fate — Glencoe is both tender and uncanny, rooted in landscape and shadowed by the past.

Genre	Title	Author
Short Story	The In-Laws	Mary Hodson
Short Story	The Incident	Geraldine Warren
Poem	The Weight of Small Things	Kathleen Phelan
Poem	A Man’s World	James Conway
Poem	Dementia	Gráinne Keogh
Poem	Le Chéile/Together	Póilín Brennan
Novel Extract	Chapter 3: The Boy in the Bed	Frank Fahy
Novel Extract	Glencoe	Helena Clare
Website	The Story of Write-on (Living History &  Reflections from our Members)	All Members