Courses and Readings

    See home page for the latest workshops and classes.
    Shirley is available to give poetry readings.

    She also runs creative writing classes & workshops for community or health-related groups as well as the general public. Workshops include: Potent Wizards - Writing from Our Senses,  Paying Attention, Writing from the Five Elements, Writing from the Body and Writing from Stillness.
    If you have an enquiry, please email Shirley

Recent Events

  • Saturday 14th May 2016, 6-7.30 pm, Hawk's Well Theatre, Sligo. A reading with Jane Clarke, Shirley McClure & workshop participants from Shirley & Jane's half-day workshop on the same day, Writing From Stillness
  • Bealtaine Festival: Bray Active retirement Creative Writing Group invites you to an evening of readings, stories & music at Café Letterario, Albert walk, Bray on Thursday 12th May at 7.30 p.m. All welcome.
  • Sat 30th April 2016, 8 pm, Féile Lon Dubh, Nun's Cross Church, Ashford, Co. Wicklow. Poetry with Jane Clarke and Shirley McClure. Music by Sonamus: Eamon Sweeney (guitar), Rachel Factor (harpsichord), Annette Cleary (cello), Cormac Breatnach (whistle). Theme: heritage & conservation
  • Saturday 23rd & Sunday 24th April 2016, 10.30am – 4.30pm. Back by popular demand:
    Poetry Writing Weekend with Ann and Peter Sansom, The  Poetry Business. Drawing on classic and contemporary poems as stimulus and example, Ann and Peter's writing sessions are hugely enjoyable and very productive -- as well as being challenging and exhilarating.  Writing and close-reading exercises in the morning, a supportive but rigorous critical workshop in the afternoon.  Warm, thought-provoking and a lot of fun.
    Royal Hotel, Main Street, Bray, Co. Wicklow.   Suitable for experienced writers.  
    Flyer
  • Creative Writing Starter Course : Meeting-of-the-Waters, Co.Wicklow.
  • Thursday 25th February 2016, Carlow Library, 7­-8 pm. A reading with Breda Wall Ryan & Jane Clarke.
  • Tuesday 15th March 2016, 6.30 pm at Bray Public Library, Eglinton road, Bray, Co. Wicklow. Launch of Little Bray Writers' Group exhibition of writings on the Easter Rising 1916, launched by Liz McManus.
  • Writing from Stillness Workshop, Shirley McClure
    Writing workshop open to all at Dalkey Library, 11th & 18th Feb 2016.
    Feedback from participant at previous workshop in Dalkey Library run by Shirley McClure  :
    "I was very impressed by this workshop and attended both sessions. The preparation, presentation and information were all of the highest professional quality. The quiet, unimposing personality of the presenter, Shirley Mc Clure, did much to emphasize the stillness aspect of the workshop and the various exercises were done with good humour and total respect for the participants. This is one of the very best workshops I have ever attended over many, many years in creative writing. Thank you so much, Shirley. Go raibh míle maith agat." Críona Garvey, 23/11/15
  • Masterclass: A weekend workshop with renowned poets and teachers, Anne & Peter Samson,  directors of the Poetry Business in Sheffield, was held at the Wilton Hotel, Bray, Co. Wicklow on Saturday 19th and Sunday 20th September 2015.
  • Hawk’s Well Theatre, Sligo
    Shirley McClure and Jane Clarke and will give a poetry reading with musical accompaniment on
    Wednesday 29th July at 8pm. 
  • Stone House Books, Kilkenny
    The Kilkenny launch of Spanish Affair and Jane Clarke's The River is in
    Stone House Books on Thursday 27th August at 7pm. Music by Eamon Sweeney, whose Spanish guitar is featured on the CD Spanish Affair.
  • Writing from Stillness: Three Creative Writing Workshops with Shirley McClure.
    Thursdays 6.30-8.00pm on 9, 16 and 23 July. Public Library, Stillorgan, Co.Dublin
    Connect with the hugely popular mindfulness revolution currently taking place worldwide. These workshops will introduce aspiring and experienced writers to poems and prose which tap into the need for stillness and awareness in the age of speed.

