Shirley-Anne McMillan @shirleyannemcm.bsky.social · 24/07/2026Gordon Lyons, our communities minister, saying that arts festivals have to represent all political views is a baul take. Take it all the way, Gordon. Are you going to welcome Irish language and queer politics representation at Orangefest? And don't even think about complaining about the Wolfe Tones. 010
Reposted by Shirley-Anne McMillan🍺Donald Clarke 🎥 @donaldclarke.bsky.social · 18/05/2026That’s incredible. (This refers to a short film I made a lifetime ago) youtu.be/p856CfM64w8?...youtu.bePitch 'n' Putt with Joyce 'n' BeckettYouTube video by John Hyland 128735
Reposted by Shirley-Anne McMillanOisín McGann @oisinmcgann.bsky.social · 07/05/2026You can’t even describe this as insanity. It’s too deliberate, too calculated. This is evil expressed in a landscape. 13726
Reposted by Shirley-Anne McMillanOisín McGann @oisinmcgann.bsky.social · 19/04/2026If you think the Northern Irish border divides Irish people . . . 1145
Reposted by Shirley-Anne McMillanByddi Lee 📚 Author |🎭Playwright |🎬 Screenwriter @byddi.bsky.social · 19/04/2026Flash Fiction Armagh open submissions for Armagh Food & Cider event at Crannagael House on Sep 3rd 2026. Deadline 3rd Aug 2026. 200 – 700 words in the body of your email (NO ATTACHMENTS please) - byddi@hotmail.com - subject heading Flash Fiction Armagh Submission. You must be available to read. 072
Shirley-Anne McMillan @shirleyannemcm.bsky.social · 19/04/2026In NI issues of racism against Muslim (in particular) immigrants are live and frequent. How to understand that Lionel Shriver is being invited to speak at a local lit festival, promoting her new book about immigration? She has never been unclear about her position on this. 262
Shirley-Anne McMillan @shirleyannemcm.bsky.social · 12/04/2026Anyone know how likely it is that the motorway blockades in Belfast will happen next week? In the past couple of years our right-wingers have relied on the south's right-wingers for disruptive activities, and they're tied up at the minute. Hoping I can get to work... 010
Reposted by Shirley-Anne McMillanMorna Sullivan @mornawriter.bsky.social · 28/03/2026Unfortunately all good things do come to an end eventually. I've had a blast the last few days at Children's Literature conference in Belfast. Congratulations to @shirleyannemcm.bsky.social & Stephen at Seamus Heaney Centre at Queen's for organising such a fantastic, inspiring, encouraging event. 251
Shirley-Anne McMillan @shirleyannemcm.bsky.social · 14/03/2026I'm only ever wearing co-ords from now on. What a show! 011
Reposted by Shirley-Anne McMillanscbwiireland.bsky.social @scbwiireland.bsky.social · 26/02/2026Great to see all these kidlit events happening. Thanks for our Belfast meet up mention @shirleyannemcm.bsky.social 001
Shirley-Anne McMillan @shirleyannemcm.bsky.social · 26/02/2026Children's Book Events in NI! Loads happening in the next few weeks. Please come along! open.substack.com/pub/shirleya...open.substack.comChildren's Book Events in NI!More information about everything that's happening over the next few weeks. 010
Shirley-Anne McMillan @shirleyannemcm.bsky.social · 09/02/2026Watched the Bruce Springsteen film. I liked it but I would guess you'd need to be a Bruce fan. Specifically a fan of Nebraska. I was expecting it to span a bit more of his career I think! But an excellent performance from Jeremy Allen White and I liked Jeremy Strong in it too. 010
Reposted by Shirley-Anne McMillanDavid Quantick @quantick.bsky.social · 04/02/2026First Insta review of IMAGINE A FRIEND by the brilliant @shirleyannemcm.bsky.social. 052
Shirley-Anne McMillan @shirleyannemcm.bsky.social · 15/01/2026I see Harriet's next book is out in February. She is either the most genius Traitors contestant, or hats off to her publicity crew for coming up with that plan. 000
Reposted by Shirley-Anne McMillanP.G. Bell @pgbellwriter.bsky.social · 19/12/2025An early Christmas present for those of us in the #KidLitUK community who've been waiting YEARS for the other shoe to finally drop. Harper Collins knew all about it. They paid off staff to keep their mouths shut. Shame on them, shame on him, and good riddance. 114646
