Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill (Irish pronunciation:[ˈn̪ˠuəlˠən̠ʲiːˈɣoːnˠəl̠ʲ]; born 1952) is a modernIrish poet whose works have been described as having a "major influence in revitalizing theIrish language in modern poetry".[1]
Born inLancashire,England, of Irish parents, she moved to Ireland at the age of 5 and was brought up in theCorca DhuibhneGaeltacht and inNenagh,County Tipperary. Her uncle,MonsignorPádraig Ó Fiannachta ofDingle, was an authority onMunster Irish.[2] Her mother brought her up to speak English, though she was an Irish speaker herself. Her father and his side of the family spoke very fluent Irish and used it every day, but her mother thought it would make life easier for Nuala if she spoke only English instead.[3]
She studied English and Irish at UCC in 1969 and became part of the 'Innti' group of poets. In 1973, she marriedTurkishgeologist Doğan Leflef and lived abroad inTurkey andHolland for seven years.
One year after her return toCounty Kerry in 1980, she published her first collection of poetry in Irish,An Dealg Droighin (1981);[4] She later became a member ofAosdána. Ní Dhomhnaill has published extensively and her works include poetry collections, children's plays, screenplays, anthologies, articles, reviews and essays. Her other works includeFéar Suaithinseach (1984);Feis (1991), andCead Aighnis (1998). Ni Dhomhnaill's poems appear in English translation in the dual-language editionsRogha Dánta/Selected Poems (1986, 1988, 1990);The Astrakhan Cloak (1992),Pharaoh's Daughter (1990),The Water Horse (2007), andThe Fifty Minute Mermaid (2007). Her poemDubh (ar thitim Shrebenice, 11ú Iúil, 1995), known in English asBlack (on the fall of Srebrenica, 11 July 1995) and reflecting her reaction to the 1995Srebrenica massacre, was translated to English byPaul Muldoon are included inAn Leabhar Mòr (2008).[5]Selected Essays appeared in 2005. Her poem, 'Mo Ghrá-Sa (Idir Lúibini)', is part of the Leaving Certificate curriculum for Irish.[citation needed]
She played a minor role as the Irish oral examiner in the 1997 film,How to Cheat in the Leaving Certificate.[citation needed]
She writes poetry exclusively in Irish and is quoted as saying that the "Irish is a language of beauty, historical significance, ancient roots and an immense propensity for poetic expression through its everyday use". Ní Dhomhnaill also speaks English, Turkish, French, German and Dutch fluently.[citation needed]
Ní Dhomhnaill's writings focus on the richoral tradition and heritage of Ireland and particularly draw upon ancient stories fromIrish folklore andIrish mythology, in combination with contemporary themes offeminism, sexuality, and culture. Hermythopoeia poetry expresses an alternative reality and she often speaks about her reasons for both retelling and reimagining myths that are an integral part ofIrish literature andIrish culture. Ní Dhomhnaill has stated that "Myth is a basic, fundamental structuring of our reality, a narrative that we place on the chaos of sensation to make sense of our lives".[citation needed]
Ní Dhomhnaill's husband died in 2013. She lives nearDublin and is a regular broadcaster on Irish radio and television.[citation needed]
Ní Dhomhnaill has received many scholarships, prizes, andbursaries. She has also won numerous international awards for works which have been translated into French, German, Polish, Italian, Norwegian, Estonian, Japanese and English.[6] She is one of Ireland's most well-known Irish language writers. She was Ireland Professor of Poetry from 2001 to 2004,[7] and the first Professor of Irish (language) Poetry. Her papers are collected at Boston College's Burns Library. In March 2018, she received theZbigniew Herbert International Literary Award for her achievements in poetry.[8]
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