Cathal o searcaigh biography of martin

A literary and spiritual journey around Errigal is how best to describe the latest book from one of Ireland’s most acclaimed Irish language poets, Cathal Ó Searcaigh.

'Errigal, a Sacred Mountain' was launched under the auspices of the Errigal Arts Festival at a sell-out concert in the recently refurbished and newly opened Ionad Cois Locha in Dún Lúiche.

An array of distinguished performers made the night a memorable event of music, song and spoken word. Stephen Rea celebrated actor and film star; Neil Martin cellist and one of Ireland's most renowned composers; Diane Ní Chanainn, Brian Dannie Minnie Ó Domhnaill, Máire Ní Choilm, a trio of leading sean nós singers; Brian Lacey, noted historian and archaeologist and Patrick Breslin, eminent Irish American writer and contributor to the Washington Post all added their own unique voices to this unforgettable event.

For a long time, the lofty grandeur of Errigal has charmed painters, photographers and filmmakers. This great iconic peak of the north-west has also been the focal point of much of Cathal Ó Searcaigh’s acclaimed poetry in the Irish language. In this book, he summons up the spirit of this revered mountain. The book is both a literary and a spiritual journey around the mountain. It is a sure-footed mix of memoir, acute observation, wry humour and wisdom. This rare and lovely publication is guaranteed to be a rewarding read and an uplift to the spirit.

“It is also a marvellous addition to the genre of mountain writing, both Irish and international and an instant classic on living and life” according to Chris Agee, poet and literary critic.

Neil Martin performed his newly commissioned suite of music for cello aptly named Sliabh an tSolais. This is a beautiful evocation of Errigal and was warmly applauded by a very appreciative audience. Cathal as fear a’ tí thanked the various agencies who sponsored and made the book and the launching concert

Neasa Ni Chianain, the filmmaker who made the sensational documentary about controversial Gortahork poet Cathal O Searcaigh’s secret life in Nepal, has said she would have no hesitation in making the same documentary all over again.

Ni Chianain’s film, ‘Fairytale of Kathmandu’, caused outrage across Ireland after it exposed how Irish language poet Cathal O’Searcaigh was having sex with boys in Nepal.

But today Neasa tells Donegaldaily about the fall-out from the documentary but how she could never have turned a blind eye to what she discovered.

Having just won a long battle to get an apology from RTE Radio na Gaeltachta for unfounded comments and allegations made on one of their programmes, Neasa is ready to draw a line under the whole affair and is already focusing on new and equally challenging projects.

Today although she is still remembered as the filmmaker who made ‘that film about Cathal O Searcaigh’, she says she will not allow it to define her.

“The Fairytale experience has focused me, and my partner, David, on making films that can make a difference.”

She has plans to make documentaries dealing with abuse and looking beyond the abuser and at the ripple effect of abuse and how it affects victims and their families.

Neasa and David, her producer on Fairytale, are also working on a fictional adaptation of Garda Detective Martin Ridge’s book, Breaking The Silence, the true story of nearly 30 years of sexual abuse of young boys by two convicted paedophiles that happened in North-West Donegal.

There is also the not so very small matter of Guth Gafa, the couple’s International Documentary Film Festival which is set to run for its sixth successive year in the West Donegal village of Gortahork.

The festival, which will attract more than 2,000 people into the tiny village for its duration from June 10th to 14th, will see

Irish poet (born 1956)

Cathal Ó Searcaigh (born 12 July 1956), is a modern Irish language poet. His work has been widely translated, anthologised and studied. "His confident internationalism", according to Theo Dorgan, has channelled "new modes, new possibilities, into the writing of Irish language poetry in our time".

Since 1975, he has produced poetry, plays, and travelogues. His early poetry deals with place, tongue and tradition, with his late work showing a broader scope. His work includes homoerotic love poems. Jody Allen Randolph remarks "his breaking down of stereotypes and new deployment of gendered themes opened a new space in which to consider alternate sexualities within a contemporary Irish context."

The critic John McDonagh argues that "Ó Searcaigh occupies many of the spaces that stand in opposition to the traditionally dominant markers of Irish identity". In his anthology, McDonagh goes on to say "Ó Searcaigh's homoerotic poems are explicit, relishing in a sensuality that for many years rarely found explicit expression in Irish literature."

Early life

Cathal Ó Searcaigh was born and reared on a small hill-farm at the foot of Mount Errigal (An tEaragal) in the DonegalGaeltacht. He was educated locally at Caiseal na gCorr National School and then at Gortahork Vocational College (Gairmscoil Ghort a' Choirce). He describes his childhood in a remote Irish-speaking community in his memoir Light on Distant Hills.

The first poems that engaged his attention were those of Robert Burns, read to him by his father. His English teacher at the Gairmscoil in Gortahork encouraged the young Ó Searcaigh to write; he is mentioned under the pseudonym 'Mr Lally' (in Light on Distant Hills Part 3, pp 147-164).

Aithnítear Cathal Ó Searcaigh mar dhuine de mhórfhilí na Gaeilge. "Tá Cathal Ó Searcaigh ar an bhfile is binne agus is milse béal in Éirinn", adeir Alan Titley. "Ina dhiaidh sin is féidir leis a bheith bog, garbh, scéaltach, Rómánsúil ar a sheal". Laoithe cumainn d'eacstais an tsaoil is ea an chuid is fearr dá shaothar agus tugann sé cuireadh isteach dúinn do charnabhal na beatha. "Ní le Dún na nGall amháin a bhaineann Ó Searcaigh ach leis an gCruinne", adúirt Gabriel Rosenstock. "Baineann sé le gach éinne againn, mar sin, agus leis an gCruinne go léir is í istigh ionainn [...] Is í cantaireacht na Cruinne í, an ceol is binne agus is ársa amuigh."

Bhí filíocht Uí Shearcaigh ar siollabas na hArdteistiméireachta ar feadh cúpla bliain nó gur leasaíodh an cúrsa. Is mar chuid den ‘Phrós Ainmnithe’ atá leabhar Uí Shearcaigh, "Seal i Neipeal", ar an gcúrsa Ardteiste a tugadh isteach in 2012, agus go 2024 ar a laghad.

Tógáil

Rugadh Cathal Ó Searcaigh i Mín A' Leá faoi scáth an Eargail i gcomharsanacht Ghort an Choirce i dTír Chonaill. B'as Mín Doire na Slua i bparóiste na Rosann dá mháthair, Agnes Roarty. Fear de bhunadh Mhín A' Leá a bhí i Micí, athair an fhile. Ar nós go leor d'fheara Chloch Cheann Fhaola ag an am shaothraigh Micí a bheatha mar oibrí séasúrach ar fheirmeacha i Mid Lothians na hAlban, sna ceantaireacha sin thart ar Haddington, Dunbar agus East Linton. Thit cúram na feirme a bhí acu i Mín A' Leá ar Agnes nuair a bhí a fear céile as baile. Cathal an t-aon duine clainne a bhí acu.

Scolaíocht

Fuair sé a chuid bunscolaíochta i gCaiseal na gCorr agus a chuid meánscolaíochta i nGairm Scoil Ghort A' Choirce. "Purgadóireacht anama agus aigne" a thug sé ar a thréimhse sa scoil náisiúnta. "Buillí, bualadh agus brúidiúlacht; sin an chuimhne is buaine atá ag