Grief’s Broken Brow was commissioned by UCD Library in partnership with Poetry Ireland and Arts Council Northern Ireland as part of Poetry as Commemoration. Each of the poems in this collection was inspired by a particular archive, document or object from the War of Independence or the Civil War in Ireland. Poetry as Commemoration, an initiative of the Irish Poetry Reading Archive at UCD Library was conceived by Ursula Byrne, Lucy Collins, and Evelyn Flanagan and managed by Catherine Wilsdon.
Poetry from Seán Hewitt, Nithy Kasa, Paul Muldoon, Aifric Mac Aodha (translated by David Wheatley), Martina Evans, Chiamaka Enyi Amadi, Stephen Sexton, Victoria Kennefick, Bebe Ashley and
Padraig Regan. Foreword by Lucy Collins, afterword by Daniel Ayiotis.
Taking inspiration from his family's significant history in the Irish stained glass industry, James Earley (Liffey Swim, 2015) has produced three artworks to accompany the poetry.
Designed and letterpress printed by Jamie Murphy, assisted in the studio by Ellen Martin-Friel. The texts are hand-typeset in Aldo Novarese’s Magister, cast here by Rainer Gerstenberg in Frankfurt. The accompanying metal and wooden types date to the War of Independence and Irish Civil War periods. James Earley’s artworks have been printed from the original blocks. The text paper is 190gsm Saunders Waterford produced at St Cuthbert’s Mill, Somerset. The suminagashi sheets have been produced by Louise Gaffney. 100 copies have been printed. The bindings and slipcases have been executed by Tom Duffy and family.
Unfortunately, due to funding conditions imposed on the commissioning university, this book did not get offered for sale to collectors. It was, however, donated to a large number of libraries and can be viewed in every county library in Ireland as well as a select number of libraries overseas.
