Other work

It’s not all rugby, you know. I write with authority on football, cricket, golf, Formula 1, and tennis. Not to mention TV and entertainment (where I started out mumblemumble years ago), media, travel, parenting, and lifestyle. I’ve even indulged in some copywriting and social media work. AND I can do page layout and sub-editing, too…

Anyway, here are a few bits and pieces:

Sport writing

Arsene Wenger wants World Cup and Euros every two years – for The Irish Examiner
A piece on the former Arsenal manager’s latest pet – biennial World Cups

The future is now: Top 10 youngsters ready to dominate world football – for The Irish Examiner
A Friday-evening email from the sports editor at the Exa ended with this Top-10 piece based on a much longer run of articles from L’Equipe

How Sport Rescued My Relationship With My Son – for Kinbox
Quite a change from my usual stuff – and very carthartic, as it turned out.

The Ryder Cup: Driving a new era of golf in France – for Canvas8
How the 2018 tournament has changed views of golf in France.

Digital journalism

I do a few shifts with the good people at The Local – a news website for English-speakers in France

Production journalism

Page design, sub-editing, layout stuff, web editing and writing for The Connexion
I’ve worked with these guys, on and off, for a while.

Feature writing

Coronavirus and the Ireland-France match: desperate for police to arrest ‘Crona Veeroos’ – for Irish Examiner
So, you wanted to know about life in France just before lockdown? Bit of a surprise commission, but fun. Commissioning ed liked it, too…

Renovating a chateau in Lautrec – for Living France magazine
Threatened to be the first paid freelance job I did. Turned into the second

My wife and I are atheists, but our daughter wants to be baptised Catholic – for The Guardian
Another interesting personal piece to write. Hit some nerves, too. 

Smartsubs: Why English is capturing hearts and tongues in France – for Canvas8
Clever tech in action

The Pont Vieux in Albi – for Equipment World’s Better Roads Magazine
A piece about a bridge. It was suggested to me that I write this. I pitched it, not expecting anything to follow – but I was wrong… Just goes to show.

Commercial writing

The Nissan UK website
Three months working in Paris. What’s not to like?

Young’s Pubs: The 2020 Guinness Six Nations explained
One of those emails that drops into your inbox that you can’t ignore.

The Sportfolio Festival website – English language version
One of those cool flukes. A visit to Narbonne in 2012 led to this gig in 2013 and again 2015.

Narbonne Tourism Professional tour operators’ guide (PDF) – English language version
That same visit to Narbonne – and this was just one of the translation jobs that followed…

Social Media

24 Fingers – Scheens and I regularly supply content for these guys. Social media posts for business, blogs … that sort of thing.