Seán Body's first full collection, Witness, was published in 1995 and reprinted in 1998. It was praised for its power, lyric intensity, economy, sensitive handling of difficult themes and 'superb command of language'. A joint Reading with Ian Parks, entitled Lines of Dissent, was commissioned by Manchester Libraries in the millennium year. This was later performed, with the addition of music, for Manchester Poets. His most recent collection, Seasons, a limited edition pamphlet, was published by Glass Head Press in 2003. Of this Sarah Tierney, writing in City Life, commented 'Body's awareness of the strength of restrained, clipped language is apparent throughout these intense, impressive poems. He writes with concentrated lucidity about people whose own eloquence has been stripped away.'
As editor and publisher, he has produced a series of publications for Manchester Poets, including Six, in 1989, introducing six Manchester Poets, and Poems from the Readaround (1995), an anthology of poems chosen from the open sessions. For Manchester Irish Writers, he edited At The End Of The Rodden (Scribhneoírí 1997), a collection of poetry and short stories.
In collaboration with Manchester Libraries he has organised special arts events and readings for The Manchester Irish Festival, including a celebration of Irish poetry in Gaelic and English from the 6th to the 20th centuries.
As publisher (Tarantula Publications) he has produced collections from Steven Waling, Mee Mawing (1996, 1998), Angela Cooke, Behind Glass (1996, 1998), John Ward, Selected Poems 1968-1995 (1996, 1998), and John Lindley, Stills from November Campaigns (1998).
The thrice yearly magazine, Brando's Hat, first appeared in Spring 1998, with the purpose of showcasing poets with groups of poems, or poetry sequences. It ran for four years.
Seán Body's work is currently featured on Moving Manchester - Mediating Marginalities, Institute of Advanced Studies, Lancaster University.