Poetry Reading with Simon O Faolain

Simon Ó Faoláin

Rugadh Simon i mBaile Átha Cliath, agus tháinig chun cónaithe in Iarthar Dhuibhneach nuair a bhí sé seacht mbliana d’aois. Oileadh é mar sheandálaí agus chaith sé tréimhsí ag obair san earnáil phríobháideach mar stiúrthóir tochailte agus i gcúrsaí acadúla sa Léann Ceilteach. Tar éis tréimhsí sa Ghaillimh, sa Bhreatain Bheag, ar Oileán Acla agus i gCorcaigh, d'fhill sé ar Chorca Dhuibhne in 2007. Bhuaigh a chéad chnuasach filíochta, Anam Mhadra (Coiscéim, 2008) Duais Glen Dimplex na Gaeilge agus Duais Eithne agus Rupert Strong. Tá Duais Cholmcille agus Duais Fhoras na Gaeilge araon buaite aige fé dhó. Bhuaigh sé Duais Bhaitéar Uí Mhaicín 2010 ó Thaibhdhearc na Gaillimhe dá chéad dráma, An Poll. Sa dara leabhar filíochta uaidh, As Gaineamh (Coiscéim, 2011), bhí tionchar a ghairme mar sheandálaí agus a thaithí mar athair ag análú go trom ar a chuid filíochta. Tá ceisteanna fé iontaoibh radharc ár súl agus ár gcuimhne i dtreis go mór ina thriú chnuasach, Fé Sholas Luaineach (Coiscéim, 2014).

Simon Ó Faoláin was born in Dublin and raised in West Kerry. He trained as an archaeologist and has worked both in the private sector as an excavation director and as an academic in Celtic Studies. Following periods in Galway, Wales, Achill Island and Cork he returned to live in West Kerry in 2007. His first collection, Anam Mhadra (Coiscéim, 2008) won the Glen Dimplex Irish Award and the Eithne and Rupert Strong Award. He has won both the Colmcille Prize and the Foras na Gaeilge Prize twice. His first play, An Poll [The Hole] won the Walter Macken Prize from An Taibhdhearc in 2010. His second collection of poetry, As Gaineamh (Coiscéim) was published in 2011 and his third, Fé Sholas Luaineach, (Coiscéim) in 2014.