mə ɡˈʌkiənz fˈɜːst pˈʌblɪʃt pˈoʊᵻmz ɐpˈɪɹd ɪn tˈuː pˈæmflɪts, sˈɪŋɡəl lˈeɪdiz: sˈɪkstiːn pˈoʊᵻmz ænd pˈoːɹtɹɪt ʌv dʒoʊˈænə, ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd ˈeɪɾi, ðə jˈɪɹ ɪnwˌɪtʃ ʃiː ɹᵻsˈiːvd ɐn ˈɛɹɪk ɡɹˈɛɡɚɹi ɐwˈɔːɹd.
McGuckian's first published poems appeared in two pamphlets, Single Ladies: Sixteen Poems and Portrait of Joanna, in 1980, the year in which she received an Eric Gregory Award.