  • Paying Attention, The Sanctuary, Sunday 14th September 2014. Paying Attention invites you to slow down and connect with your own creativity. The workshop introduced examples from short stories and poetry as well as simple mindfulness techniques to lead you into writing. Suitable for beginners & people who have been writing for a while. 

  • Shirley read with other writers at the Irish Writers' Centre Dublin on Culture Night, Friday 19th September 2014 and with Jane Clarke at The Farm Shop tearoom Tinahely, Co Wicklow on Ireland Poetry Day, 2nd October 2014  for the Courthouse Arts Centre.

  • The Little Bray Family Resource & Development Centre Project, Bray Now and Then: Building Community Expression through Creative Writing , a poster exhibition of stories, poems and memories by writers from The Little Bray Writers Group (Coordinated by Shirley McClure) was launched by novelist and former TD Liz McManus on Thursday 4th September, at Signal Arts Centre, 1 Albert Avenue, Bray, Co. Wicklow. After running in the Signal Arts Centre in September, it moved to the library, Eglinton Road, Bray for October, and is now at the Bray DART station.

  • Shirley read alongside fellow poet Jane Clarke in  Poetry at Cafe Fusion, Monck Street, Wexford on Friday 1st August as part of Art in the Open painting festival.

  • Masterclass: A weekend workshop with renowned poet and teacher, Mimi Khalvati, founder of The Poetry School, London, was held at the Wilton Hotel, Bray, Co. Wicklow on Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th April 2014.

  • Body Language: A one-day workshop with Shirley McClure on creative writing was held at the Oscailt centre, Pembroke Rd, Dublin 4 on Sunday 13th April 2014. 

  • Shirley's workshop Paying Attention took place on Sunday 3rd November 2013 at Oscailt, 8 Pembroke Rd, Dublin 4.  Flyer 

