The Ocean Magazine – August 2026 – Spring 2025 –
This literary issue explores the theme of prism through poetry, fiction and personal essays about memory, identity, grief, healing, history, nature and human connection. The cover presents a coastal scene with flowers and seabirds; no cover model is identified. Cover photography is credited to Taryn Elliot via Pexels.
Featured Models & Editorials
- Sr. May Lynam presents Villa El Salvador, a reflective memoir of missionary work, community and cultural discovery in Peru. Photographer: Not applicable.
- Susan Temple presents Waiting for Sam, historical fiction set in 1920s Ireland during a period of political tension and family uncertainty. Photographer: Not applicable.
- Durga Dhakal presents I Am Searching, an introspective poem about suffocation, sadness and the search for renewal. Photographer: Not applicable.
- Patrick O'Brien presents A Lost Breeze, a poetic meditation on conflict, understanding and shared wisdom. Photographer: Not applicable.
- Redmond Burke presents Glanageenty, a historical and family mystery rooted in Kerry folklore, memory and the Irish Civil War. Photographer: Not applicable.
- John Farragher presents Sacrificial Lives, a stark poem examining animals, farming, exploitation and migration. Photographer: Not applicable.
- Michelle Harte presents Elements, a concise experimental poem built around contrasts, matter and transformation. Photographer: Not applicable.
- Fred Price presents The Banana Skin Incident, an absurdist comic story about a bizarre global hotel phenomenon. Photographer: Not applicable.
- John Gobbett presents I'll Be Up Soon, a tender story about bereavement, family bonds and a grandfather reconnecting with his grandson. Photographer: Not applicable.
- Ann Marie Horgan presents Memory Tree, a lyrical poem about family, resilience, separation and new beginnings. Photographer: Not applicable.
- Deborah Glennon presents The Fox, My Friend, a gentle poem about nature, companionship and mourning. Photographer: Not applicable.
- Julie Johanning presents The Black Sisters, an emotionally intense story about addiction, family crisis, fear and hope. Photographer: Not applicable.
- Breda Hyland presents The Shadow, a dreamlike poem blending childhood imagination, landscape and disappearance. Photographer: Not applicable.
- Marian Roche presents Meeting Point, a powerful story about friendship, trauma, recovery and the consequences of silence. Photographer: Not applicable.
- Vivienne Byrne Baruch presents The Forgotten Dream, a visionary story about creativity, healing, utopia and the power of imagination. Photographer: Not applicable.
Photographers Featured
- Taryn Elliot, credited with the cover imagery, Spring Ocean and Wave, via Pexels.
The issue has an intimate, reflective and distinctly Irish literary character, combining historical fiction, memoir, experimental poetry, social themes and visionary storytelling. Its overall mood moves between grief and hope, realism and dream, with a strong emphasis on memory, resilience, nature and the search for connection.
