Ireland Reads: Manchán Magan

Описание: Book thoughts by Manchán Magan

"Having spent much of the last 6 years writing a book on the insights that the Irish language gives into our landscape, culture and psyche, I thought I could take a break now. But, I didn’t realise that immediately after I would become captivated by how landscape can also nourish us and feed our bodies and our souls. I’ve set myself the challenge of writing a book on the landscape of Ireland and exploring how it too can reveal so much about who we are, where we are and what we do. But most importantly, it can reveal how we are connected to every microorganism of the natural world, and to the spirit world beyond. This means that I am knee deep in a rake of great books at present on the geology, geography and botany of Ireland right now. I’ve also just finished reading Kerri Ní Dochtaraigh’s wonderful new book Thin Places, which combines the most sumptuous nature writing with really poignant memories of growing up in Derry during the Troubles. She now lives near enough to Rathowen and I can’t wait to see how she begins to write about the landscape of North Westmeath and Longford in coming years. I’m also re-reading Tim Robinson’s books on Connemara and his beautiful evocation of the west Galway blanket bogs remind me of some of the wilder patches of the Longford raised bogs around my uncle’s farm in Killashee, where my father grew up. Michael Dames’ great book Mythic Ireland has been providing lots of inspiration for me about novel ways of interpreting the land we see around us, and in terms of poetry I’ve really enjoyed Eithne Hand’s lyrical and idioysncratic insights into the richness of life and memories of growing up in her new poetry collection from Salmon called Fox Trousers.
Reading has always been a rich pleasure for me, but especially during Lockdown I find it is a wonderful release and a gift to allow me escape the confinement that so many of us are bound up in at present. I appreciate how so many artistic events are now being streamed online, but after a day’s writing on the computer I have an urge to escape the screen, and I find a book is a perfect comfort for my head, my heart and my soul.”

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