Castlewellan man gets his poetry into print in New Ulster.
Gerard Duggan from Castlewellan has had a number of his poems included in the New Ulster magazine after submitting some of his poems for selection writes Ben King.
The poems impressed the selectors and editors and his interest in literature and poetry has provided him with his first ever publication.
Gerard, married and a father of two girls, is a family man, but he has another talent… writing poetry for a wider audience.
Gerard became interested in poetry at a young age, and was inspired to pursue his gift of writing poems. Gerard said: “I was praised for my work in poerty due to my attention to the world around me, which is often at the best of times chaotic and hard to understand. Rhymes through poetry make the process of understanding all the more easy by breaking things down.
“I can remembering reading the Isle of Innisfree by WB Yeats for the first time and it sparked an awe in me for poetry.
“The style of poetry I became interested in and focussed on was the themes of politics and current affairs in Ireland, so I set about reflecting and breaking down the commentary of the daily proceedings of government and societal issues.
“I hope my poems help the reader to understand my reflections on the politics of Northern Ireland in his view, simplified through poetry. I hope to get many more published going forward.
“One of my poems, ‘Dark Clouds‘, speaks to us around the political situation before the shared Assembly reconvened.
“The poem interrupts divisionary politics and how voter behaviour is impacted.
“Here are a few lines to ponder over from ‘Dark Clouds‘”.
‘They say they want to leave no-one behindÂ
and that you will findÂ
your place if you just toe the line.Â
They say the dreams they’re dreaming can be yours and mine,Â
just keep us up here happy because it’s going to take timeÂ
but the dark clouds are gathering now.’
***
These might be chilling thoughts for the MLA’s and Executive up on The Hill when time is always running against them!
IF YOU HAVE A POEM YOU WISH PUBLISH ON DOWN NEWS OR A STORY:
GIVE JIM A CALL ON: 028 44 615690 or 07855545873
or email: jim@downnews.co.uk
