Poet, Dramatist and Writer

“Colm amazed me with the ease with which he related to such diverse groups, moving effortlessly between them, adapting his workshop wherever it was required. The rapport that Colm developed with the groups in such a short space of time was exceptional, and the manner, in which he differentiated the sessions, supporting or encouraging wherever necessary, was inspirational. A drawer full of students’ eagerly-shared stories and memories, which have somehow miraculously morphed into poetry, is testimony to his success.”

“Colm engages the students like few other facilitators.  He has an infectious enthusiasm for words and expression, and most importantly, a genuine interest in developing a student’s sense of worth through self-expression. He is able to follow the flow of a class session, to follow the lead of the student’s contributions, yet still ensures that each session covers a well-planned content.  The students are inspired by him, and often feel encouraged to develop their own creative writing as a result.

“Colm’s workshop brought the participants to a place that no other workshops that weekend did. While many participants were sceptical about using words creatively or in a poem, by the end of the session all the participants were sharing their words and performing their poems. The session was extremely beneficial in terms of building individual and groups capacities to express themselves creatively, building confidence and getting in touch with emotions and feelings in relation to social and personal issues.” 

“Working with Colm has been as close to guaranteed success as I have experienced.   He has a no nonsense approach to students and his subject.  There is no pretence about his work, either as poet or a teacher. This means that any student is able to see that their experiences, their own life, is something that can and should be written about and shouted about.  Colm’s passion for poetry and performance and his belief that these are things immediately accessible to everyone has made our students see that their own work is relevant and important.  It is this vibrancy and creativity, this facilitating of enthusiasm that really makes Colm stand out.”

“Colm’s workshop was both inspiring and fun for the children. He got them thinking not only about poetry but how to express their feelings and thoughts. Colm’s poetry taught the children that poetry can be about anything they want it to be and while the children thought poetry was ‘boring’ before the workshop, they all agreed afterwards that it was far from boring. Colm manages to relate to the children on their level and encourages them to embrace their creativity and fun with it. A wonderful workshop and morning had by all!”

“Colm brings a unique skill, talent and passion that is as honest as it is humble. Young people respond in new ways. I noticed many of the young boys particularly watching him in rapt attention.  They had never seen or heard anything like that before but it was a  voice that they recognised. They surprised themselves because he surprised them. It’s in these moments that we want to do more, be more. I’ve been genuinely inspired and I’ve learned the difference that having the ‘right’ writer can make when working with a school.”