THE YELLOW RIVER - Seán McSweeney & Gerard Smyth
The Yellow River is a tributary of the Blackwater (Kells), which joins the Boyne at Navan, County Meath that unites the personal histories of poet Gerard Smyth and artist Sean McSweeney. Gerard Smyth spent many summers in Meath staying with his grandmother and an aunt, whilst originally Sen McSweeney’s family lived in Clongill until the untimely death of his father. Over two years Gerard Smyth revisited Meath in further inquiry with Belinda Quirke, Director of Solstice, in the development of a new suite of poems, recollecting and revisiting significant sites of occurrence in the poet’s and county’s history. Sean McSweeney created new work from trips to his original home place and the county. McSweeney here responds lyrically to particular sites of Smyth’s poetry, whilst also depicting in watercolour, ink, tempera and drawing, the particular hues of The Royal County. The Yellow River is a tributary of the Blackwater (Kells), which joins the Boyne at Navan, County Meath that unites the personal histories of poet Gerard Smyth and artist Sean McSweeney. Gerard Smyth spent many summers in Meath staying with his grandmother and an aunt, whilst originally Sen McSweeney’s family lived in Clongill until the untimely death of his father. Over two years Gerard Smyth revisited Meath in further inquiry with Belinda Quirke, Director of Solstice, in the development of a new suite of poems, recollecting and revisiting significant sites of occurrence in the poet’s and county’s history. Sean McSweeney created new work from trips to his original home place and the county. McSweeney here responds lyrically to particular sites of Smyth’s poetry, whilst also depicting in watercolour, ink, tempera and drawing, the particular hues of The Royal County.
MYSTERIESWho wore the Tara Brooch before it disappeared,lost for centuries until brought to light on a sandy shore?Who illuminated the corners of the Book of Kells,shouted An eye for an eye at the Battle of the Boyne?Who took the Red Flag down the copper mines, stoppedthe night in Dunshaughlin, argued with Swift at Laracor?Who told the blind harper it was time to play,that the crowd had gathered, an audience was waiting?Who first noticed the solstice on a solstice morning,saw it creeping in and lived to tell their children’s children?44
POEM BEGINNING WITH A LINE FROM F R HIGGINSOur most lovely Meath, now thinned by Novemberwith its days too short to leave and return.Suddenly it’s a winter of bare thorn,songbirds with only half-a-song.Pastures are empty, herds have been sheltered.The sea once a generous givernow has nothing to give. No one swims in the river,whoever wades in will never come back.Up on the hills, in an allegorical landscape,there’s a fallen tree – its growth ringsrecording the ages that lead to the wood-burner’sflames, the carpenter’s nailsor the floor of wood shavingsin the workshop of the furniture-maker.The snow that falls during winter in Meathdoesn’t last long – but minute by minutevanishes to reveal the bogwhere the buried are carefully hiddenfrom the diviner. No tell-tale signsonly a reminder that this is the shadowy bog of riddles.45
- Page 1: YELLOWSeán McSweeney & Gerard Smyt
- Page 5: YELLOWSeán McSweeney & Gerard Smyt
- Page 10 and 11: called “ his personal language as
- Page 12 and 13: My divining rod - and Seán’s rap
- Page 14: Yellow RiverWatercolour on paper14.
- Page 18 and 19: THE BLACKBIRDS OF WILKINSTOWNIt is
- Page 21 and 22: Ploughed FieldTempera on paper14.5c
- Page 24 and 25: GOLDEN WONDERSThey were watching th
- Page 27 and 28: AT THE GRAVE OF MICHAEL BATHEThis c
- Page 29 and 30: ON THE FARMDon’t look for those n
- Page 31 and 32: 31Summer FieldTempera on paper28 x
- Page 33: THE RAIN BARRELGrandmother was a ra
- Page 36: WHEN THE ELMS DIEDWhen the elms die
- Page 39 and 40: THE KILLJOY MONTH…..and I knewtha
- Page 41: (3)i.m. Paddy TraynorWith his turf-
- Page 46 and 47: THE SALTED ROADSLand pays the price
- Page 49 and 50: BECTIVEThe house still stands but t
- Page 53 and 54: SUNDAY IN CATTLE COUNTRYSunday had
- Page 55 and 56: LEDWIDGE IN LOVE AND WARA small hou
- Page 57 and 58: THE DAY JIM REEVES DIEDThe day Jim
- Page 59: THE OLDCASTLE DANCEfor Shay KeoghIn
- Page 62: KNIGHTSTOWN, CODAIn memory of Mary
- Page 66 and 67: Autumn BoglandPastel on Paper14.5 x
- Page 68: ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSWhile the creation
MYSTERIES
Who wore the Tara Brooch before it disappeared,
lost for centuries until brought to light on a sandy shore?
Who illuminated the corners of the Book of Kells,
shouted An eye for an eye at the Battle of the Boyne?
Who took the Red Flag down the copper mines, stopped
the night in Dunshaughlin, argued with Swift at Laracor?
Who told the blind harper it was time to play,
that the crowd had gathered, an audience was waiting?
Who first noticed the solstice on a solstice morning,
saw it creeping in and lived to tell their children’s children?
44
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