Comments

• For the reader it is a joy to try to discover what is real and what is born from the imaginative mind of the poet…a compelling and exhilarating tale of a life lived home and away from home… Joachim Matschoss, poet, novelist and dramatist, Melbourne and Hamburg.

• Here is a poet at home with duality, whether it concerns God and the Goddess, the surreal and the familiar travel and home or – the most fruitful of all – Germany and Ireland. The outcome is a serious yet playful Irish voice deepened by the European experience….Philip Casey, poet and novelist.

• Mit seinen Gedichten schlaegt Terry McDonagh eine sprachliche Bruecke zwischen Irland und Hamburg.

• These poems are like sweet revenge on all those who love rules for their own sake…Geoffrey Gates, Australian author of A Ticket for Perpetual Locomotion

• Located somewhere between Hamburg and Kiltimagh, Terry McDonagh has the outsider’s perspective and clarity of vision on both cultures – often lacking in those grounded in either…Ger Reidy, Irish Poet.

• A hilarious one about head lice. Yes, head lice! Terry McDonagh shows that even these can be a topic for a poem…Gordon Snell, Irish Times.

• A Song for Joanna is so successfully lodged in the particularity of Australia – its vibrancy, variety expanse of sky and land, its mixed cultures and Aboriginal origins – that, returning from a trip to Ireland and filled with longing for it, I fell back in love with my own country. And through it all, the blue-green talisman of love…Dr. Robyn Rowland, Australian poet

Terry McDonagh’s Booklaunch in Madrid

Terry McDonagh’s latest poetry collection, The Truth in Mustard, was launched in Booksellers bookshop, Madrid, on World Book Day, April 23^rd by Irish poet, John Liddy and The Irish Ambassador to Spain, Justin Harman. Their memorable speeches opened a door and new possibilities for the book. Manager, Antonio and his staff did everything they could to ensure the success of the evening
It was a grand affair culminating in a delightful meal generously sponsored by Matthew in an upper chamber of his James Joyce Pub. Many thanks
The launch was supported by The British Council Young Learners where Terry McDonagh conducted writing workshops throughout the day of the 23^rd as part of World Book Day. John Liddy, Sonia Contreras and other members of staff at The British Council, organised these and other workshops as part of their contribution to ‘book’ events in Madrid.
Jim Trainor at Vaughan Radio did a half-hour interview with Terry McDonagh, which was transmitted live throughout Spain on the morning of the 23^rd.

Indonesia with publisher, Indonesiatera

I spent two unforgettable weeks in Indonesia in October 2004. It all started about three years ago when Indonesian poet and publisher, Dorothea, Rosa Herliany, of Indonesiatera publishing house, came to read and discuss her work at the University of Hamburg. She had been invited by Professor Damien N. Toda – professor of Indonesian studies in Hamburg.
Professor N. Toda felt my poetry would work well in Indonesian and so the project began to take shape. Poems were chosen from some new work and from two of my books, A World Without Stone and A song for Joanna. On Monday October 18^th I was able to be present at the launch of my book, At Home In The Marshes, in Yogyakarta – thanks to financial aid from the Department of Arts Sport and Tourism in Dublin. The translation was grant-aided by Ireland Literature Exchange, Dublin. So all in all we could be more than grateful to Dublin for having made this project possible.
This week was very successful for a number of reasons: we had a very big attentive audience of about 200 people; some of the poems had been put to music and two bands, Melancholic Bitch and Next of Kin, played these pieces live for us; all the major newspapers covered the event; radio did live interviews with me in the English language and I was able to talk to university students and staff at Sanata Dharma university.