Ken Armstrong

I'm Ken. I write plays and films, though not all the time, and I've tried hard to write a blog post most every week for the last 16 years. You can see the latest one here:

Hello CurlyWurly, from the Trick or Treat stash.

Hotel California is on the radio. As teens, some of us may have felt the best way to prove our viability as mates was by miming the guitar solo better than anyone else.

John's shortlisted story is on RTE Radio One at 11.20 this evening.

Echoing the excellent Donald Clarke, I would be excited to see Cosmo Jarvis as James Bond. That would be Daniel Craig levels of different.

Was watching The Public Enemy on Talking Pictures TV. Was expecting the ending to a different Cagney film so found the ending of this quite shocking.

"If I have to ask you one more time, I swear, I will throw you out the window." (One man and his Alexa)

Lucy's Halloween game of 'Stab the Marzipan balls with the Artifact you Found in the Woods' went horribly awry on account of Mr Spencer's impromptu courting visit.

This week's blog post.

I woke up at 1.45am but couldn't figure if it was 1.45am for the first time or the second time. I prowled the house looking for clues and almost expected to meet Santa on an early recce.

This week's blog post.

A glance down Facebook this morning and literally not one of the posts there are from anyone I recognise. Promotions, rubbish AI, that kind of junk. Why am I there?

Shout out to all the good folks who post backwards photos. You make me feel a little better about myself.

G'wan...

Puddy, riding out the storm in her comfy chair.

Meanwhile, here in the West of Ireland, the storm is now increasing minute by minute.

Radio 4 Extra is an important thing. Please keep it.

I put off watching the film 'Living' for a long time, not fancying what I knew of the story, but it is a very fine film with a very fine central performance

I love Harlan Ellison too. Great to have Chris writing on Substack.

Donal Lunny RIP. One of the Greats.

Darby O 'Gill and the Little People, around 1968. Scared the shit out of me. I was 4.

If AI does to us what it's done to promotional posters for amateur and community events then we're all fecked.

Elder Son John is on Arena on RTE Radio One at seven this evening.

This week's blog post.

Brave Sally always stands up for her beliefs.

If something is 100 Euro off, I can't afford it.

To all the strikers tomorrow. Imagine I'm driving past in my car. Beep, Beep!

The Cat walks past. I think, "There's not much eating on her." Then I'll reprimand myself for the rest of the evening.

Richard's tiny wave was thankfully sufficient to alert Celia to Mr. Bernard Shaw's violent aversion to Improvised Jazz. #GirlsOwnCC

This week's blog post is for Emily.

This week's blog post is for Emily.

Colin Barrett is a lovely guy.

@liznugent.bsky.social I'm interviewing Colin Barrett right before your interview in Castlebar this evening. So if a strange guy says hello, it will probably just be me. 🙂

Chatting to Colin Barrett tomorrow evening as part of the Wild Atlantic Words Festival. Bringing big fan energy.

Don Johnson and Johnson. Mad Wax - The Lobe Warrior.

Celeste vowed to resign from her brush-rowing night class, as the cohort seemed something less than fully committed. #GirlsOwnCC

Went early this week.

This week's blog post is a day early, as is traditional when the play is done.

Shows are done. Couldn't be happier.

Here we go...

Delighted to have two completely sold-out shows, starting this evening. If you're coming, note 7.30pm start time.

Very proud of Elder son, John. Shortlisted for the RTE Short Story Competition

Been rehearsing all weekend. Knackered now, but in a good way.

I'm in the paper. World premiere of play ‘Achill Sound’ set for Mayo town.

Have I told you lately how I love Tom Waits.