I’ve worked as an outdoor performer and artist for over twenty years but I don’t think many of my audiences or peers would describe me as a writer. I do however acknowledge that my written practice – my poetry, my short stories, as well as all the artist statements, commission tenders and funding bids– has furthered my creative exploration, building my ideas into projects.

Writing is always the starting point for my work; long before I articulate those ideas visually, or as performances or songs. I write everything down, often in pencil.

My endeavours to articulate ideas also serve me stratigically. My words have attracted project support and creative partnerships with festivals and venues, secured key commissions and enabled me to tour and market my work.

I have also supported other artists in writing marketing materials, tenders and funding applications for their work.

Not bad for a dyslexic girl who can’t always be relied upon to spell her own name correctly.

These initial seeds of text are seldom explored outside of performance contexts as work in their own right and my creative writing is entirely self taught.

However, throughout the development of my project Opal’s Comet, the songs and lyrics and short story were published as community resources and a podcast series.

I am currently undertaking an MA Writing at the University of Galway, tutored by award-winning Irish writers Elaine Feeney and Mike McCormick.