Rickie O’Neill is a 35 year old writer, actor, director and musician originally from Claremorris, Mayo, currently residing in Galway. For the past 13 years, Rickie has been a session musician and full-time drummer for the Irish band The Saw Doctors. In 2015 he changed his course slightly and began writing, starting off with short film scripts and poetry (which he still enjoys writing very much to this day). In 2017 he took a keen interest in the short story form and was particularly impacted by how powerful a short story can be as opposed to a long-drawn-out novel. Plus, you finish them quicker. Rickie’s writing influences include Anton Checkov, Roald Dahl, George Saunders, Lafcadio Hearn, Chuck Palahniuk, Anthony Bourdain, Mike McCormack & Donal Ryan. Last December, Rickie released his first self published novella called Little Sickos, under the pseudonym Fionnain J McKeon, and in March 2026 he released his first anthology under the same name titled ALIVE ALL NIGHT, which can be purchased from Rickie/Fionnain directly by emailing saltedstrings@gmail.com.

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WHAT IT MEANT TO ME

And when I woke up that morning,
at whatever time the news crossed my path,
a sudden hole was left in the world and in my heart.

Simply put, I was not ready for this to end.

This immeasurable story.

Where songs, community and love became the focal point of
a nation’s happiness.

Where everything had been distilled down to be as simple as that.

Just that.

In your eyes anyway, friend.

And how lucky we all were to have caught that gracious wave.
The very one you built.

But. . .isn’t it a strange thing all the same?

Strange how the leaves can still rustle away in a summer breeze,
while the earth,

our earth,

stays on course,

slowly etching its way towards the mighty sun,

in that unforgivable fashion,

just as it was meant to do,

like life itself, eh?

Actually. . .Just Like You x