Words of wonder: A look behind the scenes of Ireland's thriving literary magazines  

The Moth may be departing, but there's no shortage of other outlets for writers seeking publication. Here are profiles of a few of them 

L-R: Rebecca O'Connor of the Moth; the latest issue of Banshee literary journal

Who, in their right mind, would start a literary magazine? Plenty of people, it would seem, if the growth in publishing outlets for new writers, particularly online, is to be believed. While they’re often seen as a kind of cottage industry, small literary magazines are part of a bigger picture.

 They provide a temperature check of the cultural climate, they’re a resource for talent-scouting publishers and a first stop for the big names of the future. Sally Rooney’s work, for example, first appeared in The Stinging Fly (see panel) so their influence is often way out of proportion to their size.