Beda Higgins

Last updated March 06, 2026

Beda Higgins is an Irish poet and writer who lives in Newcastle upon Tyne, Lancashire.

Biography

Higgins works as a Psychiatric and General Nurse; she completed a masters in creative writing from Northumbria University in 2000. In her career as a nurse, she has been awarded the Queen's Nursing Institute Awards for her work using creative writing with patients. She is also a poet and short story writer who has won the Northern Writers' Awards on multiple occasions as well as the Geoff Stevens Memorial Prize.^[1]^[2] Her work is published in anthologies as well as two collections of short stories. In 2021 her work was shortlisted for the Pigott Poetry Prize.^[3]^[4]^[5]^[6]^[7]

Publications

As sole author

Source:^[8]

Higgins, Beda (2020). Ourselves. Indigo Dreams Publishing. ISBN 978-1-912876-42-6.
Higgins, Beda (2014). Little Crackers: Tales from the edge. Saraband Press. ISBN 978-1-908643-68-1.
Higgins, Beda (2011). Chameleon. Cullercoats: Iron Press. ISBN 978-0-9565725-0-9. Collection of short stories.

Anthologies and collections: prose and poetry

Source:^[8]

2021 THE CULTURAL AFTERLIFE OF RUINS National Museums NI
2020 THESE ARE THE HANDS Fair Acre Press ISBN 978-1-911048-40-4
2018 THE HIPPOCRATES PRIZE ISBN 978-0-9935911-2-9
2018 POEMS FOR THE NHS The Onslaught press ISBN 978-1-912111-74-9
2018 POEMS FOR GRENFELL The Onslaught press ISBN 978-1-912111-55-8
2016 COLD IRON Ghost stories Iron Press ISBN 978-0-9931245-8-7
2013 ROOT Iron Press ISBN 978-0-9565725-5-4
2010 BOOK OF TEN. Zebra publishing ISBN 978-0-9563887-0-4
2009 THE GRIST ANTHOLOGY OF NEW WRITING. ISBN 978-0-9563099-0-7
2006 ON NEW STREET. Biscuit Publishing ISBN 1-903914-28-0
2005 THE POETRY CURE. Bloodaxe Books ISBN 1-85224-690-1
2005 FOR THE KIDS. Biscuit Publishing ISBN 1-903914-24-8
2002 ADRIFT FROM BELIZE TO HAVANA. Biscuit Publishing ISBN 1-903914-07-8
2001 BISCUIT POETRY ANTHOLOGY. ISBN 1-903914-03-5

Articles in journals and magazines

2022 Arts Ireland: A nurse bears witness http://www.artsandhealth.ie/perspectives/ourselves-a-nurse-poet-bears-witness/
2021 Intima Journal of narrative medicine A LIFE
2017 Mslexia Magazine EAN 977-1473-939-03-6 ISSN 1473-9399
2009 Mslexia Magazine first prize winner story EAN 977-1473-939-01-2 ISSN 1473-9399
2003 Mslexia Magazine EAN 977-1473-939-00-5 ISSN 1473-9399
2001 Mslexia Magazine ISSN 1473-9399

Multiple articles and opinion pieces published in Independent Nurse.

Awards

Source:^[9]

2019 VS Pritchett short story prize longlist
2018 Hippocrates Poetry Award commendation
2016 Northern Writer New Fiction Bursary
2015 Edgehill Prize longlist
2015 Frank O’Connor Prize longlist
2012 Luke Bitmead Novel Award shortlist
2012 Edgehill Prize longlist
2011 Read Regional Recommendation
2010 Northern Writer Award
2010 Cinnamon Press novel Award shortlist
2009 winner Mslexia short story competition
2007 Residential Prize winner Biscuit Publishing
2004 Northern Promise Award
2004 Novel shortlisted Lit Idol national competition

Projects