Andy wrote his first poem aged nine and ever since has scribbled poems and songs and pieces of writing on anything he could lay his hands on. These pieces of paper, books, tickets and old tablecloths went into an old suitcase in the attic. A few years ago two novelist friends of Andy’s persuaded him to empty the suitcase and sort out the writing. This is the result – his first collection of verse. As well as poetry, included in the book are the complete song lyrics from all of Andy’s seven solo albums (up to and including ‘Compilation’ and a selection of his drawings.
Andy held several poetry readings during the year of publication – in Galway at the literary festival Cúirt, in Glasgow where ‘Small boy asks Christine for a light’ was the Poem On The Underground for the month of June, and in Belfast at OMAC. Launched at the Irish Writers’ Centre on Bloomsday, June 16, 1998, poems from this volume were subsequently included in ‘Magnetic North’ (Verbal Arts Press 2006), and in 2008, fourteen were chosen to be included in the American anthology ‘New North’ (Wake Forest Press), along with poems by Nobel Laureate Seamus Heaney.
As with ’21st Century Troubadour’, ‘The Music of What Happens’ is only available in Ireland, but it’s easy to order it directly from our online store.
- and if you wish, do ask for your copy to be signed by Andy.
