Meet Damien B Donnelly…
Damien B. Donnelly returned to Ireland in Dec 2019 after 23 years exploring the lights and shadows of Paris, London and Amsterdam. He began writing as a child, mostly poetry questioning identity, fragility, sexuality and connection to what was around him and all that he wanted to reach out to. He dreamed of becoming a fashion designer and spent 23 years working as a pattern maker for various fashion brands but was never far from a pen and a notebook.
His interests now revolve around falling over (and over) and learning how to get up again while making delicious cakes (carrot cake supreme). He is finishing his first fictional novel and dreams of opening a Writers’ Retreat one Covid-free day in Ireland.
He’s been featured in numerous books and magazines including ‘Second Chance’ from Original Writing, ‘Body Horror Anthology’ from Gehenna & Hinnom, ‘Nous Sommes Paris’ from Eyewear Publishing commemorating the Paris attacks 2015, The Runt Magazine, Impspired, Fever of the Mind Press, Deep Time Vol II from Black Bough Poetry, Coffin Bell, Firefly Zine, Scribe Base, Barren Magazine, Anti Heroin Chic and the inaugural issue of Fahmidan Journal. In 2020 won the Holding It Together Apart Creative Writing Competition and had his winning poem narrated by Anne Doyle for a YouTube video and his Aldi short story appeared in the Ray Darcy RTE Anthology ‘A Page from your Life’ in December 2020, published by Harper Collins Ireland. Eat the Storms was his debut poetry pamphlet published by The Hedgehog Poetry Press in September 2020 which was followed by the Stickleback Considering Canvases with Boys, a micro collection published in January 2021, also by The Hedgehog Poetry Press.
‘For this debut pamphlet collection I wanted to bring the reader on a journey, starting with a soft moon on a sun-drenched beach, a blazing white light like a blank canvas of possibility and, from there, add colour to that emptiness, incorporating both light and shade, a journey that required all senses at once; to test the running water of the riverbed with your tongue, to hear the pout of a ruby red lip while slowly exploring what happens when colour gives in to shadow, when shade threatens fragility as we are faced with our own fears before bringing us back again into the light, seeing that same fragility as our force and not our failure while holding hope in place of time that can never be held. I imagined being able to find a way to paint behind the light, to add breath to all that is unbearable so as to swallow the truth and release the lies we stuff into the cracks of the canvas.’
‘Eat the Storms, Mother said,
boil these beds of bitter blackness
until the dream rips through the rain
and translucent turns to trust.’
from Scarlet Rising, a poem in his debut pamphlet Eat the Storms.
Eat the Storms, Poetry Podcast…
Damien B Donnelly is also the host and producer of the poetry podcast Eat the Storms, now available to listen to on more than 12 platforms including Spotify, Anchor, Apple, Google, Breaker, Castbox, Pocket Cast, OverCast, PlayerFM, Radio Public, Podbean and many more platforms. This is a global poetry platform now in its 3rd season with over 120 guests from around the world. You can find out more about Eat the Storms, the poetry podcast at the website…
Coming Next…
Later in 2021, The Hedgehog Poetry Press will publish In the Jitterfritz of Neon, a poetry pamphlet conversation co-written by Damien B Donnelly and fellow Irish poet and friend Eilín de Paor. This will be followed by his first full collection, Enough, based on this time spent in Paris.
Contact Damien at deuxiemepeau@yahoo.com
Damien B. Donnelly 
continue the dream until the dream becomes your waking life…
Thanks K’lee L- fingers crossed i’m on right track- certainly feels good. By the way, I pased by Grace Cathedral last year which i just saw on your posting and it is amazing- thanks for reminding me with the picture.
Our feelings are the truest barometer of our pathway through this thing called life… at least it’s what I choose to believe!
Yes, Grace Cathedral is an amazing and powerful structure perfectly placed here in San Francisco. Glad my photo found you!
Sing out loud my friend! The world wants to hear your roar! 😉
Thanks for the roaring encouragement Prospermind. I’ll flip the volume up. Happy days, damien
I wanted to thank you again for all your kindness, support, likes and reblogs, it means a lot to me.
It’s a real pleasure Wuji and I wish you continued success
Hi Damien, quite eager to get in touch with you to explain VoiceMap. We work with contributors to create GPS-triggered audio walking routes around areas of interest. I’m getting in touch because you fit a certain profile of people who tend to go on to do routes with us and I feel you might be interested in finding out more.
