UCD donates limited edition book 'Grief's Broken Brow'

Monday, 4 March 2024

NLI and UCD staff around book — L-R: Eoin McCarney, Dr Audrey Whitty, Gerry Long (NLI), with Catherine Wilsdon and Evelyn Flanagan from UCD

As part of UCD Library’s flagship project Decade of Centenaries initiative Poetry as Commemoration, Catherine Wilsdon and Evelyn Flanagan from UCD presented the National Library of Ireland with a copy of Grief's Broken Brow today (4th March).

The fine press book is a limited edition of 100 commissioned by UCD Library in partnership with Poetry Ireland and Arts Council of Northern Ireland.

Grief's Broken Brow features original commissions by Seán Hewitt, Nithy Kasa, Paul Muldoon, Aifric Mac Aodha, Martina Evans, Chiamaka Enyi-Amadi, Stephen Sexton, Victoria Kennefick, Bebe Ashley, and Padraig Regan.
One of the poems in the volume, 'Hogan, Grianghrafadóir' by Aifric MacAodha, was inspired by photos in the NLI's Hogan Collection.
Seán Hewitt was NLI’s IQA Poet-in-Residence 2021.
The volume is hand printed by Jamie Murphy at The Salvage Press.

Poetry as Commemoration

Poetry as Commemoration encourages people on the island of Ireland to build a greater understanding of our shared past through creative engagement with archival materials relating to the War of Independence and Civil War.

Videos of all the poets reading their contribution are available HERE.
A video on the making of the book, by Ror Conaty, can be viewed HERE.