From Monterey to Melbourne, Derry to Hook Head, these poems touch on universal and yet personal stories, shot through with energy, bound up in short, fresh forms. With a playfulness and a watchful eye on the smallest of things, this collection touches on the pain as well as the humour of everyday life.
“Tickle celebrates the beauty and fragility of our daily existence. These short poems are gannet-focused, with a velocity as impactful as a muffled gunshot. The reader is offered insightful, compassionate observations on the frailty of life and the sheer vibrancy of the natural world.” **Manchán Magan **
“Effortlessly weaving together reflections on relationships and loss, place and language, Eithne Hand’s Tickle is a true pleasure to read. Engaging, humane and philosophical, and told in Hand’s witty and unmistakable voice, these poems capture the squirm, shiver and delight of life.” Jessica Traynor
“For this poet, everything has a voice to be heard: not only people but also objects, photographs, the physical body. The act of listening is a vital part of Eithne Hand’s poetics.” Poetry Ireland Review
About the Author :
Eithne Hand is a writer and radio producer from Greystones, Co.Wicklow. Tickle is her second collection of poetry published by Salmon. Her first collection Fox Trousers was published in 2020. Her work has been published in Southword, Crannóg, The Irish Times, The Moth and Poetry Ireland Review. She wrote and directed three radio plays broadcast on RTÉ Radio 1 and her documentary, Voicejazz, won a Prix Italia for Best Work on Music. She was Head of RTÉ Radio 1 from 2003 to 2006. She produced Gay Byrne’s Sunday Jazz programme for the final four years. In theatre, she produced the one man shows The Man In The Woman’s Shoes and I Hear You and Rejoice, written and performed by Mikel Murfi. From 2014 to 2017 Eithne was the curator of the First Thought strand of the Galway International Arts Festival. She is currently the participating poet in Songlines – a Festival in a Van project bringing together artists and people living with dementia and cognitive impairment. She is also a freelance radio drama director for Drama on One (RTÉ Radio 1). She spends her time between Greystones and Ballinafad, County Sligo.
