Brennan taught at St Patrick's College, Carlow.[5] She began writing in Irish after co-founding the Éigse Carlow Arts Festival[1][6] in 1979.[7][8][9] She has published sixteen books to date, including twelve collections of poetry. She was awarded an Oireachtas Prize for Ag Mealladh Réalta, and won the Farmgate Café National Poetry Award in 2023 with Medea's Cauldron.[4][10][11][12]
She collaborated with writers Máighréad Medbh and Nuala Ní Chonchúir on Divas! (2003), a volume of poetry, which was launched during Éigse by Olivia O'Leary.[13] Her poem At Home was included in The Works anthology of women's poetry, Women's Work VII.[14] Her poetry is included in The Great Book of Ireland,[15]The Field Day Anthology of Irish Writing, Volume 5,[16]Eating her Wedding Dress (Ragged Sky Press, 2009),[17]Catullus Gaelach, edited by Pádraig Ó Laighin (Coiscéim, 2010),[18] and is widely anthologised. Brennan's work is featured on the Irish post primary curricula and in the courses and textbooks of Royal Irish Academy of Music.[19]
Her two collections of short fiction were published as An Banana Bean Sí agus Scéalta Eile (Coiscéim, 2009) and Staying Thin for Daddy (Arlen House, 2014). Her short stories have appeared in The Irish Times, Passages, Anois, Comhar, Feasta, Lá and Foinse and have featured on Cork Campus Radio, RTÉ Radio 1, as well as a six-part drama series, Go to Blazes. Her work is represented in Nua Scéalta, selected by Séan Ó Mainnín (Cló Iar-Chonnacht, 2005), Twisted Truths, selected by Brian Ó Conchubhair (Cló Iar-Chonnacht, 2011), Thar Toinn, selected by Micheál Ó hAodha (Coiscéim, 2015).[20]
Brennan served as chair and secretary of the Éigse festival during its early years. She was also a founder member of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann in Carlow, serving as chair and secretary.[20]
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