Dermot Somers
Genres: Short story writer, Scriptwriter, Novelist, Travel writer
Scríbhneoir, craoltóir agus sléibhteoir is ea Dermot Somers. Tá cónaí air i nDroichead Átha, Co. Lú, lena bhean chéile, Maeve. Bhain sé duaiseanna le haghaidh a chuid scríbhneoireachta i nGaeilge agus i mBéarla. D’fhoilsigh Cois Life (Baile Átha Cliath) trí leabhar leis as Gaeilge: Rince ar na Ballaí (2002), a shaol mar shléibhteoir, a bhí ina dhuaisleabhar Oireachtais; Buaic (2006), úrscéal; Ar Muir is ar Sliabh (2009), úrscéal. Chuir sé mórán scannán faisnéise i láthair ar TG4 agus RTÉ i rith na mblianta. Ina measc bhí sraith clár taistil, Turais i mBaol déanta le CTL Films: An tSibéir (2001); An Sahára (2002); An Iaráin (2004); Trasna na Himiléithe, Dolpo, Neipeal (2008). Cultúr, taisteal agus eachtraíocht a bhí mar ábhar acu. Bhí sé ina bhall den turas sléibhe rathúil Éireannach go Sliabh Everest, 1993.
Dermot Somers is a writer, broadcaster and mountaineer. His fiction, travel, and adventure-writing have been published in Irish and in English, winning awards in both languages. At the Rising of the Moon Baton Wicks/Collins Press (1994) short stories, won the Boardman-Tasker award for mountain literature. An earlier collection of short stories, Mountains and Other Ghosts was published by Diadem Books in London (1990). The O’Brien Press, Dublin, published Endurance: Heroic Journeys in Ireland (2005), a study of history and myth in the Irish landscape. His work in Irish includes Rince ar na Ballaí (2002), a climbing memoir, and the novels Buaic (2006) and Ar Muir is ar Sliabh (2009), all published by Cois Life. He has presented many documentaries, made by Crossing The Line Films for TG4 and RTÉ, featuring adventure, remote landscapes and nomadic cultures. He was a member of the successful Irish Everest expedition, 1993.
Birth date: 1947
Place of birth: Athleague, Co. Roscommon
Links: Writer website »
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Ar saoire gheimhridh le siúlóirí i gCiarraí, chonaic mé ailleadóir ar chaoldroim carraige – agus thángas i dtír. A luaithe is a leagas lámh ar ghreim glan aille, rópa le mo bhásta, cos i dtaca, bhíos ceangailte leis an gcarraig, dúil do mo lasadh, mar a bheadh splanc chreidimh i bhfastó ionam. Sin mar a mheabhraítear anois dom é, i bhfad ina dhiaidh. Cé go bhfuil meafaracht sa chuntas sin, ní lú ná sin an fhírinne.
Tá bunábhar álainn sa charraig, ina inneach is a fholadh, a dhaingne is a leochailleacht, a loime is a scoilteacht, a chuireadh is a dhiúltú. Tá cuireadh sa charraig do lúfaireacht an choirp, aclaíocht na hintinne, dúshlán is ceiliúradh; tá faoiseamh inti ó chuing na samhlaíochta. Tá tríú toise an rince sa dreapadh; freagra ann ar theip na heitilte – sciatháin athbhronnta ar stumpaí na slinneán, tromluí na titime go hifreann aisiompaithe ar feadh lae.
Idir chorp is charraig, idir lámh is scoilteán, corpmheáchan is domhantarraingt, idir géire is a shárú tá teannas is cothromaíocht, dúshlán is a réiteach. Rince cróga is ea an dreapadh. Rince ar na ballaí.
Dermot Somers, Rince ar na Ballaí, lch 16 (Cois Life, 2002)
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