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Cathal Ó Searcaigh (born 12 July 1956), is a modern Irish language poet. His work has been widely translated, anthologised and studied. "His confident internationalism", according to Theo Dorgan,[1] has channelled "new modes, new possibilities, into the writing of Irish language poetry in our time".

Cathal Ó Searcaigh
Ó Searcaigh in 2016
Born (1956-07-12) 12 July 1956 (age 66)
Gort an Choirce (Gortahork), County Donegal, Ireland
OccupationPoet

Since 1975, he has produced poetry, plays, and travelogues. His early poetry deals with place, tongue and tradition, with his late work showing a broader scope. His work includes homoerotic love poems. Jody Allen Randolph[2] remarks "his breaking down of stereotypes and new deployment of gendered themes opened a new space in which to consider alternate sexualities within a contemporary Irish context."

The critic John McDonagh argues that "Ó Searcaigh occupies many of the spaces that stand in opposition to the traditionally dominant markers of Irish identity". In his anthology[3] McDonagh goes on to say "Ó Searcaigh's homoerotic poems are explicit, relishing in a sensuality that for many years rarely found explicit expression in Irish literature."


Early life


Cathal Ó Searcaigh was born and reared on a small hill-farm at the foot of An tEaragal (Mount Errigal) in the Donegal Gaeltacht. He was educated locally at Caiseal na gCorr National School and then at Gairmscoil Ghort a' Choirce. He describes his childhood in a remote Irish-speaking community in his memoir Light on Distant Hills.[4]

The first poems that engaged his attention were those of Rabbie Burns, read to him by his father. Tom Walsh, his English teacher at the Gairmscoil in Gortahork, encouraged him to write.[4]


Personal life


In the early 1970s, he worked as a barman in London. Later he attended the NIHE (National Institute for Higher Education) in Limerick where he did European Studies for two years (1973–75) and followed that with one year at Maynooth University (1977–78) where he did Celtic Studies.

From 1978 to 1981, he worked in Dublin with RTÉ television presenting Aisling Gheal, an arts and music programme directed by musician Tony MacMahon. From the early 1980s, he has earned his living as a full-time writer and poet.

In the spring of 1995, he was elected a member of Aosdána.[5]

His work has been translated into numerous languages – French,[6] German,[7][8][9][10] Italian,[11] Breton,[12] Catalan, Polish,[13] Danish,[14] Serbo-Croat, Romanian,[15] Slovene,[16][17][18] Russian, Swedish, Japanese, and Nepali.[19]


Travels & controversy



Nepal


He visited Nepal for the first time in 1996. His Seal i Neipeal[20] has been described as a vivid, insightful account of that country, its people and their culture. It is generally regarded as one of the major prose works written in Irish in the first decade of the 21st century.[21]


Fairytale of Kathmandu


In the mid 1990s, the poet began to visit Nepal and sponsor the education and needs of youngsters in Nepal.[22] However the Irish police force started to investigate Ó Searcaigh in 2006, though nothing ever came of this.[23]

In February 2007, a film documentary (Fairytale of Kathmandu, by Neasa Ní Chianáin) queried Ó Searcaigh's relationships with some of the teens he helped, focusing on power imbalance and financial accountability. At the time it caused a controversy.[24][25] In February 2009, Ó Searcaigh was interviewed in English by Dermod Moore for Hot Press.[26][27]


Other literary activities


Ó Searcaigh in 2016
Ó Searcaigh in 2016

Cathal Ó Searcaigh has donated his archives, an extensive library of books and a valuable art collection to the Irish State. The Donegal Library Service administers this donation at present. His house in Mín a' Leá at the foot of Mount Errigal[28] is often the venue for literary and musical evenings hosted by the poet himself.

He edits Irish Pages,[29] a literary journal, along with poet and literary critic Chris Agee.

"Creativity for me arises out of my deep attachment to this place, out of a reverential affection for its people", he says in his memoir Light on Distant Hills.[4] "My poems are devotional in the sense that they are prayerful celebrations of place, tongue and tradition. My work has become known because of its connectedness with this place. I have become a collector of its oral traditions, an archivist of its memories and its myths, a guardian of its Gaelic. This is, I suppose, a political act, acknowledging the local, recording and registering what is past or passing."

Colm Tóibín wrote in the Times Literary Supplement: "There is a section of landscape in Donegal in the north of Ireland near Falcarragh, overlooking Tory Island, which has been utterly transformed by the poetry of Cathal Ó Searcaigh."


Awards and honours



Selected publications



Poetry



Bilingual poetry editions



Prose works in Irish



Plays



Writing in English



History



As editor



Collaborations: Music


Cathal has also collaborated with Altan, Brian Kennedy, Diana Cannon and many other well-known musicians.


Collaborations: Art



Books about his poetry



Critical essays and long reviews of Ó Searcaigh's work – a selection



Anthologies in which he is represented


Ó Searcaigh's work has been much anthologised. He is one of the few Irish language poets to be included in all the major anthologies of modern poetry from Ireland. The following is only a sample selection.


