We are Bealtaine, an Irish literary and arts magazine with a keen focus on all things intersectional, inclusive, environmental, and empowering. We publish excellent, high-quality stories, poetry, op-eds, essays, and interviews, with photographs and art imbued with intimacy to create a magazine that delivers a visually stunning ensemble.
Bealtaine is a small independent magazine established in the summer of 2020. The idea was borne out of the minds of Seán Flynn and Molly O’Connor after one too many nights doomscrolling through the heavy and negative space that came to dominate the internet during the global pandemic. The start of the pandemic was a difficult time for the community; the pair saw it as a great opportunity do something positive by bringing artists together and creating a fresh, accessible platform. And so, Bealtaine was born. From there, Bealtaine’s team grew to include a close-knit group of friends and family members who have a grá for the arts.
The editorial board currently includes Seán Flynn, Molly O’Connor, Sara O’Connor, Bethany Howard, and Maebh Butler.
Seán is an English Literature graduate from Clonakilty, Co. Cork who has previous experience in working on the re-established UCC literary journal, Quarryman. He completed a Masters in Business Economics, and having worked in finance, he realised during the pandemic that his true passion lay in all things writing and visual art. He has since joined a think tank to pursue this passion in the communications team.
Molly is a law graduate from University College Cork and currently works in legal research. She was reared in East Cork and grew up in a very creative family, where artistic endeavour was encouraged and being part of the local arts community was a given. She is very passionate about supporting the arts community in Ireland, which was a key motivator for her to establish Bealtaine with Seán.
Sara is an English Literature and Psychology graduate from University College Cork. She currently works in the tech industry, but has always been passionate about the arts and wanted to create and be a part of something within that industry. Bealtaine has been a great way to get started within this space, to give back a bit and support the industry by showcasing such talented creatives.
Bethany studied English Literature & French at the University of Glasgow. She was editor of two publications during her studies: a student union magazine and an academic journal. Her love of language and literature has gladly found an outlet in Bealtaine, and also in her current job, writing speeches and briefings for an Irish MEP in the European Parliament.
Maebh is a graduate of English Literature and Law from UCD and UCC respectively and is currently based in Brussels working with trade unions. Maebh has been passionate about all things creative from a young age, in particular performance, reading, writing and music. Bealtaine has provided her with a regular platform to tap into this creative side and support emerging artists.
The website you are on right now was designed and built by Rory O’Connor. From the very beginning he worked closely with Seán and Molly to being their passion to reality. Rory works very closely with the editorial team and guides them through the best practices of online publishing & commerce. Currently he resides in Brooklyn, New York and works as a software engineer.
We prize the values which go into making art for art’s sake. And we would like that to shine through. Whether it’s scribbling or philosophical musings, we want to hear your voice out.
We are based in Co. Cork, Ireland.
Our Goal
Bealtaine aims to be a space in which voices can speak freely without fear, a store of differing views that can act like a rebuttal to the sometimes confusing, irreverent world we live in. We welcome submissions from artists of all backgrounds and nationalities and would be particularly interested in submissions from people who are from underrepresented or minority groups, BIPOC, Traveller, or working class backgrounds, and of all ages. We make it our mission to deliver the very best of Irish writing and art, which can strike us with unmistakable urgency, statement, and sentiment.
We take submissions from all over the world, but we especially value submissions which can capture the modern Irish verve. We’re looking for submissions from people who are unafraid to push the boundaries of art, and in return we will endeavour to give your voice a home.
Welcome to Bealtaine!
How to Submit
***Please note that submissions for issue 3 of Bealtaine Magazine are now CLOSED***
Thank you to everyone who submitted for this issue. Please bear with us while we review all submissions received. We will endeavour to get back to you as soon as possible regarding our decision on publication.
A person can submit in each category but the following guidelines apply per submitter in any given round:
For short stories: we can only accept 1 written piece of fiction up to 5,000 words maximum.
For poems: we can only accept up to 3 poems of no more than 50 lines each.
For essays: we can only accept 1 written essay of up to 1,500 words maximum.
Photographs and artwork: we can only accept up to 8 pieces of photography or art from submitters at any given time. Please also ensure that your work is in high resolution digital format from one of the following file type: JPG., PNG., SVG., PDF.
Submissions can be made by email at [email protected].
PLEASE NOTE: if you receive a bounce back following your submission which tells you that the Bealtaine inbox is full, please either DM or email us to let us know of this issue, or try submitting again to this email address alternatively: [email protected]. Thank you for bearing with us as we solve this issue!
Please note we cannot accept simultaneous submissions or a piece of writing or art that has appeared in a major publication in the past. Doing so would take content away from those publications. Anything from an artist’s or author’s own website, blog, or social media is acceptable.
Due to the high volume of submissions in any given submissions round we won’t be able to provide individual feedback for each submission.
For those who wish to remain anonymous or appear under a pseudonym, we would appreciate if submitters would provide their details to the editors for traceability and authenticity reasons, after which we would be delighted to publish them anonymously to respect that person’s right to privacy.
All work must be original work of the author or artist.
After publication, copyright remains with the author or artist.
If you would like to get in contact with the team or have any general queries, please email [email protected].