Editorial

Editor: Alison Driscoll

Editorial Team: Alexandra Bermingham, Kate Brock, Ana Vallejos Cotter, Victoria Koivisto-Kokko, Alan O'Keeffe, Barry Pierce, Alyssandra Tobin.

Cover Design: Conor Rowell

Layout: Tadhg Coakley

Published by University College, Cork.

Printed by Lettertec, Ireland Ltd., Carrigtwohil, Co. Cork.

Editorial

When you tell people you are a writer more often than not they will scoff and ask what your real job is. Type casted a dreamer or the artsy one, it can be hard to take yourself seriously as you try to give writing a go.

To sit here with my second edition of Quarryman in my hands I am beyond proud to say that I am a writer. The work that goes into producing a journal of this calibre is no mean feat and while it might not be a nine to five it was our job. This journal is an organic student production; from the cover to the formatting it doesn’t leave UCC and the talent is UCC exclusive too. It has been a privilege to read through all these wonderful pieces from the traditional to the innovative, from pieces about nature and pets to pieces written in the wake Trump’s inauguration.

There has been quite a renaissance of creative writing in UCC of late and I am delighted to be at its frontline. It has been my greatest pleasure to produce two of the revived editions of Quarryman and establish further the hub of creative writing that has been budding here in UCC. Who is writing is too undergoing a change. While the male voices of Quarryman have long predominated the writing sphere, it seems the women are making a welcome move to centre stage. My dear friend and mentor Leanne O’Sullivan often mentions the patriarchy of her writing community some years ago when she was starting out as one of the only female poets at most events. Now in 2017 the gender imbalance has turned on its head. I am privileged to have so many female voices alongside me in the buzzing writing environment of UCC and even more privileged to be able to publish such a wealth of women’s work. And no disrespect to the men; like in all previous editions their work is exceptional. But for once it is nice to cheer on the girls and have an army cheering back.

This journal is something of a time capsule of memories old and new and pieces of our souls laid out for you to explore. When all the writers included in this edition look back on it in years to come I hope we are all still writing. I hope we have all managed to navigate this pipe dream and make it a reality. And I hope when you tell people you’re a writer you are believed and encouraged.

Quarrymen and women alike hold your pens with pride and dig with them – unearth anthologies and novels.

I certainly believe you can.

Alison Driscoll, March 2017