Cérbh é Séan Ó Ríordáin?

TG4 screened a lovely documentary tonight (with english subtitles) on the life of Séan Ó Ríordáin. (Now freely available through their brilliant web service at www.tg4.tv ) The programme was narrated by poet Louis de Paor.

There was an interesting theme throughout to do with belonging and exclusion. "If you're out, they can't put you out", noted O' Ríordáin. The poet had suffered TB in an era when the illness was synonymous with stigma, and banishment to isolated draughty sanatoria. On account of the illness he also denied himself the possibility of marriage. He finds a sense of belonging in his idealisation of the gaelic culture of corca dhuibhne. Yet his poetry shows him suffering a clearly modern angst in its midst.

In the closing section of the program, de Paor reads a passage from Ó Ríordáin's diary to the nephews and nieces he had doted on, when he would visit his brother in Mayfield, Cork. Poignant and beautiful. Lovely television.

More about the poet here - last year saw the 20th anniversary of his death. Pity it's so hard to get a copy of his poems! Now where is my leaving cert irish poetry book??

Labels: poetry

posted by Daniel @ Wednesday, January 23, 2008