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Christmas in Ireland: Five Things You May Not Know

1. One of the oldest Christmas carols, “The Wexford Carol,” is believed to have come from Ireland and dates all the way back to the 12th century. It originated in Enniscorthy, County Wexford, and tells the tale of the Nativity. This carol has been translated from Irish into English—you may recognize it from Julie Andrews’ 1966 Christmas album!

It’s the WFU Press Holiday Sale!

We’re pleased to once again offer 40% off our books and other gifts through the holiday season. Use promo code “WFUP40” at check out.

Poem of the Week: “To Cease” by John Montague

To cease
to be human.

To be
a rock down
which rain pours…

Poem of the Week: “A Glass of Water” by Conor O’Callaghan

I pour a glass of water for myself.
I watch what greys it gathers from the room.
It’s not to drink. I want the wanting of
a glass and water sleep can come between.

“Looser, Freer, and a Bit Wilder”: An Interview with Conor O’Callaghan

Conor O’Callaghan’s newest book of poetry Live Streaming has just been published in North America, and for months we’ve been anxiously awaiting this exciting release. O’Callaghan has been busy giving readings for the book, most recently here in the US, where he went coast to coast visiting five states in five days before returning home to England. WFU Press intern Maddie Baxter caught him via Skype at the tail-end of this trip to ask him a few questions about the book, his process, and the personal nature of this extraordinary new collection.

The Irish Origins of Halloween: Five Fun Facts about Samhain

Halloween’s oldest roots are in an ancient Irish holiday called Samhain (pronounced sah-win)! Samhain—usually translated “summer’s end”—was in part a harvest festival when Celtic tribes held assemblies, and rulers and warriors conferred and made laws.

A Montague Retrospective

In 1975 Wake Forest University Press began its Irish poetry program by co-publishing John Montague’s A Slow Dance with the Dolmen Press. Montague was a foundational poet for WFU Press, and we were lucky to have worked with him for more than forty years. In honor of the posthumous publication of A Spell to Bless the Silence, we offer this retrospective look at Montague’s books published in North America by WFU Press.

Poem of the Week: “Laertes” by Michael Longley

When he found Laertes alone on the tidy terrace, hoeing
Around a vine, disreputable in his gardening duds,
Patched and grubby, leather gaiters protecting his shins
Against brambles, gloves as well, and, to cap it all,
Sure sign of his deep depression, a goatskin duncher,
Odysseus sobbed in the shade of a pear-tree for his father…

Introducing: Herod’s Dispensations by Harry Clifton, coming spring 2019

WFU Press is proud to announce the publication of Harry Clifton’s newest collection of poetry, Herod’s Dispensations. This collection, which meditates on the loss and protection of innocence, encompasses journeys from Dublin through northern China.

Poem of the Week: “Curtain” by Eiléan Ní Chuilleanáin

I laid myself down and slept on the map of Europe,
It creaked and pulled all night and when I rose
In a wide hall to the light of a thundery afternoon
The dreams had bent my body and fused my bones
And a note buzzed over and again and tuned for the night.