Reposted by Shirley-Anne McMillanscbwiireland.bsky.social @scbwiireland.bsky.social · 29/11/2025This looks like it will be great. Thanks to @shirleyannemcm.bsky.social for the heads up 022
Shirley-Anne McMillan @shirleyannemcm.bsky.social · 28/11/2025Enjoyed watching the An Post Irish book awards last night. Sorry our Jenny (Ireland) didn't win, but happy for the rest. I hope that sax player got paid about 4 times as much as the rest of the band. Quare work out for the auld lungs. 010
Shirley-Anne McMillan @shirleyannemcm.bsky.social · 29/10/2025So sad to hear of the closure of the brilliant Knights Of. Lovely people and excellent publishers. 000
Shirley-Anne McMillan @shirleyannemcm.bsky.social · 24/10/2025That loud screech you can hear is the sound of a thousand YA writers gear shifting into Middle Grade. 030
Shirley-Anne McMillan @shirleyannemcm.bsky.social · 23/10/2025Then again, there are worse things happening in the world. 020
Shirley-Anne McMillan @shirleyannemcm.bsky.social · 23/10/2025I am trying to imagine a reason why no contemporary YA writers from NI were asked to appear in this documentary, or were even mentioned in it. Particularly writers like Sue Divin, whose debut draws on Kevin and Sadie. I don't normally complain about snubs but this one really bothered me. 030
Shirley-Anne McMillan @shirleyannemcm.bsky.social · 12/10/2025Life with an 11yr old boy: Him: what's this white stuff on my orange? Me: it's just pith Him: *uproarious giggling* 010
Reposted by Shirley-Anne McMillanSteve Stockman @stocki61.bsky.social · 06/10/2025Nuala McKeever has just won gold at the IMRO Radio Awards... here is my review of that play - Truth, Love Or Promise - that she performed at 4 Corners Festival this past year! Chuffed! sstockman.substack.com/p/nuala-mcke...sstockman.substack.comNUALA MCKEEVER WINS GOLD AT THE IMROs... MY REVIEW OF THE DRAMA...As Nuala McKeever wins the Gold medal at this year's IMPRO Awards for best radio drama... here's my review after one of its runs in the Lyric Theatre... 121
Shirley-Anne McMillan @shirleyannemcm.bsky.social · 06/10/2025Here is a small thing you can for Palestine. Come to our event in Belfast on Saturday. Music, poetry and craic to raise funds for Medical Aid for Palestinians. Please share. Thank you x 043
Shirley-Anne McMillan @shirleyannemcm.bsky.social · 03/10/2025I featured on this podcast, the Seed, with the wonderful Manchán Magan earlier this year. I always hoped I'd meet him in real life and we could talk about it, but it was not to be. Please do listen, even to the first half which is Manchán's bit. It's just beautiful. www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aw7U...youtube.comS5E3 - Irish Roots and Radical Hope with Manchán Magan and Shirley Anne McMillan | The SeedYouTube video by Pendle Hill USA 012
Reposted by Shirley-Anne McMillanDarach Ó Séaghdha @darach.bsky.social · 02/10/2025A poem for National Poetry Day. 313539
Reposted by Shirley-Anne McMillanBrendan McNally @brendanmcn.bsky.social · 02/10/2025 www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cx...bbc.co.ukBravery of worshippers and security stopped attacker entering Manchester synagogue, police chief saysTwo members of the Jewish community were killed, police confirm - the attacker was shot dead by firearms officers. Four people are in hospital. 011
Shirley-Anne McMillan @shirleyannemcm.bsky.social · 29/09/2025JK be like 'I absolutely respect her right to not be a transphobe, but at the same time she totally betrayed me by publicly saying she wasn't a transphobe.' 000
Reposted by Shirley-Anne McMillanRich Neville @richneville.bsky.social · 18/09/2025join.greenparty.org.uk 011
Shirley-Anne McMillan @shirleyannemcm.bsky.social · 18/09/2025They didn't even last as long as NI21. Flip sake. 110
Shirley-Anne McMillan @shirleyannemcm.bsky.social · 11/09/2025We're quoting MLK again: "Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that." I think it's time we talked about definitions of 'love' and 'hate' though. 100
Reposted by Shirley-Anne McMillanProgressive Politics NI @ppni.bsky.social · 11/09/2025Is business that bad Michael? Disgraceful 071
