A Wide River Divides Us - Book Launch

Gill Barr presents her debut poetry collection, A Wide River Divides Us, at New Gate Arts and Culture Centre, where she will engage in readings and conversation. Published by Cinnamon Press, the collection will be available for purchase at the event.

A Wide River Divides Us begins with vivid memories of Barr's childhood in 1970s Derry/Londonderry, capturing the stark and poignant experiences of a child in a working-class area amidst escalating street violence. The poems transition from the tight cityscape to broader, watery worlds, where Barr's voice expands in reflection, confronting the past and herself.

The work is described as a poetry of witness, trauma, love, and resilience, evoking a strong sense of belonging amidst terror and domesticity. As the child in the poems grows into an adult, the collection charts a journey towards freedom and self-awareness, maintaining a sense of restraint and watchfulness as the landscape and time widen.