Publishing Executive Yaiza Llamas tells us about Atlantic Papers Press and The Gospel of Irish Music: A New Voice from the Atlantic Coast.
This September, the west of Ireland meets the heart of Chicago in The Gospel of Irish Music, a debut memoir by Julie McCabe-Johanning that will be presented as part of the Gospel Tour + WAVE25 Writing Experience, a boutique literary retreat taking place in Dublin from 4 to 7 September. The book’s arrival marks both a personal milestone for its author and an exciting moment at Atlantic Papers Press, an independent publishing house dedicated to fostering new voices and rediscovering literary quality with clarity, care and boldness.
Julie’s memoir is at once deeply personal and quietly universal. In The Gospel of Irish Music, she recounts her teenage years in Chicago, navigating trauma and internal turmoil. In search of spiritual restoration, she finds unexpected healing in Ireland, not only through its landscapes, but through its people, its music and traditional Irish culture. The book is not a travelogue, nor simply a story of recovery, but a literary meditation on music, identity and transformation.
We’re proud to publish Julie’s book and delighted that it will be one of the featured titles during the upcoming retreat. Her official launch takes place on Friday, 5 September at 6.00 PM in The Club Lounge, The Spencer Hotel, Dublin, with a live reading, a TV-style interview, an author Q&A and a wine and cheese reception. Admission is free and open to all.
Atlantic Papers Press: A New Kind of Press Rooted in the West
Atlantic Papers was born from a simple idea: to create a space for serious writers and serious readers. From our base on the windswept western coast of Ireland, we are building a catalogue that is deliberately eclectic but always language-led. We believe in books that say something real and say it well, works that arise not from trends but from conviction and careful craft.
Though the press itself is new, the team behind it has long experience in publishing. Our submission model is different, since all manuscripts are peer-reviewed through regular fairs and writers are encouraged to revise and re-submit based on expert feedback. We offer publication opportunities for both debut and established voices and we strive to give honest and rigorous attention to every manuscript we receive.
Alongside this, we have launched The Ocean, our quarterly literary journal, which shares our commitment to excellence and accessibility. It accepts competition-based entries only, provides meaningful feedback to all contributors and publishes the very best across both print and digital formats. The next print issue will be unveiled during the WAVE25 experience.
A Retreat of Launches and Literary Conversation
We believe a book should be more than a product, and that is why The Gospel Tour + WAVE25 Writing Experience brings together a variety of launches, workshops and cultural seminars in one immersive four-day programme. In partnership with MKCW (Martin Keaveney Creative Writing), the retreat explores narrative structure through the lens of James Joyce, reclaims lost Irish voices such as Hannah Lynch and examines the role of fairy tales in modern storytelling.
The programme features two book launches: Julie McCabe-Johanning’s The Gospel of Irish Music and Granny Bridget’s Fairy Tales by Felicity Dempsey, a wonderful collection for 7–10-year-old readers that draws on Irish folklore and intergenerational storytelling. Industry experts will also provide insights into screenwriting and the current publishing landscape, while contributors to The Ocean will showcase new literary talent at a special live event.
A Voice that Commands the Page
At the heart of this initiative are the stories we publish and the voices behind them. The Gospel of Irish Music embodies that spirit; not only in what it tells, but in the way it is told. As her publishing executive, I have had the privilege of watching this memoir come to life. What strikes you immediately is Julie’s voice: powerful, clear and emotionally fearless. From the first paragraph, she writes with the urgency of fiction while remaining firmly grounded in the emotional truth of lived experience.
There is a current of intensity running through every chapter, a kind of literary voltage that grips the reader and does not let go. This is more than a memoir of personal healing; it becomes an invitation to pause, to listen to music, to history and to the quieter parts of ourselves.
Atlantic Papers Press: What Comes Next
In the months ahead, we look forward to further titles that echo our commitment to language, story and spirit. Following The Gospel of Irish Music and Granny Bridget’s Fairy Tales in September, we will continue to seek out exceptional writing, wherever it is, and bring it into the world with care. The Atlantic is calling and we are just getting started.
To find out more, visit www.atlanticpaperspress.com or contact info@atlanticpaperspress.com
(c) Yaiza Llamas
About The Gospel of Irish Music:
Julie McCabe-Johanning’s memoir recounts the formative years of her life as a teenager in Chicago, and tracks a spiritual journey leading to a traditional musical community in Ireland. The Gospel of Irish Music will be published 5 September 2025.
Pre-order your copy online here.
And see more Big Idea articles on Writing.ie here.
