I have for some time now been embarked on what has become a transformational process for me that began with a very complex relationship with the Irish language.  Like many native to this island, I found myself with baggage when it came to our native tongue.

I think the problem that I found myself with when I went to confront my relationship with the Irish language is nicely foregrounded by the use of the word native above, I am a native of this island and yet I grew up with our native tongue entirely alien to me, I now realise that leads to a kind of cognitive dissonance that goes to the core of my identity; and I am guessing that I am not alone in this.

So acknowledging and accepting that as my starting point is what I am about here.

To commence any even cursory study of the language leads us then into history, and in turn my place within that, and indeed place generally, the language and the history cannot be separated from the land and the associated sense of place, the native place.

These themes have been somewhat consuming passions of mine for some time now and I have struggled to know how to find some outlet for them – some way to process and try to make some sense of them all.

Writing seemed the obvious thing and so I have set myself this challenge.

Thank you for your presence and for your attention.

I am honoured by both and intend to give you all I’ve got in return.

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