Geldof

Publication Instance Details #524

Publication Overview

Translation	Is Multilingual	Explicit Irish Context?	Ekphrasis	Has Paratext?	Reference to News, Media or Technology
No	No	No	No	No	Yes

Details

Human Rights Issues	HR Activism/Humanitarian Work Poverty/Deprivation/Lack of Sustenance
Languages	Irish
Genre	Short Lyric
Medium	Print Collection
Notes	This poem condemns the greed and wealth of the Western world, in comparison to the suffering, deprivation, and malnourishment of people in Africa, particularly the children. The speaker also mentions Bob Geldof, likely in context of his Live Aid work, and his efforts to bring world poverty to the attention of the Western World. The speaker of the poem appears skeptical that Geldof's interventions will inspire any real change, however - hunger and sickness return to Africa, the Western World continues to turn away. There are two mythological references in the poem: one to the 'ga bolga', a mystical spear owned by Cúchulainn; one to Mammon, the deathly angel of wealth and greed in the Bible.