A Dublin day

I managed to squeeze in a visit to the Museum of Literature Ireland while down in Dublin for the day. Sandwiched between some retail therapy, it was an oasis of calm away from a busy Grafton Street thronging with tourists. 

The displays have been so cleverly curated that I came away inspired and encouraged.

Seeing James Joyce's drafts with countless lines scored out reminded me of the need to keep editing and made me thankful that modern technology can make this a bit less labour intensive.

The inspiring quotes peppered throughout gave me encouragement and food for thought

And, like many before me, I was inspired to add a few lines to the writing wall.

While it was inspiring to look at the displays featuring the great and the good I'd studied at school and university like Shaw and Yeats,

For me what was more inspiring was to see my contemporaries featured in displays - including my writing pal from old, Wendy Erskine and Peadar O Guilin who I met last week at the YA Showcase event in Carrickfergus.

If ever there was a time to be inspired to write, it is now.

Of course there was the obligatory stop at the Museum cafe and shop for a delicious lunch (writers need writing fuel!), and a purchase was made featuring one of my favourite Irish writers.

Around twenty years ago I had the pleasure of hearing Maeve speak in Belfast and meeting her at an event related to her book 'Aches and Pains'. She was as mesmerising a speaker as she was a writer, so it seemed fitting that the souvenir postcard purchase was of her. And I know the pen will be used in future writing projects.

I'd travelled to Dublin armed with a notebook and pen, so on the way home on the train I noted down some memorable moments from the day. Travelling always provides great insights - the conversations, characters, places, situations and humour, and there were plenty of all of these that day.