  • Shirley's workshop Writing from the Five Elements - Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water  took place on Sunday 24th November 2013 at The Sanctuary, Stanhope St, Dublin 7.
    Flyer
  • Shirley completed a 3-week writing residency  at the Heinrich Boll cottage on Achill Island in July/August 2013, working on her next collection.
  • Shirley's workshop Potent Wizards on Writing from Our Senses took place on Sunday 14th July 2013 in Monkstown, Co.Dublin. 
  • Reading at Cafe Osta, Sligo on Thu 20 June 2013.
  • Reading at National Rehabilitation Hospital with Nuala  Ní Chanainn on Fri 31 May 2013 as part of Music Week.
  • Shirley's workshop Writing from Stillness took place on Sunday 24th February 2013 in Bray, Co.Wicklow.
  • Shirley read at The Fireside Session, Glendalough Green Cafe, Laragh, Co.Wicklow on Friday 25th Jan, 7.30pm - organised by Glendalough Artists Network.
  • Shirley read at Cafe Blend, Letterkenny, Co.Donegal on Thursday 29th November 2012 at 8pm, along with poets Jane Clarke & Win McNulty and singer Martha Hoad (Miffy).
  • Shirley held a creative writing course entitled Writing from the Body, a one-day workshop of creative writing for women, looking at the body as metaphor and inspiration for writing creatively. on Sunday 4th November 2012 in Greystones, Co. Wicklow.
  • In celebration of All Ireland Poetry Day on Thursday 4 October, the Waterford Healing Arts Trust (WHAT) hosted a lunchtime reading in Waterford Regional Hospital by Waterford-born poet Shirley McClure entitled Waiting List. More info here
  • Irish Times journalist Sylvia Thompson recently wrote about Shirley in an article entitled "How writing can be good for the body" Here.
  • Shirley read her poem "The Fitting" on Sarah Carey's radio programme Talking Point on Newstalk 106 on 29th Sept 2012, as part of the promotion of All Ireland Poetry Day. Listen out for other poetry readings on this programme over the next weeks.
  • Shirley held a well attended creative writing course entitled "Writing from the 5 elements", based on the five elements in the Chinese tradition - wood, fire, earth, metal and water. It took place on Sunday 29th July 2012 in Monkstown, Co.Dublin. Further details are here
  • Catch The Moon (Shirley McClure, Tina Pisco, Kathy D'Arcy & Jane Clarke) appeared at the Boyle Arts Festival on Thurs 2nd August 2012. Details
  • Shirley was shortlisted for the Strokestown International Poetry Competition 2012, and gave a reading at the Festival on May 6th 2012.
  • Catch the Moon gave a special performance in aid of Ruhama on International Women's day in the Irish Writers' Centre, Dublin on March 8th 2012
  • Catch the Moon headlined at the Sliabh Bloom Storytelling Festival in October 2011.
  • Catch the Moon read at the West Cork Literary festival on Friday 8th July, 4 pm 2011 in Cafe Organico. This marked Catch The Moon's first birthday : its first ever gig was at this festival July 2010!
  • Catch the Moon read at Kinsale Arts Festival, Co. Cork, on Sunday 10th July 2011, Kinsale Bookshop at 3.30 pm.
  • Catch the Moon read at the Trevor/ Bowen Summer School, in the Town Hall, Mitchelstown Co. Cork on Sunday 17th July 2011 at 4.30 pm - more info here
  • Shirley read alongside Geraldine Mitchell at Clifden Arts Festival on Monday, 19th September at 4.15 pm. Introduced by poet Joan McBreen - more info here
  • Shirley read at O Bheal, on Monday, 3rd October at 9.30 pm - more info here
  • May 2011, Catch The Moon appeared at the FlatLake Festival Monaghan
  • March 2011, Catch The Moon appeared at the Trash Culture Revue, Cork
  • Sunday 20 March 2011, 3.30. Reading at Durrow Arts Festival (Church of Ireland, The Square) with Catch The Moon (Shirley McClure, Tina Pisco, Kathy D'Arcy & Jane Clarke).
  • Thursday 20 Jan 2011, 8.30pm. Reading at Cleere's Theatre Bar, 28 Parliament St, Kilkenny with Catch The Moon (Shirley McClure, Tina Pisco, Kathy D'Arcy & Jane Clarke).
  • Tuesday 1 Feb 2011, 8pm. Reading at The Space Inside, Wicklow Sailing Club, Wicklow town, with Catch The Moon.
  • Saturday 19 Feb 2011, (Time TBC). Reading at the Cork Spring Literary Festival (venue TBC) with Catch The Moon.
  • Shirley McClure was interviewed LIVE on RTE Radio 1's premier Arts programme, Arena, on Tuesday 2nd November 2010 at 7.30pm. (play it here).
  • Shirley has also been interviewed on writer Nuala Ní Chonchúir's blog here.
  • Shirley also appeared with poetry ensemble Catch The Moon as part of Cork's Trash Culture Review 2010 at 1pm on Saturday 6th November in O'Conaill's Chocolate Shop on French Church Street
  • Wednesday 24 Nov 2010. Cork launch of Who's Counting? by Eugene O'Connell for Bradshaw Books, time & location to be confirmed.
  • Wednesday 27 Oct 2010, 9pm. Limerick launch of Who's Counting? at The White House Bar, Limerick.
  • Sat/Sun 4/5 September 2010, 3pm each day, Spoken Word tent at Electric Picnic, Stradbally, Co.Laois.
  • Thursday 9th September, 6.30 pm, Unitarian Church, St. Stephen's Green, Dublin 2: launch of Who's Counting? By Poetry Ireland alongside Roderick Ford's launch of The Green Crown.
  • Monday 13 September 8 pm: reading at Bray Arts Club, Heather House Hotel, Strand Road, Bray, Co. Wicklow
  • Friday 24 September, Culture Night event: performance by Catch The Moon, St.Luke's Church, Cork.
Email Shirley McClure