Author and actor Joe Steve Ó Neachtain will launch Áine Durkin’s first collection of poetry, Mise Áine: An Bhean Istigh, live on RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta during the ‘Iris Aniar’ programme on the morning of Friday, 1 December at 9.15 a.m.
Áine Durkin is originally from Connemara but has lived in Buncrana, since 1980. She is a poet, songwriter and blogger.
The award-winning blogger has been writing poetry for years, but this is her first published collection and it was awarded the first prize for a work by a new published author in the prestigious Oireachtas na Gaeilge literary awards, 2017.
Speaking about her inspiration for the poems in this collection, Áine Durkin said, “I have been jotting down my thoughts and observations for many years, and I am delighted that they have now been gathered together, in one collection. Within the pages of this book, you will find my perceptions and reflections, in poetry and song. I hope the readers enjoy reading them, as much as I enjoyed writing them.”
This collection of poetry is part memoir and part observation over a number of years. Some poems deal with personal events in the poet’s life and others look outwards to the world and events around her.
Although this is Áine’s first published collection, she has been an active writer over the years and has won many awards for her work. Her blog Mise Áine was awarded a prize in the Oireachtas na Gaeilge Literary Competition in 2010. Her song ‘Le Do Thaobh’ (By Your Side) won the National Song Competition in the Pan-Celtic Festival in 2013 and her song ‘Féile na Nollag’ (The Christmas Season) won the Ros na Rún / RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta competition in 2013. Her poems have been published in An Gael, Windows Publications, Foinse, North West Words and broadcast on RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta.
Her poem ‘Ciara na Gruaige Rua’ was included on the award-winning documentary Ciara na Gruaige Rua on RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta which won a silver medal at the New York Festival’s International Radio Broadcasting Awards in 2008. She has also had articles published in various publications.
Mise Áine: An Bhean Istigh (Paperback, €8) is published by Cló Iar-Chonnacht publishers and is available online at www.cic.ie, from Amazon.ie and in book shops where books in Irish are sold.
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