Beginner’s pluck: Dublin-based writer Estelle Birdy

Estelle Birdy: 'In 2017, realising I was procrastinating, I took my MA in creative writing, and everything changed. My short stories were published and shortlisted.' Picture: Bryan Meade

Estelle has always written stories.

“I won an essay competition in school, and in primary school, I wrote and edited a school newspaper.”

After college, unable to find an apprenticeship in law, Estelle made and sold jewellery to supplement the dole.

“That enabled me to go to nightclubs.”

After a few temporary jobs, Estelle got onto the European Orientation Programme and went to France.

She worked in customer services jobs and at City Bank before getting into recruitment.

After her second baby, wanting to go part-time, she worked for herself.

I taught Leaving Certificate English and yoga in the Mercy Family Centre, and I set up websites, and did admin for Triathlon Ireland. And I wrote for social media.

In 2011, her first short story was longlisted for Fish, but the next few were rejected.

“In 2017, realising I was procrastinating, I took my MA in creative writing, and everything changed. My short stories were published and shortlisted.”

In 2019, she was a finalist for the Irish Writer’s Centre Novel Fair for the start of Ravelling.

She wrote the rest over the next three years. Ravelling has been optioned for TV.

Who is Estelle Birdy?

Date/place of birth: 1970/ London.

Education: St Vincent’s Dundalk; University College Dublin, law; UCD, MA in creative writing.

Home: The Liberties, Dublin.

Family: Four children ranging in ages from 26 to 15. A dog and four cats.

The day job: “I work for a union.”

In another life: “I’d be a dancer and actress.”

Favourite writers: WG Sebold; Umberto Eco; Sebastian Faulks; Anne Enright; Maeve Brennan; Jose Saramago.

Second book: “I’m writing it.”

Top tip: “You don’t have to constantly sit at a desk to write. I got loads done by walking the canal, hearing people, and talking to myself.”

Instagram: @estellebirdy

The debut

Ravelling; The Lilliput Press, €18/ Kindle, €7.14

Ravelling follows five friends from the Liberties as, in Leaving Cert year they negotiate life, facing racism, poverty, danger from drug gangs, and garda harassment.

“I’ve lived in the Liberties since I was 18. I know these young fellas; people tell me things. There are shootings, and funerals, but there’s great community as well. There’s such huge kindness and caring.”

The verdict: An original and authentic new voice.