Ger Killeen is a native of Limerick City, Ireland, and resides near Portland, Oregon. He teaches at Marylhurst University. He shares his Irish language poetry, and his experience with the Irish language in Oregon. Discussion podcast about learning to speak Irish Gaelic (in English).

What you’ll hear

* Ger’s beautiful poem in the Irish language – “Mo Bhean Sa Gháirdín”. The words are below. It’s taken from his book Lia A Léimfidh Thar Tonnta (A Stone That Will Leap Over the Waves), published by Trask House. View it on Amazon.

* How your language can shape your perception of how you view the world around you. Ger uses this to think through a problem in the Irish language, if he gets stuck in describing adequately it in the English language.

* How Limerick City has changed (and not changed) since the late 1970s.

Mo Bhean Sa Gháirdín (Poem)

Corcraíonn sí na h-ingne

lena cuid fola féin

ag lorg na sméara dubha

i measc na ndealg,

‘s beireann sí isteach leí

súiteán an tSamhraidh

is taise mhilis na hoibre

a leagann sí ar mo bhéal.

My Wife In the Garden

She paints her nails

with her own blood,

reaching for the blackberries

between the thorns,

carries into the house

the succulence of summer,

drops on my mouth

the sweetness of her labour.

Ger Killeen

Mentioned in the show

* Ger’s English language book of poetry: Blood Orbits

* The Irish language in Portland Oregon. Also listen to our interviews from Oregon with Aislinn Adams and Brian Ó Hairt.

* Limerick City: watch video

* Nancy Blakes pub in Limerick

* Dún Chaoin and Corca Dhuibhne, County Kerry. Listen to our interview with writer Felicity Hayes-McCoy who resides there

* Máirtín Ó Cadhain, Irish language writer

* Do visit go out of your way to visit the Gaeltacht regions in Ireland. The people there will be honored to hear you even try little phrases in Irish (Gaelic).

* Song Róisín Dubh:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdskdLV4MWY

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Eoin