This week I had the honour of presenting a paper at the Irish Screen Studies Seminar, which was held at Ulster University, Belfast campus. My paper was titled 'The Pressure to 'Speak Now': Parasocial Relationships, Fan Activism and Celebrity Silence', and I had the opportunity to answer questions on a Q&A panel afterwards, discussing our approaches to screen studies research and the findings of our papers. I was also able to catch a range of excellent panels and papers whilst I was working across the two days of the conference. I'd love to include a quote by the late Martin McLoone, who was a pioneering figure in the study of film and media across Ireland. In his keynote address, Professor John Hill reminded us of McLoone's notion of 'a critical project', one that can have "it's own creative dynamic, pushing and suggesting, making connections and offering readings that ultimately adhere to no other agenda than the educational in the broadest sense" (Irish National Cinema: What Have We Wrought?). I thought it was a particularly apt quote that certainly summarises the importance and value of screen studies research. 

Thank you to Dr Jennie Carlsten and Dr Giuliana Monteverde for organising the event and allowing me to participate in my first conference as a PhD researcher at Ulster University. I look forward to attending and presenting at many more!

I was asked by the lovely folk at Dig With It to contribute to their Playlisted feature. It was a pleasure putting together a playlist of tracks that have soundtracked my life and inspired our new album Grandstand. Click here to read my musings about Stevie Nicks, Sufjan Stevens, Paramore, Sharon Van Etten, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and more, and listen to the playlist below.

I had the pleasure of recently working on a package exploring the benefits of surf therapy for vulnerable young people, featuring the Wave Project Northern Ireland and Long Line Surf School. Produced for the Summer Social programme with David 'Rigsy' O'Reilly and Donna Legge on BBC Radio Ulster. 

Issue 10 of Dig With It is here! 🖊️ 💖💥✨  It is such a privilege to contribute to this publication. A celebration of artistic expression, identity and counterculture that makes Northern Ireland so special in its own (dysfunctional?) way.

Photo by Carrie Davenport

The opening line of her debut single ‘The Ghost of You’ sees Rachel Craig shedding her self-doubt, as she sings, “I’m not afraid anymore.” The haunting ballad sees the Portstewart native come to terms with the dissolution of a father-daughter relationship, seeking out strength instead of sadness. Although the track is haunted by the spectral presence of nostalgia (the single artwork contains a faded family photograph), there is something uplifting lying beneath the fragile vocal performance and layers of swirling electric guitar.

Rachel Craig is an upcoming singer-songwriter from Portstewart, and I had the pleasure of profiling her for the latest issue of Dig With It magazine, hitting stands in April. You can read the piece now on the Dig With It blog by heading here.