Novels, Poetry & Creativism
Maud Gonne was a formidable activist and generous philanthropist, whose feminism and nationalism altered the course of Irish history, but she is still best known as the muse of the first Irish nobel laureate for literature, the great poet WB Yeats. This post is about some of the poems she inspired.
Sign up here to receive news and notifications of the More Than A Muse Campaign. Does Maud Gonne deserve a … Read more
In researching the prologue to my Yeats-Gonne series, which is told from the point of view of the fathers of … Read more
Each Friday, I publish an extract from my work in progress, currently Dancing in the Wind (Book 4 of the … Read more
The story opens in 1916. The world is at war, Irish freedom fighters have just staged an armed rebellion in … Read more
The story opens in 1916. The world is at war, Irish freedom fighters have just staged an armed rebellion in … Read more
Maud Gonne’s father, Tommy, was a Cavalry Major, which was how the English born Maud ended up living in Ireland, … Read more
There is a new online biography of Maud Gonne for children, created by Sophie Harkin for Lottie.com. Unfortunately, a few … Read more
To receive exclusive extracts from this story and give feedback on where it should go next, join my reader … Read more
To receive exclusive extracts from this story and give feedback on where it should go next, join my reader … Read more
The story has shifted to 1916. Maud and Iseult are living in Normandy, as the first world war wages and in Dublin, Irish freedom fighters have organized a botched insurrection. Many of their Irish friends and acquaintances were involved. This extract describes what happens when Maud Gonne hears of John MacBride’s Execution for his part.
It’s Friday Fiction here on the blog, so I’ll be blogging Dancing in the Wind, Book Two in the Yeats-Gonne Trilogy here with weekly extracts in the Friday Fiction slot.
I’m thinking of opening Dancing With The Wind with one of Maud Gonne’s fiery political speeches.
Question: Would you read on if this was what you found in the first pages of a book?
Excerpt from: Dancing In the Wind: Chapter 3 The story so far: Having rejected, and been rejected by, the poet … Read more