The Famine Road: Poet & Context

Poet - Eavan Boland

Eavan Boland, a significant woman’s voice in Irish literature, masterfully captures universal themes of identity, history, and the collective subconscious through poetry.
From the perspective of an Irish female writer, Boland deals with themes of national and feminine identity, as well as the domestic sphere.
She is renowned for her sophisticated use of clear language and free verse, a style which she employs to great effect in order to empower voices usually marginalised.
Boland’s body of work serves to challenge romanticised visions of Irish identity, offering instead a more complex and nuanced view of Ireland and its history.
Her contribution to literature has been recognised with esteemed awards such as the Lannan Literary Award for Poetry in 1994 and a Jacob’s Award for her role in RTÉ Radio’s The Arts Programme in 1978.

“The Famine Road” intertwines the personal and the political under the backdrop of the Great Famine that devastated Ireland from 1845 to 1852.
Boland focuses on the plight of the labourers who constructed the roads in exchange for food during the famine, particularly shedding light on the suffering of female workers.
While having a historical context, the poem resonates with contemporary themes regarding labour, exploitation, and the human condition.
Boland’s examination of Irish history in this poem creates a poignant commentary on the role of women as both contributors to and sufferers of history.
“The Famine Road” showcases Boland’s ability to earth her personal perspective within the collective memory of Ireland’s past, thus elevating stories that might otherwise be forgotten, overlooked or oversimplified.
As a feminist poet, Boland uses her work to question and disrupt conventional understandings of the roles women play in society. “The Famine Road” exemplifies this approach, as it spotlights the typically unacknowledged experiences of women under harsh historical circumstances.