MS Writers Group

A Perfect Day Julia Hart We walked down the winding path to the beach. The path was sodden, soggy and squelching where a stream flowed over and beside it. We sprang down the slope for the last few steps and onto the sand: Tess my terrier and me. The tide was on the turn, I could tell. I tramped towards the sea and Tess raced in circles. Then I settled on a rock as she ran into the sea for a swim. I felt like running and racing too, so I sprinted along the sand as Tess, after shaking the salty sea from her coat, raced beside me. A perfect day.

Scandic Rhythms Mark Talbot First to be noticed is frosting along the edge. While the forest floor is always in shade, due to shrubs and evergreen trees, it is even darker when snow falls and temperatures begin to plummet. The crunch underfoot is evident too. The freshwater lake alters quickly, its surface beginning to stiffen. Soon completely frozen with perhaps two metres of packed ice, thick and strong enough that rallycross car competitions can be held on the surface without fear.       One would use a long screw to fish through a hole in the ice. Air temperatures could be below minus thirty, but plus four on the silted bottom resulting in vibrant fish life throughout the year. Using a realistic lure, you’ll undoubtedly catch something despite the cold. If it is large enough for the frying pan that evening, great. Too small and it will suffice for cat food because, whatever the size, as it is reeled up through the varying ice layers and emerg...

MS Writers Group (previously Greystones Scribblers) were established by East-Wicklow branch of MS Ireland in 2012 and were the first and currently only Multiple Sclerosis affected writers’ group in Ireland. First Flight is the group’s inaugural publication of poetry and short stories with  financial assistance from Wicklow County Arts Office. The result is an inspirational book of well-honed stories that amuse, entertain and sometimes pull at the heart strings. Profits from the sale of First Flight will be donated to MS Ireland National Care Centre. The book is available from MS Ireland Care Centre, Rathgar, Bridge Street Books Wicklow Town, Dubray Books Bray, and the publishers Boland Press. 

A Half-Dozen Eggs by Mark Mitchell Thomas was in Krakow in Poland. He got a cheap five-day deal, complete with flights, hotels, meals and transfers, for €199. So far, he was thoroughly enjoying himself. Krakow was a beautiful city and he found the people extremely friendly. The price of food and drink was almost a joke compared to prices in Ireland.       On the second last day, Thomas decided to visit the concentration camp in Auschwitz. He knew it would be gruesome, but felt he had to go. Most of the hotels were located in narrow streets and the tour buses were unable to access them. The tourists were told to meet the bus in the market square which was about the size of a football field. It was full of stallholders selling all sorts of items from fresh veg and fruit to souvenirs. It was a very colourful sight to behold and there was a great buzz about the place. A little old lady sitting on a box with a carton of six eggs for sale caught his eye. The...