We are delighted to hear that our two best-known Irish language poets in Australia are being recognised by IMRAM radio in Ireland. Imram means ‘voyage of discovery’. Julie Breathnach-Banwait in Perth and Colin Ryan in Melbourne will form part of IMRAM’s online interview session on December 10 (December 11 in Australia). No doubt, the interviews will be available for online viewing. You can read the promotional details here.
The English translation follows the Irish.
For samples of Julie’s poetry, see the review in Tinteán of her 2020 poetry collection.
Julie’s article in answer to queries as to why she choose to write in the Irish language can be found in the August 10, 2021 edition of Tinteán
Colin Ryan has been a regular poetry contributor to us over the years, but he is also a great short story writer. See our review of his collection of short stories.
We send ‘comhghairdeas’ to both for this important recognition of their work.
AGALLAIMH IMRAM
THE IMRAM INTERVIEWS
Sa tsraith seo is déanaí d’agallaimh IMRAM le scríbhneoirí suaithinseacha ár linne, labhraíonn Tristan Rosenstock le triúr scríbhneoirí Gaeilge atá ag obair lasmuigh d’Éirinn. Craolfar iad ar an 3ú Nollaig ar aghaidh.
Síceolaí, file, scríbhneoir agus máthair as Ceantar na nOileán i gConamara í Julie Breathnach-Banwait. Tá breis is deich mbliana caite aici féin, a fear céile agus a mac in Iarthar na hAstráile. Ag tagairt don Ghaeilge, deir sí: ‘Tá seilbh ag an teanga orm. Is í an teanga a chruthaigh is a mhúnlaigh mé. Táimid doscartha óna chéile in aon taipéis chasta amháin.’ Is Síc-Fhile í agus sa chéad leabhar filíochta uaithi, Dánta Póca, cantar na limistéir mhothúchánacha sin atá idir na réimsí fisiceacha agus síceolaíochta.
Scríbhneoir ar leith é Colin Ryan atá lonnaithe in Melbourne agus an Ghaeilge roghnaithe aige mar mheán liteartha. Tugann sé blas Astrálach di. Tógadh faoin tuaith é in Oirdheisceart na hAstráile, áit ar lonnaigh a shinsir sna 1860í. Baineann a chuid gearrscéalta le ridirí an bhóthair, coirpigh, saighdiúirí, na mairbh, daoine atá ar iarraidh, daoine a bhfuil daoine eile á lorg acu agus daoine a bhfuiltear sa tóir orthu. Baineann na dánta sa leabhar Corraí na Nathrach le hiarsmaí an choilíneachais, leis an stair agus leis an tírdhreach.
Is file, úrscéalaí, ceoltóir agus físealaíontóir é Diarmuid Johnson. Tá cáil ar na hathinsintí atá déanta aige ar sheanscéalta, an leabhar is déanaí acu Éadaoin, ceann de mhórscéalta grá an domhain. Baineann an leabhar Seacht dTír, Seacht dTeanga lena chuid taistil mar cheoltóir fáin sa Pholainn, staidéar sa Ghearmáin agus a chinniúint á lorg aige sa Róimh agus sa Bhruiséil; saol ar an imeall, saol éigse agus ceoil.
In this latest of IMRAM’s series of interviews with leading writers, Tristan Rosenstock talks to three Irish language writers working outside of Ireland. Launched and available online from Friday 10 December onwards.
Julie Breathnach-Banwait is a psychologist, poet, writer and mother from Ceantar na n-Oileán in Conamara, She has lived in Western Australia with her husband and her son for over a decade. Of Irish, she has says ‘The language owns me. It has made me who I am. It cannot be pulled from me or me from it. We are stitched and woven together on the complex tapestry of the mind.’ She describes herself as a Pysch-Poet, and in her first collection Dánta Póca, her incantatory poems explore the emotional realms where the physical meets the psychological.
Colin Ryan is a unique writer based in Melbourne, who has chosen Irish as his literary language and gives it a unique Australian twist. He was raised in the south-east rural Australia, where his Irish ancestors first settle in the 1860s. settled but now lives in Melbourne. His short stories touch on travellers, criminals, soldiers, the dead, people who have gone missing, people who are searching for others, and those who are being searched for. His poems in Corraí na Nathrach are haunting explorations of colonialism, history and landscape.
Diarmuid Johnson is a poet, novelist, musician and visual artist. He has just finished the critically acclaimed Tara Trilogy, a creative exploration of old Irish literature with Éadaoin, one of the most famous of Gaelic love stories. His latest book is Seacht dTír, Seacht dTeanga, a travel memoir that tells of his life wandering Poland as a traditional musician, studying in Germany, and seeking his destiny in Rome and Brussels – and a story of life on the margins, one of poetry and song.
Tinteán 