Suil Saoir (Irish, Paperback)

"Suil Saoir" ("The Trained Eye") is the first collection of poetry by Diarmuid Johnson, linguist, writer and journalist. This collection was highly commended by the judges in the Clo Iar-Chonnachta literary competition 2004. "Suil Saoir" combines several characteristics that make it a unique and challenging collection. Written in a polished, lyrical idiom, it draws on both the medieval and modern Gaelic traditions, bridging a divide in a way seldom accomplished in the past. The poetry also questions the traditional association between nationalism and the Irish language, offering a fresh and universal perspective on questions of existence and destiny, and on the way an individual interacts with his environment. A sense of place often permeates much of the work, whether it be the west of Ireland, or the poet's native Wales.