Blessed to be born in the beautiful valleys of South Wales, I am sure my creative energy draws upon the lyrical heritage of the Welsh culture. A land of rich history, folklore and melodic voices; Wales and the iconic ddraig goch (red dragon) are fundamental to my identity.
Now living in North Wales, I am forever grateful that I spent my teenage years washed up along the shoreline of Colwyn Bay where friendships were formed with some of the Earth’s best people.
After school I took a short venture from Wales back to the ancestral home of the North East for University, back to the lullaby notes of Geordie voices and home comforts of Nanna’s cooking under the watchful gaze of the Angel of the North and the formidable Tyne Bridge. The pull of Wales was strong and I returned with my husband.
And so it came to Flintshire’s largest town where I laid down new roots and raised my own children under the beautiful skies and amongst the most genuine and generous salt of the earth community of Buckley. It seems crazy to think I have spent half my life here – almost due North of the town where I was born. Now, I cannot imagine living anywhere else.
When I write, the words flow from an authentic ‘me’ – a truth that is very free from the responsibilities of daughter, wife, mother, teacher…and so it felt right to chose a personal identity of my own to honour that essence.
Some will know me as Eve Denton, some as Eve Kelleher.. and some will have known me as both.
Lowrey E Gray is taken from the name of my Great-Grandfather; a man who I am told was a great man in every sense of the word. I didn’t get the chance to meet him but, from what I have heard of him, his love of life, family and growing vegetables resonates with my soul. Sorting through a box of old photographs, the photo used in, ‘Can I take Your Name?’ jumped out to me and I knew I had found my writer’s name.
