Súil Saoir

Is é Súil Saoir an chéad chnuasach filíochta ó pheann Dhiarmuid Johnson, scríbhneoir, iriseoir, ceoltóir agus fear léinn.  Tugadh ard-mholadh don chnuasach seo i gcomórtas Ghradam Litríochta Chló Iar-Chonnachta 2004.

Is leabhar faoi leith é Súil Saoir ar bhealaí go leor. Baineann an t-údar leas ann as smaointe na linne seo agus as éigse na seanaimsire araon, ionas gur ceangal idir an sean agus an nua atá sa saothar. Chomh maith leis sin, ceistnítear ann an dlúthbhaint atá idir teanga na Gaeilge agus gluaiseacht an náisiúnachais le fada anuas, agus cuireann an t-údar roimhe cíoradh a dhéanamh ar cheisteanna a bhaineann le cinniúint an duine, agus leis an chaoi a dtéann idir thír, phobal, theanga agus dhúchas i bhfeidhm orainn go léir. Tá lorg na Gaeltachta go láidir ar an gcnuasach, agus lorg na hiasachta chomh maith.

Súil Saoir (The Trained Eye) is the first collection of poetry by Diarmuid Johnson, linguist, writer and journalist.  This collection was highly commended by the judges in the Cló Iar-Chonnachta literary competition 2004. 

Súil Saoir combines several characteristics that make it a unique and challenging collection. Written in a polished, lyrical idiom, it draws on both the medieval and modern Gaelic traditions, bridging a divide in a way seldom accomplished in the past. The poetry also questions the traditional association between nationalism and the Irish language, offering a fresh and universal perspective on questions of existence and destiny, and on the way an individual interacts with his environment. A sense of place often permeates much of the work, whether it be the west of Ireland, or the poet's native Wales.