Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill
Genres: Poet
Rugadh Nuala i Lancashire agus tháinig go hÉirinn nuair a bhí sí cúig bliana d’aois. Ghnóthaigh sí céim BA ó Choláiste na hOllscoile, Corcaigh, i 1972. Phós sí geolaí Turcach, Dogan Leflef (nach maireann), agus tá ceathrar clainne orthu. Chaith siad seacht mbliana idir an Ollainn agus an Tuirc. Bhí Nuala ar bhaicle INNTI agus mhair tionchar na tréimhse sin ina cuid filíochta. Is iomaí cnuasach filíochta, dráma do pháistí, script scannáin, díolaim, alt, léirmheas agus aiste foilsithe ag Nuala. Sa bhliain 1981 a foilsíodh an chéad chnuasach filíochta uaithi, An Dealg Droighin. Foilsíodh freisin Féar Suaithinseach (1984); Feis (1991); Spíonáin is Róiseanna (1993); Cead Aighnis (1999). Tá sí ina ball d’Aosdána agus bhí sí mar Ollamh Filíochta na hÉireann (2001-2004). Is mó scoláireacht, duais, agus sparánacht faighte aici. Samhlaíocht agus béaloideas agus na seanamhráin a bhíonn aici mar thobar dá saothar. Tá féith an ghrinn agus rian den fheimineachas le brath ar chuid dá saothar chomh maith. I nGaeilge amháin a bhíonn Nuala ag scríobh, ach fáiltíonn sí roimh aistriúcháin. Dar léi ‘Irish is a language of beauty, historical significance, ancient roots and an immense propensity for poetic expression through its everyday use’.
Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill is one of the most prominent poets writing in the Irish language. Her poetry has been translated into English by a number of well-known Irish poets, including Seamus Heaney, Medbh McGuckian, and Paul Muldoon. Irish themes, including language, are central to her poetry and range from ancient myths to small details of contemporary life. Her first collection was published in 1981, and the translation Selected Poems: Rogha Dánta appeared in 1986. Her works have since been translated into Italian, Japanese, and Turkish. Nuala’s poem "The Language Issue" explains her decision not to write in English — and thereby possibly spark interest and expand acceptance of Gaelic in the English-speaking world — by likening her poems to a fragile reed boat such as the one that carried Moses to the Pharaoh's daughter. She also views the act as a means of female empowerment and has contributed to "recovering the voice of the Irish woman". She finds inspiration in Gaelic myths and their models of powerful Irish women, including goddesses and queens. In conversation she remarked, "One of the things that causes me to get up in the morning is the desire to take Irish back from that grey-faced Irish revivalist male preserve."
An Crann
Do tháinig bean an leasale Black & Decker,
do ghearr sí anuas mo chrann.
D'fhanas im óinseach ag féachaint uirthi
faid a bhearraigh sí na brainsí
ceann ar cheann.
Tháinig m’fhear céile abhaile tráthnóna.
Chonaic sé an crann.
Bhí an gomh dearg air,
ní nach ionadh. Dúirt sé
“Canathaobh nár stopais í?
Nó cad is dóigh léi?
Cad a cheapfadh sí
dá bhfaighinnse Black & Decker
is dul chun a tí
agus crann ansúd a bhaineas léi,
a ghearradh anuas sa ghairdín?”
Tháinig bean an leasa thar n-ais ar maidin.
Bhíos fós ag ithe mo bhricfeasta.
D’iarr sí orm cad dúirt m’fhear céile.
Dúrtsa léi cad dúirt sé,
go ndúirt sé cad is dóigh léi,
is cad a cheapfadh sí
dá bhfaigheadh sé súid Black & Decker
is dul chun a tí
is crann ansúd a bhaineas léi
a ghearradh anuas sa ghairdín.
“Ó,” ar sise, “that’s very interesting.”
Bhí béim ar an very.
Bhí cling leis an –ing.
Do labhair sí ana-chiúin.
Bhuel, b’shin mo lá-sa,
pé ar bith sa tsaol é,
iontaithe bunoscionn.
Thit an tóin as mo bholg
is faoi mar a gheobhainn lascadh cic
nó leacadar sna baotháin
líon taom anbhainne isteach orm
a dhein chomh lag san mé
gurb ar éigin a bhí ardú na méire ionam
as san go ceann trí lá.
Murab ionann is an crann
a dh’fhan ann, slán.
Hear the extract read aloud