The Language of Place is a lyrical journey through Ireland’s counties, where Gaelic games become a way of understanding memory, identity, loss, joy, and belonging. Moving beyond sport alone, these poems honour the people and communities who carry tradition across generations, finding meaning in ordinary rituals, shared places, and collective memory. From crowded terraces and windswept pitches to quiet journeys home and stories handed down through families, the collection explores how games become woven into the character of a place and the lives of those who call it home. Rich in atmosphere and humanity, these poems celebrate not only the contests themselves but the deeper bonds of heritage, community, and belonging that endure long after the final whistle.
“This exquisitely understated collection transcends sport to celebrate community, heritage, and the deeper bonds that sustain us in divided times.” Rosanna McGlone
Writer, Journalist and Author of The Process of Poetry. The Making of a Poem.
“Above all, this collection reminds us that Gaelic games are never just about sport. They are about identity, belonging, and the ways communities carry themselves through time.”
Tommy Rooney
Broadcaster and Gaelic games correspondent
“Dermot has dipped his pen skilfully in the well of Gaelic excellence and his poems are a testament to a power that comes from the very bones of our ancestors.”
Malachy McKenna
Winner of the P.J. O’Connor Radio Drama Award for The Quiet Land.
£9.99
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