Rita Kelly
Genres: Editor, Poet, Short story writer, Reviewer
Rugadh i nGaillimh i 1953 í. Tógadh í ar Achréidh na Gaillimhe ar dtús agus uaidh sin in oirthear an chontae mórthimpeall Bhéal Átha na Sluaighe. D’fhreastail sí ar Mheánscoil na Trócaire, agus d’fhreastail sí ar léiriú dhrámaí Eoghain Uí Thuairisc; is sa deireadh a chasfadh sí ar Eoghan agus is ansin a phósadar i 1972. Thug Michael Davitt agus lucht INNTI an chéad deis dhóibh comhdhán a fhoilsiú le chéile freisin i 1972 agus uaidh sin amach go bás Eoghain i 1982 bhí an saol eatarthu mar chomhdhán sa chiall is leithne den téarma. Is iontach an méid atá curtha i gcrích aici ó shin i leith, gach a bhaineann leis an scríbhneoireacht chruthaitheach, lánaimseartha: eagarthóireacht, filíocht, prós, léirmheastóireacht, drámaíocht is léachtóireacht idir Ghaeilge agus Bhéarla in Éirinn is i Meiriceá. Is iomaí duais bainte amach aici le beagnach 40 bliain anuas, Duais Sheáin Uí Riordáin ina measc. 10 leabhar foilsithe aici. MA curtha i gcrích aici. Bhí sí ina Scríbhneoir Cónaitheach i gContae Laoise, i gContae an Cabháin agus i gContae Chill Chainnigh. Tá sí ag obair ar a cuimhní cinn faoi láthair.
Born in Galway in 1953, her formative years were spent on the flat plains of East Galway, though she lived, for a time, with the Chavasse family at Ross House, Oughterard — the home of Violet Martin of the Somerville & Ross duo. In 1972 she married the bilingual writer and poet, Eoghan Ó Tuairisc/Eugene Watters (1919–1982). She writes in Irish and English, poetry, fiction, drama and criticism. Her work has been translated into Italian, German, Dutch and French. The work has earned various awards, most recently the prestigious Patrick and Kathleen Kavanagh Memorial Award. Her first literary award in 1976, was judged and granted by John B. Keane at Listowel. She edited many journals and anthologies in Irish and English. Her work has been widely anthologised. She has been Writer-in-Residence for Counties Cavan, Laois and Kilkenny. She has given creative writing workshops for 30 years to various groups of writers throughout Ireland, and abroad, to students, and to prisoners.
An Trá Mhór
Do Dhaithí de Paor, na hOidí uile is na Scoláirí Iontacha
i nGaelscoil Philib Bharúin, An Trá Mhór, Co Phort Láirge
Tagann na capaill bhána ag marcaíocht chugainn,
Sodar, sodar chugainn, fúinn
Briseann a gcuid sobal i measc na duirlinge,
Tonn, tonn is casadh taoile.
Tarlaíonn sé sin gach lá thíos fúinn.
Is gach oíche spréann an tsáile í féin
ar na gcarraigeacha sleamhna, slíochtmhara
thíos is aníos
ar ais, arís, ar ais, mór is níos mó fós
go dtí go bhfuil an trá mhór
imithe is ídithe ar fad fúinn.
Thuas i bPilib Barúin téann muid ar thuras
fionnachtana, gach lá, gach rang.
Tagann an bhrionglóid chugainn ina beatha
ar úrlár séimh sleamhain na scoile...
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