Shirley-Anne McMillan @shirleyannemcm.bsky.social · 04/09/2025I was at the Trans Day of Remembrance service that Mike showed up to, many years ago. Clearly it didn't make much of an impression. It did on me. I remember how grateful people were that he had been there, how much hope it gave them. I wonder how they're feeling today. I wonder if he cares. 130
Shirley-Anne McMillan @shirleyannemcm.bsky.social · 31/08/2025Looks like Your Party have a tiny window of opportunity to decide where they stand on trans issues 🙄. This reminds me of NI21. Can I suggest anarchy as an alternative? I don't mean in a Russell Brand way. More in a 'Let's not totally despair and remember that we can do lots of things ourselves' way. 130
Reposted by Shirley-Anne McMillanClaire Mullaly @clairemullaly.bsky.social · 31/08/2025Today’s news from Belfast. An actual proscribed terror group supposedly on ceasefire and enjoying the benefits of the Good Friday Agreement, doing actual terror. m.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sunday-life/...m.belfasttelegraph.co.ukWest Belfast UDA orders Catholics out of mixed housing development after tearing up peace dealThe West Belfast UDA has pulled out of a deal to stop attacks on a mixed housing development. 14217130
Reposted by Shirley-Anne McMillanMichael Stipe @michaelstipe.bsky.social · 30/08/2025I can 349171474039
Shirley-Anne McMillan @shirleyannemcm.bsky.social · 30/08/2025Turns out that AI won't make a picture of Trump being led into hell by Paddington, but they are OK with Paddington leading him into heaven. Paddington wasn't too happy about the arrangement, but that is modern life. 010
Reposted by Shirley-Anne McMillanOisín McGann @oisinmcgann.bsky.social · 28/08/2025I know we're seeing headlines like this all the time, but even if there's only a small chance that the way we're living now could wipe out most of the farms in Western Europe within the lifetimes of our children, we should be screaming it from the rooftops. www.theguardian.com/environment/...theguardian.comCollapse of critical Atlantic current is no longer low likelihood, study findsScientists say ‘shocking’ discovery shows rapid cuts in carbon emissions are needed to avoid catastrophic fallout 03721
Shirley-Anne McMillan @shirleyannemcm.bsky.social · 27/08/2025A week since dad's funeral, two since he died. In the last month I've moved house and been to A&E (I'm fine), left my writing group and been rejected for arts council funding. Not really the summer I was hoping for. * adjusts sails * ⛵ 030
Reposted by Shirley-Anne McMillanPatrick Ness @patricknessbooks.bsky.social · 19/08/2025And when John Boyne says in his Telegraph piece that writers aren’t meant to “denigrate, insult and push people to a point where those that are emotionally vulnerable might not survive their attacks”, all I can say is that he wrote the words below. 327179
Shirley-Anne McMillan @shirleyannemcm.bsky.social · 19/08/2025I do hope when I get cancelled that I get cancelled like John Boyne, repeatedly publishing articles in broadsheet newspapers about how worried I am that free speech is under attack. 150
Reposted by Shirley-Anne McMillanTom Cox @dj-acid-reflux.bsky.social · 18/08/2025When people ask me if I have any good stories from when I used to interview rock stars for a living my mind often goes a bit blank, and to be honest a lot of it was quite ordinary and unremarkable, but on the other hand there is this. 423849
Reposted by Shirley-Anne McMillanJay Hulme @jayhulmepoet.bsky.social · 09/08/2025We're now at a total of a quarter of the longlisted authors choosing to withdraw from the Polari Prize this year. 6417132
Shirley-Anne McMillan @shirleyannemcm.bsky.social · 08/08/2025To be fair, this is exactly consistent with what terfs have wanted from the start: the erasure of trans people from all public places. I have a friend who was kicked out of both the men's and women's toilets in a university students' union on the same night. Years ago. EHRC merely catching up. 100
Reposted by Shirley-Anne McMillanShirley-Anne McMillan @shirleyannemcm.bsky.social · 07/08/2025Mr Tumble in drag, reading to children. Enniskillen library, 2008. No big outcry. No protest. Why? Because it was pre-Trans Panic. Transphobia and the intimidation of drag art is inextricably linked. Please stop turning a blind eye to your favourite writer's transphobia. 152
