Climate Writing Session with Alice Kinsella, Kathleen Jamie and Arlene Monteith (Lough Carra Catchment Association)

Join us for the next online Irish Writers Centre Climate Writing Session. There is no fee for attending these sessions, they are a gift to all writers to take away and use in their work with the goal of exploring climate action through creative writing. The host for the evening is writer, Alice Kinsella, who will be joined by Scottish poet and essayist, Kathleen Jamie, and Arlene Monteith from Lough Carra Catchment Association. 

What do we do in these sessions?

Each session lasts one and a half hours and can consist of the following:

• Interview Guest Author – literary fiction, non-fiction, poetry, speculative fiction, essay, etc.
• Interview Guest NGO, politician, policy maker, or scientist involved in conservation, climate justice, ecology, politics, industry, law, agriculture, finance etc.
• Guest publishers and editors
• Discussions
• Writing exercises

Who is it for?

• Anyone with an interest in exploring climate action in their work
• Anyone interested in writing fiction (all genres), non-fiction, poetry, memoir, creative non-fiction. You do NOT have to change the genre you write in, you can simply embed some positive climate solutions into your writing
• You can be at any stage of your writing career, from beginner to published
• Those with a background in climate change, or newcomers who want to know more
• Book lovers

Host and Guests

• Alice Kinsella
• Kathleen Jamie
• Arlene Monteith (Lough Carra Catchment Association)

Biographies below.

Photograph: Alice Kinsella

Alice Kinsella is a writer from Mayo. Her prose debut Milk: on motherhood and madness (Picador, 2023) was published to critical acclaim. She co-edited Empty House: poetry and prose on the climate crisis (Doire Press, 2021), and co-authored Wake of the Whale (Mayo Books, 2024) which was a Sunday Independent Book of the Year. Kinsella has received multiple bursaries and residencies, including the Arts Council of Ireland Next Generation Award. She is a founding member of Caomhnú Creative, a collective of artists and producers working in heritage and environmental conservation. Caomhnú Creative is a Druid Theatre FUEL programme resident for 2025. Her debut full-length poetry collection The Ethics of Cats (Broken Sleep) is forthcoming in June 2025.

Photograph: Kathleen Jamie

Kathleen Jamie is an award-winning poet and essayist. Her collections include The Queen of Sheba (1995). Her 2004 collection The Tree House revealed an increasing interest in the natural world. This book won the Forward Poetry Prize and the Scottish Book of the Year Award. The Overhaul was published in September 2012. It won the 2012 Costa poetry award. For the last decade, Jamie has also written non-fiction. Her collections of essays Findings and Sightlines are considered influential works of nature and landscape writing. On publication in the United States, Sightlines won the John Burroughs Medal and the Orion Book Award. She writes occasional essays and reviews for the London Review of Books and The Guardian.

Members of the Lough Carra Catchment Association

The Lough Carra Catchment Association (LCCA) is a dedicated community group focused on the conservation, restoration, and sustainable management of Lough Carra and its catchment. Established in 2018 as a Registered Charity and a Company Limited by Guarantee (CLG) in response to environmental concerns and the need for active stewardship, the LCCA has nine voluntary Directors and embodies the collective effort of local residents, environmentalists, and scientists who aim to protect this precious natural resource.

Quotes from past attendees:

“I learned a tremendous amount about what can work and what not to do when writing about this topic. This was a very enjoyable, instructive evening. A few hours very well spent.”

“Its a great monthly way for me to stay thinking and writing about these topics. Kerri and Lynn before her are excellent hosts.”

“This was a brilliant time drawing my heart to engage people young or old with stories with positive solutions. Really encourage to use both climate change knowledge in a practical way. Loved every minute of good wholesome advice.”

This event is part of a series of online webinars made possible by

 Dublin UNESCO City of Literature

The Irish Writers Centre is supported by the Arts Council of Ireland