"Ger Reidy’s writing stands very close to that veil that separates us from self knowledge and from other times and dimensions. He uses language to listen; to listen to the falling leaf, the feeble sun, the widow pausing, the stillborn lamb, the old man staring, the rusty gate. His listening language is not of the sentimental or ornamental kind; no—it is accurate in its meaty precision, in its hard stare at the terrible face of nature—the windy gaps, the endless drudgery, the battle for survival on a small farm—while at the same time heartbreaking in its ardent longing to fall into nature. In his work, Reidy often places himself on the cusp or at the margin of things, in the borderlands, looking out and looking in simultaneously; this ability to see both ways is the gift of the poet. Ger Reidy has it in spades."—Alice Maher
"Ger Reidy’s poetry is inspired by the untamed landscape of Mayo, his lyrics are peppered with hard-hitting musings on the perennial problems that have bedevilled life on the fringe."—The Irish Times
Description
Ger Reidy’s poetry resounds in its meaty precision, in its hard stare at the terrible face of nature—the windy gaps, the endless drudgery, the battle for survival on a small farm—while at the same time heartbreaking in its ardent longing to fall into nature. His poetry is inspired by the untamed landscape of Mayo, and his lyrics are peppered with hard-hitting musings on the perennial problems that have bedeviled life on the fringe.
About the Author
Ger Reidy was born and lives near Westport, County Mayo. He trained as a civil engineer. He has won several national poetry competitions including the Maria Edgeworth, the Allingham and the Boyle Arts Festival poetry competition on two occasions. He is the author of serveral books including Pictures from a Reservation, Drifting Under the Moon, and Before Rain. In 2016 Arlen House published his collection of short stories, Jobs for a Wet Day, which was nominated for the Edge Hill Prize.
January 2025