We have a rapidly growing number of these routes. Most contributors choose a small fee for their route (up to US$10). We publish through iTunes and Android and split royalties on downloads evenly. There are many completed routes to listen to on http://voicemap.me. Get in touch if you’re interested in sharing your favourite stories and haunts with us and the world. Email or skype (bartmannjohn). Cheers!
Damien, this is a very well`written personal introduction . . . I envy you your life in Paris which is no doubt an incredible place to live [even given the recent and horrible terrorist episodes]. I look forward to reading some of your ‘flash fiction’! Thanks for leaving bread`crumbs for me to follow . . .
Thank you Peter, it took forever to figure out what to say in the About Page- I think the title alone makes it more daunting than it is. Hope you enjoy the crumbs
its beautiful to see a man use his talents to his full potential. So many men fail to reach deep into where you reach and use those words to express to the world who he is what he sees and be so connected to himself. Its rare and beautiful to see the world through a mans eyes thoughts words and feelings thank you for sharing… I love poetry and using my words seem easier to express every thought feeling etc..God bless you guide you lead you and protect you now ad always….
Thank you so much for your lovely message. I am really touched by your words. Take care, Damien
wc 😉
Your blog is very visually appealing! I’m looking forward to having a bit of a trawl… and you live in Paris! J’aime Paris… so I’m a little jealous!
Thanks Millie- Paris is indeed amazing and inspiring on a daily basis. Enjoy your trawl- I’ll be visiting your site next. Happy Tuesday and see you around, Dami
Multi-talented I see! Pleased to meet you and learn that you are pursuing your passions. Wishing you all the best with your publication endeavours – congratulations on being selected for the anthology.
Thank you LadyCee, multi talented or just a little spilt personality perhaps. Thank you so much for your wishes and for coming by, Dami
Continue to be you because you’re doing a damn good job.
Thank you so much, that’s such a lovely comment to hear, best wishes,Damien
a pleasure finding your blog through Two drops of Ink
Amy, a fellow writer
Thank you Amy. Lovely to hear from you and looking forward to checking out your blog. Best wages from Paris
I am a newbie to the Blog world. I just launched my site that promotes my book as well as invite people to get to know the real me. I’m a contributing writer for “Two Drops of Ink”. I will requesting other writers to contribute to my site as well. I hope you will follow me.
Damien, how much I enjoy reading your beautiful poems after discovering your site today. Hope your writing inspiration continues to bloom and I look forward to your next literal creations.
Thank you so much. It is very encouraging when someone new comes along and finds something they like. I am very grateful for your visit and your time. Best wishes and see you around, Dami
Dammit Dami … I should have been warned. I visited your site; I’ve been reborn. Thanx for the words.
Dami, in case you might be kind enough to do a guest post about colour and what it means to you, I thought I’d broach the idea. Pls don’t feel you need to reply … just if you’re willing to do It 🙂
I love this idea, let me come back to you on it. I am almost finished the Joni Series, in chronological album order, three left and then i will be able to think about other things. xx
Hi Damien! I’m pulling together a poetry advent calendar on my blog – a poem every day in the lead up to your midwinter festival of choice. I would love it if I could use one of your poems.
I would love that too! With pleasure my dear Sarah. I would be thrilled! Christmas coming early 🤗
Oh, fab. Do you have any suggestions? 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Sorry I was away this week- i can look this weekend- is there a theme?
Hi, Damien. Sorry, I was out last night. No particular theme as such – I suppose I was hoping to get poems that were suitable for reading on winter evenings, in the dark time leading up to the bright lights of the midwinter celebrations, and whatever that means to you.
Hi Damien – I’m gathering you’ve had a bit of a time of it! So I don’t want to hassle you, but I would love to have your voice in my advent calender. I appreciate you have a lot on, so I was wondering if I could use the rose patterned hem poem you did earlier this month? It’s about family, and memories, and coming together, so I think it would work well. If you have any other thoughts, let me know!
Sarah, I’m so sorry, I didn’t forget but I got so sidetracked! There is so much going wrong at the moment including a solicitor in Ireland transferring my inheritance from my grandmother to a strangers bank account in England instead of my bank here in Paris while blaming a fraudulent email and it’s been a Month of getting nowhere, and then no internet at home and a burglary to top it off! So I just have my phone at the moment.
I would love to be a part of your poetry advent calendar and think that the rose patterned hem poem would be a lovey choice. Since I don’t have my computer I also don’t have any access to my older poems at the moment. Thank you for including me. I am very honored. Huge hugs xx 🤗🤗
And it’s a really lovely poem.
so happy I found your blog! Lovely to meet you!
That makes me very happy to hear, thanks for taking the time to come over. Best wishes, Damien
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