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Tuesday, September 25, 2001

Clonmany to Ahascragh

I bought a book of poems today.

Poems?

Yes. Poems.

Seamus Heaney wrote a poem for my cousin Rory after he died of a drug overdose. It was read at his funeral, and copies were printed for our family... and this year it was published in the collection Electric Light.
I'll probably get in trouble for printing any of it, but here is the first stanza. Thinking about it makes me sadder than anything.

Clonmany to Ahascragh
Now that the rest of us have no weeping left
These things will do it for you:
Willows standing out on Leitrim Moss,
Wounds that "wept" in the talk of those before you,
Rained-on statues from Clonmany to Ahascragh,
Condensation on the big windows
And walls of a school corridor in Derry
Where I drew with warm fingers once upon a time
To make a face that wept itself away
Down cold black glass.

Posted at 12:51 PM

Comments

001. Rory O'Flaherty

Dear bcwinters,

Please contact me. I was v. good friend of Rory's and live in NYC.

Best wishes,

Rory.

Posted at 12:34AM on Thursday, August 08, 2002

002. Rory O'Flaherty

bcwinters,

BTW, my email is roryoflaherty@hotmail.com

Best,

Rory.

Posted at 12:38AM on Thursday, August 08, 2002

003. Moto

I am a student reading Electric Light and want to know more in details about "Clonmany to Ahascragh", especially Rory Kavanagh (including her birth, death, and funeral dates and places, and what's the relationship between her and the Kavanagh to Heaeny and you), and Leitrim Moss (I know Leitrim is a place name but don't know Leitrim Moss).

It may be rude for me to ask you such questions but could you tell me whatever you know on this poem and other your family's episode with Heany please, if it is possible?

Moto

Posted at 07:35AM on Tuesday, August 17, 2004

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