WIRED OUR OWN WAY – autism anthology


Wired Our Own Way, out 28th March 2025, from New Island Books Pre-order now available.

I’m honoured to have an essay about friendship (eek!) in this fab anthology of essays by autistic Irish adults, edited by Niamh Garvey.

Description: Wired Our Own Way: An Anthology of Irish Autistic Voices is the first collection of personal essays written by autistic Irish adults. One in twenty-seven Irish school children are now diagnosed as autistic, and autism is entering the general population’s consciousness much louder than it did in the past. As understanding about autism spreads, more and more adults are now finding out that they are autistic. This anthology shines a light on how important autism identification is, and how the label of ‘autism’ can enhance ones self-understanding and self-compassion. Throughout this collection of essays, the writers highlight how the lived-experience of autism varies drastically from one autistic person to another, and show that there is no one way to be autistic. From meltdowns to mental health, from being diagnosed in early childhood to being diagnosed in late adulthood, from cultural perceptions of autism to employment, the essays explore the huge range of diversity within the autistic Irish experience. Contributors include:

Jen Wallace

Liam Coulson

Nuala O’Connor

Jane M Owens

Eric Crowley

James McClean

Roisin Riley

Fiacre Ryan

Justin Bakker

Naoise Dolan

Colm Brady

Freya von Noorden Pierce

Jen O’Connor

Stefanie Preissner

Chandrika Narayanan-Mohan

Emil Elliot Nawrocki

Stuart Neilson

Caoimhe O’Gorman

Adam Harris

Priyangee Guha

Mike McGrath-Bryan

Aisling Walsh

Cliona Kelliher