Brian Fahy – The Erris Poet
Brian Fahy lives in Stirling, Scotland. He grew up in Tyldesley, near Manchester, then a coal mining town. His father and grandfather were miners. His mother was from Erris in County Mayo and summer holidays were spent in the west of Ireland. His father’s people were also Irish with Mayo, Sligo and Monaghan connections. His father saw service in the British army for six years followed by six more years of war: North Africa, Normandy and the advance into Germany. Brian is now retired and enjoys writing verse to recapture old memories and share stories.
I am writing this blog because I need a window on the world. I am now 74 years old, retired from being a family mediator, and before that a catholic priest. I have spent my life in human communication and my work revealed to me how important is human speech, not only for passing information, but more powerfully for affecting and influencing others, be it for good or ill.
We often do not really appreciate what a gift we have in being able to speak and able to listen. Human trouble always comes through the abuse of speech and human healing is also to be achieved that way. Jesus is described as being the word of God. Words are powerful to help and heal, to encourage and to entertain. In recent years I have been thoroughly entertained by the comical presentations of Peter Kay, a fellow Boltonian, whose observations on life have sent audiences into paroxysms of laughter. He just talks and he is very funny.
I am computer illiterate really so it will take time to develop this site but I intend mainly to present verse to you. I want to capture memories and stories and although I cannot match the quality of Pam Ayres, I hope to offer humorous pieces as well.
When I was a priest I had the benefit of the pulpit for giving expression. I enjoyed learning to become a good preacher. When people came to me I was a privileged listener to their stories. When I became a mediator I found myself in the amphitheatre of verbal sparring and jousting and emotional trauma, as separating couples tried to talk to each other and make agreements over children. That really was an education.
In my life I have not had to deal with very much in the way of verbal abuse. People were generally respectful and kind. But my work as a mediator showed me how very prevalent verbal abuse and suffering is in our world. Many people are crushed daily under the torrent of hateful words that are directed at them.
With my poems I wish to help people reflect on their lives and I hope to give encouragement and some smiles along the way. I am widowed now these past eight years and I found this time very difficult to negotiate, but suddenly this blog gives me the outlet that I so easily took for granted before, namely that here I can speak to you and you can hear me, and hopefully when I learn more about the site, you can speak to me.
I wish you well.
Brian Fahy
Erris Poetry 