Press Profiles - Connor Lynch

Connor Lynch is an emerging poet who was originally inspired to write by Patrick Kavanagh, whose work explores the beauty of rural places. As someone who grew up in West Cork, Ireland, this naturally appealed to him. However, thankfully, he has since broadened his writing beyond pure imitation. With a background in journalism, a lifelong love of poetry, and a current career in content writing, he has always pursued writing in one form or another. He writes poetry on themes of grief, legacy, identity, mental health, love, politics, and nature. Connor was a 2025 recipient of a Munster Literature Center bursary for a mentorship in poetry. His poems have been featured in FullStop UL, the Azarão Lit Journal, and Sunday Mornings at the River. When he isn’t writing, Connor spends time taking care of his dog, watching football, and photographing the beautiful scenery around where he lives. 

Follow Connor @connorlynchpoetry for more 

First Draft of a Man charts the raw, intimate evolution of a young man in the space between who he’s been and who he hopes to become. Spanning Lynch’s early twenties to his early thirties, these poems navigate the turbulence of mental health, the ache of love and heartbreak, and the quiet disillusionment that shadows early adulthood.

As Lynch searches for purpose, self-esteem, and solid ground, each piece becomes a sketch —honest and necessary. What emerges is a portrait in progress: a man learning to trust his voice, claim his worth, and step with growing confidence into the shape of his own life.

A collection for anyone who has ever questioned their path, First Draft of a Man is both a mirror and a milestone; an ode to becoming.