Taking Liberties

Eamon Somers’s debut novel Dolly Considine’s Hotel (set in Dublin in 1983) was published by Unbound in July 2021. Break Through Books (https://www.instagram.com/breakthrough_book_collective/?hl=en) have included his stories in both of their anthologies. Further stories have appeared in Chroma, Tees Valley Writer, and the Irish anthology collection Quare Fellas. The Journal of Truth and Consequence (University of Phoenix) published his story Fear of Landing and nominated it for a Pushcart Prize. His story Spring in the Country won the Carmarthen short story competition sponsored by BBC Wales. Eamon Somers was born and grew up in inner-city Dublin. He was a campaigner and spokesperson for Ireland’s fledgling lesbian and gay rights movement in the early 1980’s. During the mid-80s economic downturn he was made redundant and having moved to London, he spent two years (coinciding with the anti-Claus 28 campaign) working in Haringey’s Lesbian and Gay Unit. He then joined the charity housing sector where he worked until retirement in March 2019, Covid causing his leaving-do to be postponed several times. His introduction to the practice of creative writing was at the People’s College in Dublin, and he later studied Creative Writing at Birkbeck College London. He is a member of the Irish Writers’ Centre and has recently applied to join their mentors’ panel. Eamon and his Civil Partner (Tomás) are very proud to be called Papa and Papi by their grandchildren: Daragh, Alva, and Taran.