
New Irish Writing: Poetry by Paul McMahon
New Irish Writing's winning poetry entry for April 2025
Today at 21:30
Paul is from Belfast and lives in Clonakilty. He was awarded the Keats-Shelley Poetry Prize by Carol Ann Duffy. Other poetry awards include first prizes in The Moth International, the Nottingham Open Poetry Prize and the Listowel Writers' Week Poetry Collection Prize. His poetry has appeared in Poetry Review, London Magazine and The Stinging Fly. For more details visit: www.paul-mcmahon.com
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


RTÉ News
17 hours ago
- RTÉ News
Ex-assistant to Sean 'Diddy' Combs says job included buying drugs, setting up sex parties
Sean 'Diddy' Combs's former personal assistant has testified at the hip-hop mogul's sex trafficking trial that he often bought drugs for his boss and set up hotel rooms for sex parties known as "wild king nights." Prosecutors hope the testimony by Brendan Paul, who worked for Mr Combs from late 2022 through March 2024, will help them prove their racketeering conspiracy charge against Mr Combs. Prosecutors say Mr Combs used his businesses' resources to coerce women into ecstasy-fueled sexual performances with male sex workers. Mr Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to all five criminal counts. His lawyers call the sexual activity consensual. The Bad Boy Records founder, a former billionaire who elevated hip-hop in American culture, could face life in prison if convicted. Prosecutors are winding down their case after six weeks, with defense witnesses expected to testify next week. Mr Paul, testifying under immunity from prosecutors, said he bought Mr Combs about $4,200 of marijuana and hundreds of dollars of ketamine during his employment. Jurors saw a text message in which Mr Paul asked Mr Combs's security staff to be reimbursed for his drug purchases. They also saw a 14 February 2024 text message in which Mr Combs wrote "You get me zans," which Mr Paul said was a request to procure Xanax without a prescription. Paul said Combs ultimately obtained Xanax elsewhere, and used cocaine and ecstasy in his presence. Under cross-examination by defense lawyer Brian Steel, Mr Paul said procuring drugs was a minor part of his job, and he thought the drugs were solely for Mr Combs's personal use. "You were not some drug mule?" Mr Steel asked. "Absolutely not," Mr Paul said. Mr Paul also said that before three or four "wild king nights," he stocked hotel rooms with lubricant, baby oil, liquor and a Gucci pouch filled with hard drugs. When Mr Combs was done, Mr Paul said he would put on gloves and clean up to avoid being billed by hotels for damage. Mr Paul said he was charged with cocaine possession after being arrested on 25 March 2024, at Miami-Opa Locka airport in Florida while traveling to the Bahamas with Mr Combs and other staffers. He said he put the cocaine in his bag after finding it while cleaning Mr Combs's room that day, but forgot about it and did not tell law enforcement where it came from. Asked by prosecutor Christy Slavik why he kept silent, Mr Paul said, "Loyalty."


Irish Independent
a day ago
- Irish Independent
Lisa McInerney talks to Rick O'Shea: ‘It starts off as a romp about a horny teenager but the ending just stunned me'
The award-winning author on the novels of two Chilean authors, one that is in the format of an exam, and the book about the 1980 uprising in South Korea that she brings to her own students Lisa McInerney is an award-winning novelist and short story writer, lecturer and editor of The Stinging Fly, and she unsurprisingly has great taste in books too.


The Irish Sun
7 days ago
- The Irish Sun
Jake Paul taking Amanda Serrano from underpaid legend to highest female fighter sparked his passion for women's boxing
JAKE PAUL says his passion for promoting women's boxing stemmed from Amanda Serrano's remarkable rise to riches. Paul and his Most Valuable Promotions stable have become the premier platform for female fighters with a string of high-profile signings. 5 Jake Paul with boxing legend Amanda Serrano Credit: Rex 5 Serrano is now the highest-paid female boxer of all time Credit: The Mega Agency 5 She signed with Jake Paul in 2021 Credit: Instagram / @serranosisters Alycia Baumgardner, Savannah Marshall, Chantelle Cameron and Ellie Scotney have all been added to their increasing stable of late. But it all started with Serrano in 2021, who came on board as At the time, Serrano was only earning £3,000 for her world title fights - Paul, with his promotional hat on, said: "It just came from the organic relationship that was formed with Amanda Serrano. READ MORE IN boxing "Seeing how entertaining of a fighter she was and how talented - one of the best boxers of all time period male or female - and how underpaid she was and underserved and wasn't getting the shine that she deserved." Serrano, 38, has had two bouts with Irish icon Katie Taylor, 36, losing both thrillers via razor-tight decisions. And for her rematch - The boxing pioneers now collide for a trilogy on July 11 back at New York's Madison Square Garden Most read in Boxing 5 CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS Paul's new top talent - including Brit trio Marshall, Cameron and Scotney - all fight in a showcase of MVP's commitment to women's boxing He said: "I think It turned into this bigger movement and now you just see that all across sports, women shining the Caitlin Clarks, etc. Jake Paul ranks cruiserweight world champions and reveals he is in talks with two for shock title fight "And now it's happening in boxing and women are getting their equal and fair shot and MVP proved that we can make mega fights happen with women. "And, they're arguably more entertaining than a lot of the recent men's fights that we've seen." Serrano lost her rematch to Taylor on Paul's undercard in November - when he beat 58-year-old Mike Tyson in their controversial Netflix clash. Now Paul, 28, returns against ex-middleweight champ Julio Cesar Chavez Jr, 39, on June 28 live on DAZN PPV. He said: "Chavez and I have been going back and forth for a long time and he's always been a great opponent on the list of someone that I wanted to fight. "And now it made perfect sense to go up against him as a former world champion and just continuing to further my resume and get more time under the lights." 5 Jake Paul returns against Julio Cesar Chavez Jr Credit: Reuters