Poem
Na Murúcha ag Ní a gCeann
| Title | Na Murúcha ag Ní a gCeann |
|---|---|
| Author | Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill |
Instances of Publication
A published appearance of this poem.
| Collection/Anthology | Year of Publication | Medium | View Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cead Aighnis | 1998 | Print Collection | View Details |
| Feis agus Cead Aighnis | 2015 | Print Collection | View Details |
| The Fifty Minute Mermaid | 2007 | Print Collection | View Details |
Publication Instance Details #722
Collection/Anthology Details
| Collection/Anthology | Cead Aighnis |
|---|---|
| Date of Publication | 1998 |
| Publisher | An Sagart (Ireland) |
| Page Number(s) | 114 |
Publication Overview
| Translation | Is Multilingual | Explicit Irish Context? | Ekphrasis | Has Paratext? | Reference to News, Media or Technology |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
No |
No |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
Details
| Human Rights Issues | |
|---|---|
| Irish Context | |
| Languages | |
| Genre | Part Of Lyric Sequence |
| Medium | Print Collection |
| Notes | This sequence of poems, 'Na Murúcha a Thriomaigh', makes use of the international folk tale of the mermaid to construct an allegorical world in which the merpeople have left the water and now live uneasily among humankind on land. The exact cause of their exodus is not specified, although one poem does reference 'cineghlanadh' (ethnic cleansing). This poem deals with the merpeople's aversion to water. A tale is recounted of the proper 'hair washing' etiquette not being followed, leading to a female mermaid and her daughter being spirited away. The gendered aspect of socially acceptable behaviour is underscored here. The Great Famine and Irish cultural loss are often understood to be implicit in this sequence of poems, although other contexts could also be imagined. |
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