Sci-Fi Ireland team

Sci-Fi Ireland is brought to you by Editor--in--Chief Mark Mullan, Lead Editor Alex Johnston and our readers Courtney, Ellen, Cónal and Luke. Mark and Alex met while studying their MA in creative writing at Queens University Belfast and bonded over a shared love of anything nerdy they could sink our teeth into.

From Vonnegut, Le Guinn on through Thursday Next and Ashely Stokes to our one true lord and saviour Douglas Adams; they’ve sat in a dimly lit pub discussing, debating and otherwise bathing in the warm glow of sci-fi genius. Now they've joined forces to create a magazine and we hope you'll join us for the ride.

If you're interested in joining the Sci-FI Ireland team scroll to the lower half of the page for all the necessary information. It's worth it, we have beer, and cookies, and friendly robots that give you flowers.

Mark Mullan

- Founder

- Editor (and idiot) in Chief

Mark Mullan is an Irish writer born, raised - and after a ten-year sojourn around the world - living once more in Belfast. He studied his MA in creative writing at Queens University and also has a master’s degree in chiropractic with which he keeps a roof over his and Benji’s heads. Benji is a Yucca plant and an accidental bonsai tree.

Mark has been published in The Apiary, The Blackbird and commissioned for radio by the BBC Storytellers project. His great writing passion is science-fiction, specifically that which interrogates the technologies of the now and near future through a comedic lens. His favourite authors are Kurt Vonnegut, Ursula Le Guin and Douglas Adams.

Alex Johnston

- Lead Editor

- Interplanetary Wotsit Inspector

Alex Johnston is a writer from a land down under now locked into Belfast for the long haul having completed his MA in creative writing at Queen's University. His favourite authors are Jasper Fforde and Ursula Le Guin, and like them he looks to merge different genres and concepts, taking great delight in seeing what weird and wonderful mixes occur as a result.

He actually despises long walks on the beach because of all the sand-squeak underfoot. In his downtime you can find him strolling around parklands looking for wotsits.

Courtney Smyth

Fiction Reader

Courtney Smyth is a caffeine fiend, one web search away from their newest fixation, and, most relevantly, a writer of stories. They are the author of science--fantasy mystery series The Undetectables (Titan Books). Their work has also appeared in anthologies from Sans Press and in Paper Lanterns Literary Journal. Courtney is a 2024 recipient of the ESFS Chrysalis Award. They are from Dublin, currently living and writing with their partner, two criminal kittens, and their pet corn snake, Steve.

Ellen Lahiff

Fiction reader

Ellen Lahiff is a proofreader and copyeditor from Cork city. She recently completed an MA in Literature and Publishing at the University of Galway and currently resides in the small seaside town of Ballycotton. During her MA, she was Editorial Lead of ROPES Literary Journal (Issue 33) and hopes to continue supporting new Irish writing in the future. She currently works as a copyeditor for an Irish academic publishing press. In her spare time, she enjoys painting pictures, singing songs, and a variety of other human activities.

Cónal McGlinchey

Fiction reader

Cónal is a fiction writer from Northern Ireland with a passion for short stories and all things Science Fiction. His favourite authors are George Saunders, Shirley Jackson, Kurt Vonnegut and Karen Russell.

Cónal is an international man of mystery who avoids social media and publication at all costs. Yet despite his best attempts to remain anonymous he's been published by University of Ulster, won writing bursaries from the Irish Writers Centre, been mentored by RB Kelly and is a member of the west NI Authors consortium 'This writing thing'.

Sci-FI Ireland headshots Luke_edited.jpg

Luke Macpherson

Fiction reader

Luke Macpherson is a Belfast born, London based writer whose short stories primarily depict surreal near futures and the worlds next door. Having graduated from Queen's University MA Creative Writing in December 2021, his speculative fiction has been published by BBC Radio, The Honest Ulsterman and Storytime London (where he regularly hosts and performs) as well as a number of other journals and collections.

You??

Fiction Reader

(aka Assistant Literary Detective)

Readerships positions are currently full. If you'd like to join the team in the future please keep an eye on our social medias and newsletter where we will publicise opportunities as they arise!

You??

Translation Editor

(aka Vogon Poetry Scribe)

Applications for translation editors remain open. If you'd like to apply to be an Irish/English translations editor please scroll down to where the nice robot is handing out flowers and click the blue button.

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