S6E13: Julie Breathnach-Banwait - Irish Poetry From Tasmania

In this episode of Irish Stew, hosts John Lee and Martin Nutty welcome Julie Breathnach-Banwait, a poet and child psychologist. Julie shares her unique journey from her Connemara home (Ceantar an nOileán) off the west coast of Ireland to the island of Tasmania off the south coast of Australia.

Julie discusses her deep connection to the Irish language, her published works, her latest poetry collection, Split Bones (Cnámha Scoilte), and her experiences living in Tasmania. She reads a poignant bilingual poem exploring themes of emergence and transformation. The episode delves into Julie's nuanced prose poetry, her creative process, and how writing in Irish helps her reconnect with her roots while living far from her birthplace.

Julie Links

• Facebook
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• TwitterX

Split Bones (Cnámha Scoilte )

• Publisher: Bobtail Books
• Amazon USA
• Amazon UK

Chapters

• 0:00 Introduction
• 3:36 View From a Tasmanian Window
• 7:37 Connemara: Ceantar na nOileán Origins
• 11:03 The Otherness of Being an Irish Speaker
• 16:01 Leaving Ireland
• 20:37 From Perth to Tasmania
• 23:27 Tasmanian Impressions
• 25:56 Cnámha Scoilte / Split Bones
• 28:10 Towards Irish Language Poetry
• 33:05 Language of Thought
• 35:24 Writing Commitment and Focus
• 38:18 Reading: Beochan - Awakening
• 41:56 Choosing Prose Poetry
• 44:58 Which Language Leads?
• 46:20 Translation Challenges
• 49:58 Irish in an Unusual Landscape
• 53:48 Deaf Town and Galway
• 55:50 Seamus Plug
• 58:08 John and Martin Recap
• 58:58 Credits