Welcome

Doghouse Books was formed almost by accident in 2003 when an anthology, called Heart of Kerry, was put together to commemorate ten years of the Poets' Corner at Harty's Bar in Tralee.

"Well, we were sitting around enjoying the poetry and a few pints and thought it would be a good idea to print an anthology of poems to celebrate the tenth anniversary of Poet's corner and so Doghouse Books was born," said Noel King, editor of Doghouse Books.

And from that inauspicious beginning Doghouse Books, the Tralee based publishing company, has gone from strength to strength publishing a further thirteen titles mainly in the discipline of poetry.

Titles include Gabriel Rosenstock's I Met A Man, Killarney poet, Eileen Sheehan's Song of the Midnight Fox and Tralee based Tommy Frank O'Connor who has had two titles published by Doghouse, Loose Head and Other Stories in 2004 and PULSE - Writings on Sliabh Luachra published in 2006.

Eileen's collection was first published in May 2004 and was such a success that it went into re-print the same year. "Since the publication of my collection, my work has been selected for various anthologies including The Open Door Anthology of Poetry, which was edited by Niall MacMonagle and also in Winter Blessings by Patricia Scanlan," said Eileen, who is now working on the Poetry Ireland Writers in Schools Scheme and is winner of the Brendan Kennelly Poetry Prize 2006.

"Poets' corner was set up in 1992 and has been running for the last fifteen years," said Noel, "but it's moved from Harty's to Stokers Lodge. The meetings are well attended and take place every bank holiday Monday, so we're looking forward to the Paddy's day weekend."

Literature lovers have the chance of hearing Tommy Frank O Connor, Eileen Sheehan and five other Doghouse writers reading live during the forthcoming Samhlaiocht Easter Arts Festival. In association with Poetry Ireland, Poets in the Doghouse, takes place at the Samhlaiocht gallery on Easter Sunday evening from 7.30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

All Doghouse titles are available at Polymath and O'Mahony's Bookshop in Tralee, Woulfe's Bookshop and the Seanchai Centre in Listowel, Killarney and Kenmare bookshops. For further information please log onto

"Anyone who's interested in poetry should make sure to come to the readings or to pop along to the next Poets' Corner meeting in Stokers Lodge - Poetry on Paddy's weekend is bound to be winning combination," laughed Noel.