Idir an Dá Fhearsaid

Although Róise Ní Bhaoill has been writing poetry for a long time, this is her first published collection. It is a comprehensive, generous collection with over sixty poems. She is a renowned and celebrated writer and her collection of short stories, Imram agus Scéalta Eile, won the An Post award for Irish language book of the year in 2023. Rann na Feirste and Béal Feirste are the two ‘fearsaids’ or fords that are mentioned in the title: the former being the author’s birthplace and the latter being where she has lived for over twenty years. These two places certainly influence this collection, but there are many other themes addressed also.

In the preface written by Máirín Nic Eoin, she outlines the many themes that are covered in this collection from memories of youth, the search for freedom, sense and pride of place, immigrants, the environment, political conflict and violence in Belfast, death, the suffering of women, nature and the landscape, drug addiction. The poems invite us to reflect on these issues which affect everyday lives: “Is fiosracht agus intleacht agus creideamh i dteacht aniar an duine agus i gcumhacht na healaíne a shamhlaítear le cuid filíochta Róise Ní Bhaoill. Tugtar cuireadh chun machnaimh dúinn, cuirtear friotal ar ábhair ár n-imní, agus cruthaítear íomhánna láidre a fhanann sa chuimhne.”

Róise ruminates on the effects of the Troubles on people and effectively and powerfully describes the horrors of the Troubles in poems such as Confadh Feola and Muince Mhiotail. In the poem Bliain Chorrach she mentions the slaughter brought on by the Troubles: “Domhnach na Fola ar a tús agus Aoine na Fola ina lár, tá thar na ceithre chéid marbh agus thar na ceithre mhíle leonta.”

She discusses emigration that wiped out a generation in the eighties in poems such as Idir Dhá dTír as she says “agus ó chuaigh tú go Londain Shasana, ní fada tú ó Kilburn, Cricklewood ná Camden, agus sheol tú agus do threibh puntaí ‘na bhaile a chuir bun faoin Stát.”

The importance of heritage and pride of place are evident from the author throughout as she records and mentions local placenames and characters in order to preserve their memory. The poem An Baile reads like a long ode to her native place as she lists local placemames such as Béal Uaighe, Cloch Stucach, Tobar a’ Ghleanna, Ard na bhFaoileog, Gaoth na Bráda and Gaoth Dobhair with a loving closing line “is tá mo chroí in áit chónaithe”. It is clear that Róise has a love of nature and her surroundings as they are weaved throughout the poems, with many mentions of birds too such as in the poems Saoirse an Éin, An Dreoilín and An Traonach.

There is a richness of language throughout the collection through which we learn the poet’s outlook on life. She is economical in her use of language, expressing lots in very few words, for example in the poem Guím Codladh “guím sos, nó is ríléir, nach eol dóibh, nach ann duit.” The language is polished and there is a musical quality to the poetry such as in An Dreoilín: “measaim go gcluinim go fóill beo-lúcháir do phortaireachta”. Many of poems are written in the second person which serves to draw the reader in, inviting us to think, putting questions to us about the many themes that are discussed. The collection displays Róise’s mastery of poetic techniques such as irony, creating looming atmospheres, stark imagery and metaphors.

As is customary with publications from Éabhlóid, the book is artistically presented: it is a small hardback book with a bright blue bookmark. There is a navy colour on the cover with the title in pink font and art from artist Kim Sharkey which shows two pieces of land (the two fords perhaps?), a rabbit, a bird and a seal. Small black and white illustrations accompany the individual poems which complements the overall aesthetic.

While the themes discussed are serious and heavy at times, the reading experience doesn’t feel heavy. It will give readers food for thought; the themes are universal and interesting and the richness of the language is sure to stimulate readers’ minds and imaginations.