Advice for Turning 20 To Shannon Think of me, I’m twenty-three But I couldn’t speak Truely to you While offering advice for turning 20. But still, here is something I might have liked to hear: Don’t play catch up – You will fall further & further away From who you are If you’re trying to…...
Represent Yourself By Precious Oluwatumininu Daniels Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on whatsapp I was 14 years old when I moved to Ireland. My first day in Secondary School was so hard with teachers struggling to pronounce my name. The students made fun of my curly hair, my accent and the fact that…...
“I am finally free to stand up for myself” By Farida Salim Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on whatsapp Hey there! My name is Farida Salim. I am a 19-year-old Kenyan-Irish woman, born and raised in County Cork. My family has lived in Ireland for a little over 20 years. I don’t recall a…...
“The freest man will always find solace in his word of truth.” By Friday Junior Osemwekhae Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on whatsapp Recently I have found myself rummaging through my old secondary school and university folders, unearthing past memories within the soil of my soul. Found an old note from a friend…...
Blown by gusts of icy wind — facial acupuncture, painful I descend on my grey seething river, frothing whirlpools Stifled memories of unending supermarket queues Have drenched me with an urge to get home To warmth and dry/and tidy up my life A small compensation in preparation For unforeseen pending isolation Impatiently, I stop at…...
Joy is innate in us mortals. Unless, sadly, for some, somehow, at some time, it has been cruelly suppressed. Think of the joyful symbiosis between a baby’s smiles and giggles, and us. Are we not touched, irrespective of the colour of the child’s skin? Is it not the smile which communicates joy to us? And…...
I’ve been a home bird for the first 25 years of my life. I was born in Calcutta, India. I went to school there, went to college there – even worked there. I lived in the same house I was born in – an old, huge mansion built in 1889 by the Brits with my…...
The last time someone noticed and paid me a compliment for one of my tattoos was in a small cozy coffee shop in Lisbon. The waitress walked near me and said: “I love that Medusa. It is amazing!” I blushed, and I can’t remember the last time I felt the warmth of being approached by…...
Maureen McLaughlin narrates her journey to becoming a pub-owner in Cork. Maureen shares anecdotes that not only reveal her desire to serve but also lessons from her self-inquiry. One of the many things I loved about Ireland when I began visiting from Canada in 2007 was the pub culture — the small rooms, the music,…...
Imasha Costa is a published poet and is a 2nd year Arts student, studying English and French. Presently, Imasha is the Arts and Literature Editor for the UCC Express. Imasha writes to break the taboos that she has experienced while growing up in the South Asian community. I guess you are not unaware of…...