Deirdre of the Sorrows

Kenneth Steven

Mey 2017 · Casemate Publishers

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A sequence of poetry based on the tragic, ancient Irish legend, from the author of Out of the Ordinary and Iona.

The story of Deirdre of the Sorrows is widely known in Ireland, yet all but forgotten across the water in Scotland. This great tragic love story, which has its roots in the ninth or tenth century, is very much shared by both countries. For Deirdre, according to the legend, fled with her lover Naoise to Argyll. The oldest song in Scotland is believed to be Deirdre’s haunting farewell to her adopted land as she returns once more to Ireland. In this new sequence, Deirdre of the Sorrows, Kenneth Steven beautifully reimagines the legend of this love story; he brings back to life Deirdre’s journey and attempts to capture its timeless power.

“Steven tells his interpretation with a poet’s ear for telling phrasing, and a reporter’s eagerness for pace and development. There is also a great sense of place in his epic, and a brooding melancholy threaded through the initial triumph of love. Steven here writes with the music of his mother’s singing of a tale of beauty and loss, ancient and yet resonating among our contemporary uncertainties.” —Church Times (UK)

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Kenneth Steven grew up in Highland Perthshire, but also lived in different parts of Norway (and has translated several books from Norwegian). As well as being a writer of fiction and poetry for adults and children, he makes many programmes for BBC Radio; his feature on St Kilda won a Sony in 2006. He recent collection of poetry, A Song among the Stones, was published by Polygon (2012).