Climate Writing Session with Alice Kinsella, Seán Lysaght and Jeremy Casey
Join us for the next online Irish Writers Centre Climate Writing Session, in which host Alice Kinsella will be joined by poet and nature writer Seán Lysaght, and Jeremy Casey of the Native Woodland Trust.
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
- Seán Lysaght
- Jeremy Casey
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.
Seán Lysaght is the author of several volumes of poems, including Scarecrow (1998), The Mouth of a River (2007) and Carnival Masks (2014) from Gallery Press, and a biography of the naturalist Robert Lloyd Praeger (Four Courts Press, 1998). He has also written prose about wildlife and landscape: Eagle Country (2018), Wild Nephin (2020) and Unveiling the Sun (2025). His latest collection, New Leaf, was published by Gallery in 2022. He lives in Westport, County Mayo.
Jeremy Casey is General Manager of the Native Woodland Trust and co-founder of ReWild Wicklow environmental charities. Originally from South Africa, he worked as a safari guide before studying Commerce and Environmental Science at the University of Sydney. Since moving to Ireland in 2019, Jeremy has combined international experience with a passion for the environment. Fundraising, overseeing the Trust’s expanding portfolio of nature reserves across the country, developing local provenance nurseries, and supporting a nationwide volunteer branch network.
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 City Council and Dublin UNESCO City of Literature
The Irish Writers Centre is supported by the Arts Council of Ireland
