It never hurts to have more than one string to your bow, as they say – whether you’re an archer or a writer. I write mostly novels and Short Reads (longer short stories). But I also pen the odd poem as well as short narratives – the latter are often funny or reflective. These are handy when I am asked to ‘do a turn’ at a festival or other performance. I don’t think most audiences would sit through a 25,000 word short story…

So, I was all set when BBC Radio Ulster contacted Fermanagh Writers recently and asked us to feature on their programme Time of Our Lives. The presenter, Colm Arbuckle, along with his producer, Owen McFadden, and a sound engineer came to Enniskillen last Wednesday and met us in Blakes of the Hollow pub . We had a fun couple of hours chatting with them and sharing our poems and stories. It was more like a ceilidh than a recording session (but I assure you we were sober when we recorded the programme!). If I hadn’t had a few short pieces up my sleeve, I would have missed this fun. Although my first love is short stories and longer prose, I think I’ll continue to jot down poems and other bits and pieces too when they occur to me. You never know when you’ll find a use for them.

The programme we recorded will be aired on BBC Radio Ulster tomorrow at 2pm.

Fermanagh Writers with BBC presenter, Colm Arbuckle