'You see the Longford on the public screen; you haven’t seen my Longford': author to begin creative chat

Brendan Igoe’s book A Look Into the Future of My Past: How Self Expression Helped Me Journey From Darkness Into Light was published in 2021 and received an Amazon bestseller badge. What he considered to be the right time for him during Covid, he is aware that what worked for him may not work for somebody else, but wants to open a space where people can bring creative ideas to the table in an open and supportive environment.

A number one Amazon bestseller, Brendan’s work mixed poetry and his original art together. When realising that he could publish his book manually without the hassle of a publisher, the benefits of Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing meant that he could order copies and sell them himself as well. With a little computer knowledge and a creative vision, Brendan solidified himself as a successful writer from Longford.

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He wants to discuss it.

“Before Christmas, I was down in Longford Library (my second office!) with Shane Crossan, doing a think tank about events in Longford, and implementing them. That got me into the mindset of what can I do. I’d a few ideas, and I didn’t voice them. Most of the group I knew, but I was afraid. If I’m 48 and afraid to voice myself, how about a teenager in this day, only learning to be alive? Life experiences. If I’m afraid, how worrying it is for a young child to go through it now. Say nothing, shut yourself down.”

Wanting to spearhead this round table conversation, Brendan is aware of the uncertainty that people may have towards their own work, which is preventing them from getting it out there. From ideas that are unexplored, to projects left on the shelf, he hopes to help people collaborate and share what they are thinking without any hesitation.

This ranges from artwork and sketches, to written work that they keep to themselves because of this uncertainty. However, Brendan thinks that brainstorming together could lead to great results that bring satisfaction, while being good for one’s esteem and mental health.

“For some people, they are afraid of the rejection of it being not good,” he added. “A lot of people have that in them, especially after Covid with what to do for two years.

“I know that people have a talent in them, afraid to showcase it. It’d be nice to have a comfortable environment where people can express themselves without judgement. Two heads are better than one. I do art, poetry and a few bits, and I put them together into one. If you got someone who loves drawing and sketching, and another good with words, God knows what they would create.”

As a person who would rather have a sketchbook to help him, calling it a holistic approach, he finds the creative methods a form of self-help, and wants to encourage people to feel comfortable in sharing their work. He mentioned how scrolling the news can be negative, and that people need a positive outlet as a form of escapism. Brendan’s approach to doing something about it is to prevent attitudes when people say that nothing is being done to improve a situation or environment. He chooses to be proactive, by taking on the effort to make this vision a reality. Acknowledging that outsiders can hold a stigma against Longford, he wants to change it.

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“I love my town; I love it. I’d love others to see it the way I see it. It’s hard to get the point across. Don’t ruin it because of some incidents. Why do the rest of us who love the town and county have to be publicly shamed to say where you’re from? I’ve gone to different parts of this country. You see the Longford on the public screen; you haven’t seen my Longford.”

If interested in being part of Brendan Igoe's round table, reach out to him at: benigoe78@gmail.com. Everybody is welcome if they have an idea.