Diarmuid Johnson facts for kids

Diarmuid Johnson, born in Cardiff, Wales, in 1965, grew up in Galway, Ireland. He studied Celtic languages and history at university. He writes poetry and stories in Irish, Welsh, and English. Sometimes, he even writes in other languages like Breton, French, and German.

Diarmuid Johnson is famous for his many books. One of his most exciting series is 'Sraith na Teamhrach', also known as 'The Tara Trilogy'. This trilogy retells ancient Irish legends in a fresh, modern way.

• The first book, Conaire Mór - Seacht nDoras na Cinniúna (2017), shares the epic story of 'Togail Bruidne Dá Derga'. It won the 'Book of the Year' award in 2017.
• Next came Tuatha Dé Danann - Seilbh Inse Fódla (2018). This book brings to life tales from 'Cath Muighe Tuireadh' and other myths. It won an An Post Irish Book award for best Irish language book in 2018.
• The final part, Éadaoin - Seacht Snaidhm na Seirce (2020), tells the beautiful and sad love story of Éadaoin and Midhir.

Together, these books are like a modern collection of Ireland's oldest origin stories.

Diarmuid Johnson's Other Works

Diarmuid Johnson has written many other important books.

Books About Wales

One of his books is Pen and Plough - 20th Century Poets and Bards of Ceredigion (2016). This book looks at the Welsh-speaking area of Ceredigion in West Wales during the mid-1900s. It uses poems and songs to understand how people lived there.

Poetry Collections

Diarmuid Johnson has also published several collections of his own poems. These include:

• Rún na mBradán - Dánta Gaeilge 2005–2015 (2016)
• The Birth of Trystan (2014)
• The Crooked Road (2016)

Translation Work

Diarmuid Johnson also translates books and poems from one language to another. He has translated Welsh books into Irish, English, French, and Romanian. He also translated poems from Romanian into English, especially those by Emilia Ivancu and Lucian Blaga. For his work on Blaga's poems, he received an award in Romania in 2010.

Diarmuid Johnson's Career Journey

Diarmuid Johnson has had a varied and interesting career.

Teaching and Journalism

From 1989 to 1996, he taught Celtic Studies in Brittany, Germany, and Ireland. After that, from 1996 to 2000, he worked as a journalist, scriptwriter, and translator in Conamara, Ireland. He was the editor of Cuisle, a monthly magazine in Irish, and also edited an online literary magazine called Transcript.

Research and Lecturing

From 2002 to 2006, he worked at The University of Aberystwyth, focusing on minority languages. He then spent several years, from 2007 to 2013, lecturing in Poland and Germany. In 2014, he was a special poet (bard in residence) in Pembrokeshire, Wales.

Freelance Work and Music

Later, he became a freelance writer and musician. He wrote for different newspapers and radio stations, including Raidió na Gaeltachta and BBC Cymru. He also taught Irish language classes in Ireland and Europe. Plus, he plays and teaches traditional music. His life and career are described in the book Seacht dTír Seacht dTeanga (2021), which won an award in 2021.

Recent and Future Projects

Diarmuid Johnson's most recent book is Ceallach - Cín Lae Fíréin Ad 590 - 620 (2022). This book explores how Irish and Celtic people helped spread Christianity in Europe around the year 600 AD. 'Ceallach' is the Irish name of the person who founded the city of St. Gallen in Switzerland.

He is currently working on a new novel about the Norman Invasion of Ireland. He is also writing a book that looks at Irish-language stories from 1100 to 1925. Diarmuid Johnson now spends a lot of his time working in Brussels.

Selected Books

Poetry

• Rún na mBradán - Rogha Dánta Gaeilge 2005-2015 Coiscéim 2016
• The Birth of Trystan / Trystans Geburt, (German translation by P. Busse), Curach Bhán Verlag, Berlin 2014
• An tÉan agus Dánta Eile / Der Vogel und andere Gedichte, Curach Bhán Verlag, Berlin 2013
• Die Dämonen (with artist Susanne Haun), Curach Bhán Verlag, Berlin, 2012
• The Woods are Growing Younger / Pădurile întineresc, (Romanian translation by E. Ivancu), Eikon, Cluj 2013
• Another Language, Motivex, Poland (Irish, English, Welsh) 2009
• Súil Saoir, Cló Iar-Chonnachta 2004

Prose

• Ceallach - Cín Lae Fíréin (Leabhar Breac 2022)
• Seacht dTír Seacht dTeanga (Leabhar Breac 2021)
• Éadaoin - Seacht Snaidhm na Seirce (Leabhar Breac 2020)
• Tuatha Dé Danann - Seilbh Inse Fódla (Leabhar Breac 2018)
• Conaire Mór - Seacht nDoras na Cinniúna (Leabhar Breac 2017)
• Pen and Plough - 20th Century Poets and Bards of Ceredigion, Carreg Gwalch 2016
• Tro ar Fyd - Pobl Dwyrain Ewrop a'r Dwyrain Canol Rhwng Dau Chwyldro 1989-2012 (with Amanda Reid) Y Lolfa 2014
• Y Gwyddel - O Geredigion i Galway Gomer Press 2011
• Defnyddio Agored - Meddalwedd swyddfa dwyieithog (with Lowri Jones) University of Wales, Aberystwyth 2006

Translations

• Dafydd ap Gwilym, petite anthologie d'un grand poète (with Jean-CLaude Lozac'hmeur) WODAN, Amiens 1994
• Coinnigh do Mhisneach (from the Welsh original Yfory Ddaw, a novel by Shoned Wyn Jones) Cló Iar-Chonnachta 2004
• Sarah Eile (from the Welsh original Sarah Arall, a novel by Aled Islwyn), Cló Iar-Chonnachta 2005
• Vatilan the Dish Thief (from the Welsh original Y Dŵr Mawr Llwyd, short stories by Robin Llewelyn) Parthian Books 2009
• Washing My Hair with Nettles (selected poems translated from the Romanian of Emilia Ivancu) Parthian Books 2015
• Oh, Ridică Vălul (from the Welsh original O! Tyn y Gorchudd by Angharad Price) as consultant co-translator with E. Ivancu) Eikon 2014