Cathal Ó Searcaigh
Cathal Ó Searcaigh was born near Gortahork in County Donegal, where he still lives. He has, over the past decade, emerged as one of Ireland's most distinguished modern day poets. As one critic notes: ‘His confident internationalism has already begun to channel new modes, new possibilities, into the writing of Irish language poetry in our time.’

Ó Searcaigh is fast becoming a poet of international renown, particularly since the publication of his bilingual collections Homecoming/An Bealach 'na Bhaile and Out in the Open. Selections of his work have already been published in translation in approximately fifteen languages, including French, Japanese and Slovenian. Ag Tnúth leis an tSolas was awarded the Irish Times Literature Prize for Irish Language Books in 2001.

He has held various posts as writer in residence in universities throughout Ireland, north and south, since 1993. In the Spring of 1995, he was elected a member of Aosdána and he was conferred with an honorary degree from NUI Galway in 2000.

His collection Na Buachaillí Bána received more media coverage than any other volume of verse published in the Irish language in recent years. ‘The best poems in the collection,’  according to The Irish Times, ‘are exceptional and single Cathal Ó Searcaigh out, not so much as a maker of poems, but as one of our finest working poets. This is not meant as faint praise but as a statement of fact.’ 

Ó Searcaigh is a regular visitor to Nepal and his travel book, Seal i Neipeal, will be published shortly by Cló Iar-Chonnachta.


Rugadh Cathal Ó Searcaigh in aice le Gort an Choirce i dTír Chonaill, áit a bhfuil sé fós ina chónaí. Le deich mbliana anuas, tá sé tar éis cáil a bhaint amach mar dhuine de na filí comhaimseartha is cumasaí. Mar a dúirt criticeoir amháin: ‘His confident internationalism has already begun to channel new modes, new possibilities, into the writing of Irish language poetry in our time.’

Tá Ó Searcaigh ag baint clú amach go hidirnáisiúnta mar fhile, go háirithe ó foilsíodh a chuid bailiúchán dátheangach Homecoming/An Bealach 'na Bhaile agus Out in the Open. Tá cuid dá shaothar aistrithe anois go cúig theanga dhéag ar a laghad, ina measc an Fhraincis, an tSeapáinis agus an tSlóvéinis. Bronnadh an Irish Times Literature Prize for Irish Language Books ar Ag Tnúth leis an tSolas sa bhliain 2001.

Tá sé tar éis sealanna a chaitheamh ag obair mar scríbhneoir cónaithe in ollscoileanna éagsúla in Éirinn, thuaidh agus theas, ó bhí 1993 ann. In Earrach na bliana 1995, ceapadh é ina bhall d’Aosdána agus bhronn Ollscoil na hÉireann, Gaillimh céim oinigh air sa bhliain 2000.

Léirigh na meáin chumarsáide níos mó spéise ina chnuasach Na Buachaillí Bána ná mar a léiríodh in aon leabhar filíochta eile sa Ghaeilge le blianta beaga anuas. Bhí an méid seo le rá ag an Irish Times ina thaobh: ‘The best poems in the collection are exceptional and single Cathal Ó Searcaigh out, not so much as a maker of poems, but as one of our finest working poets. This is not meant as faint praise but as a statement of fact.’ 

Tugann Ó Searcaigh cuairt ar Neipeal go rialta agus foilseoidh Cló Iar-Chonnachta a leabhar taistil, Seal i Neipeal, go luath.