This week it's just me, reading three pieces from the Stories. Songs. Seasons. archive.

For the love of dogs
Goldie, a golden Labrador who went to the shop by herself and ran up a bill. Coco, a Lhasa Apso who still gets his cups of tea. Rio, who slept at the bottom of the bed after my night shifts. And Marley, who turned up in my dad's house at the right time.

The year I was stalked by Seamus Heaney's ghost
It started on what would have been Heaney's 85th birthday and carried on for months. Books, the radio, a portrait in the National Concert Hall bar, breakfast in Wicklow and a letter to Marie Heaney. A run of coincidences that got a bit out of hand.

Moya
Moya Brennan died on the night of Monday 13 April. This one is part what I felt that night and part what I'd written about her the year before: a signed lyric sheet for "In a Lifetime" that arrived at my parents' house in 2006, and nights at Club Beo in Leo's Tavern.

Mentioned in this episode

• Ómós Sheamuis, by Zoë Conway and John McIntyre
• "In a Lifetime", Clannad with Bono
• Club Beo, Leo's Tavern, Gweedore
• Seamus Heaney HomePlace, Bellaghy
• Over Nine Waves by Marie Heaney
• Preoccupations by Seamus Heaney

Send me yours
I'd love to hear your own stories, songs or season. Write to me at storiessongsseasons@gmail.com and tell me about a story that has stayed with you, a song that means something, or the season you love most. I'll read some of them out on the show.

Bonus episodes start 1 November
From 1 November there will be a bonus episode as well as the Friday show. Your emails will help shape them.

Read the written versions
All three are on the Substack: storiessongsseasons.substack.com

This week on Stories. Songs. Seasons., I'm joined by poet and writer David Toms to talk about three stories, three songs, and one season.

David grew up in Waterford, the youngest of six, and has lived in Norway since 2016. He's the author of the memoir Pacemaker and the new poetry collection Holdover Fire.

His stories take us from a grand-uncle who led a 1960 Liverpool dock strike and was kept going in prison by seaweed wrapped in newspaper, to the age of sail in Master and Commander, to Joyce's "The Dead". His songs are from I Am Kloot, The National, and Saint Sister. His season is winter.

FIND DAVID TOMS

Holdover Fire (order here)

Instagram: (follow here)

MORE FROM STORIES. SONGS. SEASONS.

Substack: https://storiessongsseasons.substack.com

Follow Tom Shiels on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itstomshiels/

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A solo episode - three of my own stories

This week's a bit different. Instead of speaking with a guest, I thought it was a good time for you to find out a bit more about me, so here's three stories I've written, read out loud.

Read the full pieces:

• Tell Me There'll Be Saturdays
• Grá Mór, Jamie
• Internet Killed the Video Star

Coming up:
I've got a live show in Leeds on 5 December at Heart Headingley. Tickets: https://storiessongsseasons.substack.com/p/stories-songs-seasons-live-event

Subscribe to Stories. Songs. Seasons. on Substack: storiessongsseasons.substack.com

And find me on Instagram, the handle is @itstomshiels