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Joe McGowan, a native of Mullaghmore, Co. Sligo, is a noted historian, novelist, folklorist, and an acclaimed storyteller. Readers of Trasna will be familiar with his talent as Joe launched our first issue of Trasna with his piece entitled, “May: Mary’s Month or Baal’s?” Joe’s essay thoughtfully explored the “green…
Read More »Chath pierSath’s new book, ON EARTH BENEATH SKY, is forthcoming in about ten days. The poems and prose sketches describe his journey as a genocide survivor from Cambodia, boy refugee starting over in Colorado, and new American finding a place in this country and his own place in society. He…
Read More »I read a great book last week. Again. By Jack McDonough The next best thing to reading a good book is finding a good book. While finding The Book is the goal, the search for that next great read is fun, too. It may be like deer hunting. You know…
Read More »In keeping with the education theme this month, here’s an excerpt from a memory book I’m writing. Some sections are built on related, even if partial, recollections—in this case experiences during my college years. At times, memories can be like bits of mica shining in a chunk of stone you…
Read More »Before a neck injury in 2005 Irish poet Monica Corish spent many years travelling, living and working in Africa. Based now in Co. Leitrim, in her poems here Corish brings the reader from the sublime beauty of a night spent on a mountaintop near Lokichokio in northern Kenya in her…
Read More »Friends in the Lowell cultural community will remember Patrick Gentry Pierce from his time in Lowell. His art studio on Middle Street helped create a buzz in the downtown cultural district for several years. This is his first appearance as a writer on this site. I have a good memory…
Read More »Lesson Plan By David Daniel At five minutes to ten on a Wednesday morning I am standing in a small storage area at the county house of correction, waiting for my GED students. The 16-by-16 foot space with gray block walls, pipes overhead, and a single window with bars giving…
Read More »Guinness Storehouse at St. James Gate in Dublin is often listed as Ireland’s number-one tourist attraction; but here on Trasna there’s no admission fee to learn the history of bottling the world’s most famous pint. “Glass on wood is likely among the first sounds I heard,” writes Julie Ward in…
Read More »Ain’t Got Nuthin (Writer’s cramp during Covid) By Jerry Bisantz Copyright 2020 “I ain’t got nuthin!” Forget the double negative, because the truth is the truth… that scary answer to that most frightening of all questions: “whatcha working on now?”” Can’t a goddamn playwright get some peace in this world?…
Read More »Best Dog Ever By David Daniel For Bobby Harrison, 1948-1995 When I got out of the service I couldn’t find a job, so I went back to live at my parents’ house. I still had a little Army money, so I started hanging around with my friend Bobby. He had…
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