NOTE DE L'ÉDITEUR : Súil Saoir (The trained
eye) is the first collection of poetry by Diarmuid Johnson, linguist,
writer and journalist. This collection was highly commended by
the judges in the Cló Iar-Chonnachta literary competition
2004.
Súil Saoir combines several characteristics that
make it a unique and challenging collection. Written in a polished,
lyrical idiom, it draws on both the medieval and modern Gaelic
traditions, bridging a divide in a way seldom accomplished in
the past. The poetry also questions the traditional association
between nationalism and the Irish language, offering a fresh
and universal perspective on questions of existence and destiny,
and on the way an individual interacts with his environment.
A sense of place often permeates much of the work, whether it
be the west of Ireland, or the poet's native Wales.
| ❙ | Diarmuid
Johnson was born in Wales and grew up in Galway. He has spent several
years working as a lecturer in Celtic languages in various country. In
1966 he turned to writing, publishing in the Irish language newspaper Foinse, The Irish times, and other periodicals. Work in English by him is forthcoming in The Cork Literary Review. He was editor of the monthly magazine Cuisle for a time, and of the literay review Transcript. He lives near Lampeter in Wales. |
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