Deirdre Brennan Explained

Deirdre Brennan
Birth Date:1934
Birth Place:Dublin
Alma Mater:University College Dublin
Occupation:Poet, author, playwright, translator

Deirdre Brennan (born 1934) is a bilingual Irish poet, playwright and short story writer who writes both in the Irish language and in English.[1] [2]

Biography

Brennan was born in Dublin and was raised in County Tipperary where she attended schools in Clonmel and Thurles.[3] She studied English and Latin at University College Dublin, then undertaking a Higher Diploma in Education. She moved to Carlow in 1965.[4]

Brennan taught at St Patrick's College, Carlow.[5] She began writing in Irish after co-founding the Éigse Carlow Arts Festival[6] in 1979.[7] [8] [9] She has published sixteen books to date, including twelve collections of poetry. She was awarded an Oireachtas Prize for Irish: Ag Mealladh Réalta, and won the Farmgate Café National Poetry Award in 2023 with Medea's Cauldron.[10] [11] [12]

She collaborated with writers Máighréad Medbh and Nuala Ní Chonchúir on Divas! (2003), a volume of poetry, which was launched during Éigse by Olivia O'Leary.[13] Her poem At Home was included in The Works anthology of women's poetry, Women's Work VII.[14] Her poetry is included in The Great Book of Ireland,[15] The Field Day Anthology of Irish Writing, Volume 5,[16] Eating her Wedding Dress (Ragged Sky Press, 2009),[17] Catullus Gaelach, edited by Pádraig Ó Laighin (Coiscéim, 2010),[18] and is widely anthologised. Brennan's work is featured on the Irish post primary curricula and in the courses and textbooks of Royal Irish Academy of Music.[19]

Her two collections of short fiction were published as Irish: An Banana Bean Sí agus Scéalta Eile (Coiscéim, 2009) and Staying Thin for Daddy (Arlen House, 2014). Her short stories have appeared in The Irish Times, Passages, Anois, Comhar, Feasta, Irish: [[Lá]] and Foinse and have featured on Cork Campus Radio, RTÉ Radio 1, as well as a six-part drama series, Go to Blazes. Her work is represented in Irish: Nua Scéalta, selected by Séan Ó Mainnín (Cló Iar-Chonnacht, 2005), Twisted Truths, selected by Brian Ó Conchubhair (Cló Iar-Chonnacht, 2011), Irish: Thar Toinn, selected by Micheál Ó hAodha (Coiscéim, 2015).[20]

Brennan served as chair and secretary of the Éigse festival during its early years. She was also a founder member of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann in Carlow, serving as chair and secretary.

Published works

Poetry collections

Prose Collections

Plays

Awards and distinctions

See also

Further reading

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Deirdre Brennan . 2023-05-02 . Portraits of Irish-Language Writers . en.
  2. Web site: Deirdre Brennan . 2023-05-02 . Aontas na Scríbhneoirí Gaeilge . en.
  3. Book: Weekes, Ann Owens . Unveiling Treasures: The Attic Guide to the Published Works of Irish Women Literary Writers : Drama, Fiction, Poetry . 1993 . Attic Press . 978-1-85594-072-7 . 53 .
  4. Web site: Farmgate Café National Poetry Award Shortlist – Munster Literature Centre . 2023-05-02 .
  5. Web site: Deirdre Brennan . 2023-05-02 . www.ricorso.net.
  6. News: 25 November 2019 . Poetry Programme: Deirdre Brennan and Tom French live . 2 May 2023.
  7. Web site: About us Carlow Arts Festival . 2023-05-02 . Carlow Arts Festival . en-IE.
  8. Web site: Clark . Josh . LibGuides: Irish Arts Festivals Archive: Carlow Arts Festival . 2023-05-02 . libguides.ucd.ie .
  9. News: 9 June 1999 . Twenty years a-growing, Eigse festival realises founders' dream . 2023-05-04 . The Irish Times . en.
  10. News: Traynor . Jessica . 1 April 2023 . New poetry: Jamais Vu; More Sky; Oh!; and Medea's Cauldron . 2023-05-02 . The Irish Times .
  11. Web site: Cotter . Patrick . 2023-04-18 . Shortlist announced for Farmgate Café National Poetry Award . 2023-05-02 . Irish Examiner .
  12. Web site: Hoare . Pádraig . 2023-04-16 . Bilingual writer, 89, wins Farmgate Café National Poetry Award . 2024-11-17 . Irish Examiner .
  13. News: 13 June 2003 . Carlow poet launches new book at festival . 135 . The Nationalist.
  14. News: 5 April 1996 . At Home . 16 . The Nationalist.
  15. News: 6 December 1991 . Deirdre in the Great Book . 2 . The Nationalist.
  16. The Field Day Anthology of Irish Writing, Volume 5. New York: NYU Press. pp.1308-1309. ISBN 0814799078.
  17. Web site: Ragged Sky Press Eating Her Wedding Dress . 2023-05-02 . raggedsky.com.
  18. Web site: Catullus Gaelach Eag: Pádraig B. Ó Laighin Gaius Valerius Catullus . 2023-05-02 . www.coisceim.ie.
  19. Web site: 24 October 2007 . Poet to launch two new books . 2023-05-02 . Independent.ie .
  20. Web site: Hidden Places / Scathan Eile – Arlen House . 2023-05-04 . en-US.
  21. Web site: I Reilig na mBan Rialta . Litríocht . 2023-05-02 .
  22. Web site: Scothanna Geala . Litríocht . 2023-05-02 .
  23. News: 19 May 1989 . Media eyes on Éigse '89 . 32 . The Nationalist.
  24. Web site: Thar cholbha na mara . Litríocht . 2023-05-02 .
  25. Web site: Ag mealladh réalta . Litríocht . 2023-05-02 .
  26. Web site: As Trunc Fernando Pessoa . Litríocht . 2023-05-02 .
  27. Web site: 2019-04-16 . Friends and fans gather for launch of Deirdre's latest book of poems . 2023-05-02 . Carlow Nationalist .
  28. Web site: An Oíche ar Bheophianadh . Litríocht . 2023-05-02 .
  29. Web site: An Banana Bean Sí agus scéalta eile Litríocht . 2023-05-02 . en-US.
  30. News: 21 July 1989 . Carlow poet chosen . 11 . The Nationalist.
  31. News: 29 November 2002 . Deirdre's poem translates into an award winner . 2 . The Nationalist.
  32. Web site: Hoare . Pádraig . 2023-04-16 . Bilingual writer, 89, wins Farmgate Café National Poetry Award . 2024-11-17 . Irish Examiner .

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