can remember writing poetry as early as six years old—and honestly hopes her work is more complexly crafted now, while still remaining as fresh and bright as the days of her youth. Since her first publication in the early 2000s, Jessa now has 17 books under her belt: works of poetry, children’s stories, and devotional studies. In her current full-time role as a senior writer, she creates educational articles, scripts, guides, and more on financial topics—while also mentoring other creatives to grow in their craft. When she isn’t writing (okay, she’s nearly always writing), she enjoys walks, time with her family, a good book under a soft blanket, conversations over coffee or tea, and laughter so full it brings tears to her eyes.

See Jessa's Events & Workshops here

 is a proud Abbeyleix man. Having originally gone to Bolton Street College of Technology in the 1980’s to study architecture was like many of his generation forced to find employment abroad. Living in London for 20 years Brian and his family returned to Abbeyleix some 20 years ago. Returning to education in 2011 at Bolton Street to undertake post-graduate studies in town planning Brian has since been employed as a town planner in Dublin.

Brian is chairperson of Abbeyleix Heritage Company and was actively involved in community action with a successful campaign to reverse a flawed decision to close Abbeyleix District Hospital and involved in setting up Abbeyleix Business and Community (ABC) as a focussed community group following the opening of the M7/M8 by-pass in 2010.

Brian is a passionate advocate of the regeneration and re-occupation of our towns. Having worked professionally on creating shared vision strategies for many towns and cities Brian is familiar with the socio-economic factors that influence their recovery. Abbeyleix like many towns went from being fully occupied through the exodus of ‘The Flight of the Merchants’ in the 1970’s and 1980’s. The increasing vacancy of the residential accommodation has left many towns as unloved and in many cases unsafe places.

See Brian's Event Here

is a poet and activist from Laois whose work centres around the ancient Irish poetic practice of Imbas Forosnai. The filí (seer-poets) of pre-Christian Ireland used this practice to bring healing to society and truth to power. Though Imbas Forosnai was central to how ancient Irish society functioned and flourished, it was banned by St. Patrick and all but written out of history.

Since having a spontaneous experience of Imbas Forosnai in 2013, Laura has been working towards reviving this practice within a culturally relevant, modern context.

Laura’s Imbas-infused work has been featured in the Abbey Theatre’s critically acclaimed ‘HOME: Part One’, Herstory Light Shows, TG4’s ‘Imeall’ and RTÉ documentary ‘Finding Brigid’. Laura was the inaugural Poet in Residence at Herstory, the movement illuminating female role-models, she was a key player in the campaign to make Brigid’s Day a national holiday and is an advocate for Mother and Baby Home survivors.
See Laura's Event Here 

was born in London, raised in Kerry and lives in Bray, near Dublin with her husband and four children. A graduate of Communication Studies and Psychology, she is now an enthusiastic librarian. Alison has been awarded residencies at Cill Rialaig, Co. Kerry. Her literary short fiction has been Pushcart prize nominated and shortlisted for Hennessy New Irish Writing, Bridport, BBC Opening Lines and Bray Literary Festival. Writing has appeared in The Stinging Fly, The Lonely Crowd, Crannóg, UK National Flash Fiction anthologies Jawbreakers and Scraps and New Island/RTÉ Arena’s New Planet Cabaret. Eat! was highly commended in the Irish Writers Centre Novel Fair 2019. In 2020 she was a finalist with The Exhibit of Held Breaths. Her Head Above Water blog explores creativity and resilience.
Check out her event here