Foreign language anthologies



Selected foreign editions



Interviews with the poet



References


  1. Dorgan, Theo (1996). Irish Poetry Since Kavanagh. Four Courts Press. ISBN 9781851822393.
  2. Randolph, Jody Allen (2010). Close to the Next Moment: Interviews from a Changing Ireland. Carcanet Press. ISBN 9781847773166.
  3. McDonagh, John (2008). A Fine Statement: An Irish Poet's Anthology. Poolbeg Press. ISBN 9781842233689.
  4. O'Searcaigh, Cathal (2009). Light on Distant Hills: A Memoir. Simon & Schuster. ISBN 9781847370631.
  5. "Cathal Ó Searcaigh" Archived 2 October 2019 at the Wayback Machine. Aosdána.
  6. French translation of Pilleadh an Deoraí: Le Chemin Du Retour Translated by various, Editor: A J Hughes, Publisher: La Barbacane, 1996. ISBN 2-900058-34-1
  7. German translation in anthology: Schönes Babylon: Gedichte aus Europa, editor Gregor Laschen, Publisher DuMont Buchwerlog, Köln, 2009. ISBN 3-7701-4844-4
  8. German translation in anthology: Das Zweimaleins Des Steins: Poesie aus Ireland, editor Gregor Laschen, Publisher Edition die horen, Bremerhauen, 1998. ISBN 3-89701-198-0
  9. German translation in anthology: Irrlandt / Ireland / Irland, editor Jürgen Schneider, Publisher Druckhaus Galrev, 1993. ISBN 3-910161-30-8
  10. German translation in anthology: Podium: Feste Feiern: Doppelheft 157/158, editor Nils Jensen, 2010. ISBN 978-3-902054-82-1
  11. Italian translation in anthology: Bollira la Rugiada, Translated by Andrea Fabbri, Mario Giosa, Massimo Montevecchi, Publisher Mobydick, Faenza, 1996. ISBN 88-851-22-98-1
  12. Breton translation of An Bealach 'na Bhaile: Distreiñ D'Ar Gêr Translated by Gwendal Denez, Art Hughes, Herve ar Bihan. Alan Botrel, Publisher: Skrid, 1997. ISBN 2-86863-101-0
  13. Polish translation in anthology: Uzdálené Tóny Nadeje: The Distant Music of Hope, Antologie Irske Poezie, editors Ivana Bozdĕchová, Ondrey Pilny, Justin Quinn, Publisher: Host, Brno 2000. ISBN 80-86055-80-9
  14. Danish translation in anthology: Den Blå Port No 43, 1998, editors Peter Adolphsen, Mette Moestrup, Publisher: Rhodos. ISBN 87-7245-7406
  15. Romanian translation of An Bealach 'na Bhaile: Drumul Spre Casa Translated by Christian Tămas, Publisher: Editura Ars Longa. ISBN 973-9325-03-3
  16. Slovene translation in anthology: Amanairis i Antologija Sodobne u Irščini, editors Tina Mahkota & Gabriel Rosenstock, Publisher Društuo slovenskih pisateljev, Ljubljana, 2007. ISBN 978-961-6547-12-3
  17. Slovene translation in anthology: Čudovita Usta: sodobne Irske poezije, editor Mia Dintinjana, Publisher Društuo Apokalipsa, Ljubljana, 2007. ISBN 978-961-6644-15-0
  18. Slovene translation in anthology: Moral Bi Spet Priti, Sodobna europska gyevska poezÿa, editor Brane Mozetiċ, Publisher Zalożba Shue Lambda/81, Ljubljana, 2009. ISBN 978-961-6751-21-6
  19. Nepali translation of the poetry collection Kathmandu: Translated by Yuyutsu R D Sharma, Publisher: Nirala, Delhi, 2006. ISBN 81-8250-006-0
  20. O'Searcaigh, Cathal (2004). Seal i Neipeal. Cló Iar-Chonnacht. ISBN 1902420608.
  21. Titley, Alan (2010). Scríbhneoirí faoi Chaibidil. Cois Life. ISBN 978-1-901176-44-5.
  22. "Controversy over Cathal Ó Searcaigh". The Irish Times. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
  23. MAEVE SHEEHAN (10 February 2008). "Boys were 'damaged' by sex trysts with poet, 10/2/08". Irish Independent. Archived from the original on 17 February 2013.
  24. "Ó Searcaigh's Kathmandu controversy is about ethics and responsibility". The Irish Times. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
  25. "Cathal O Searcaigh's denial is typically Irish | Magill". magill.ie. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
  26. Moore, Dermod. "The Case for the Defence". Hot Press. Archived from the original on 14 February 2009. Retrieved 15 February 2009. (subscription only)
  27. "Cathal Ó Searcaigh makes his case". Hotpress. 12 February 2009. Archived from the original on 22 January 2021. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
  28. ""Journey to the Well: a Visit with Poet Cathal Ó Searcaigh", Radio Netherlands Archives, April 4, 2003". 4 April 2003. Archived from the original on 25 January 2021. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
  29. Irish Pages, Irish literary journal Archived 17 May 2021 at the Wayback Machine
  30. Archived 21 May 2021 at the Wayback Machine NUI Honorary degrees, page 9.
  31. Irish Times article, see paragraph 7
  32. See list on page Archived 23 May 2021 at the Wayback Machine
  33. reference to the prize in book description here Archived 21 May 2021 at the Wayback Machine "Ag an Oireachtas in 2015, bhain Cathal ó Cearcaigh an chéad duais amach sa chomórtas filochta leis an gcnuasach seo."
  34. Preface starting at page 15, Ag Tnúth leis an tSolas Archived 18 October 2016 at the Wayback Machine

На других языках

- [en] Cathal Ó Searcaigh

[ru] О’Шарки, Кахал

Кахал О’Шарки (ирл. Cathal Ó Searcaigh, р. 1956) — ирландский поэт, драматург и прозаик, пишет на ирландском языке (в частности, на ольстерском диалекте). Открытый гей[1].


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