Thin Lines is the third collection of poems from Shane Martin, a native of Carrickmacross in Co. Monaghan, now living in Co. Sligo. It contains new poems and a selection from his two previous collections. The poems provide a backdrop for meditation on the preciousness of life, the passing of time, love, home, and the people, alive and dead, who continue to inform his experience. The poetry is a celebration of the living flesh – that particular referent without which such meditations would be futile.

“In this career-spanning collection, Shane Martin offers a richly-textured portrait of the people who have touched his life and times. With subjects which range across love and loss, family and religion, tradition and the changing face of rural Ireland, Thin Lines is wise, moving and relatable, with something for everyone.”

Amanda Bell, poet and author

“Moments when little things suggest seismic life-changes, when we become mindful of what was always present but unnoticed; wherever you dip into this book you’ll be surprised by its insights and delighted with the clinical beauty by which they are revealed.”

John McArdle, playwright and author