Intimate War. How Ireland Inspires The Writing Of Orna Ross

Orna Ross is an Irish novelist, a poet, non-fiction writer, and creative coach. Today, we’re talking about how Ireland features in her writing. You can listen above or on iTunes or your favorite podcast app, read the notes and links below. Here are the highlights and full transcript below. Show Notes * Writing about a country you’re from vs. writing as an outsider * Why Orna writes about Ireland * Common misconceptions about the country * Writing from memories of a childhood in a small Irish village * Poetry and writing about W.B.Yeats * Modern practices that rose out of Celtic myths * Food and drink recommendations when visiting Ireland * What travel brings to Orna’s writing and the importance of travel for writers You can find Orna Ross at OrnaRoss.com and on Twitter @OrnaRoss Transcript of Interview with Orna Ross Joanna: Orna Ross is an Irish novelist, a poet, non-fiction writer, and creative coach. And today, we’re talking about how Ireland features in her writing. Welcome, Orna. Orna: Hi, Joanna. Joanna: It’s great to have you on the show. First up, where are you in the world right now, and what’s outside your window? Orna: Right now, I’m in London. And what’s outside my window is a typical London street. I’m in a part of London, though, that has a real connection to Ireland. Though I didn’t know it when I bought the house here, it is actually where a lot of people started off their London life. And, of course, there are more Irish people in London than there are in Dublin. So, that was interesting, and I got very interested in the history of the Irish community here in London, as well. I think that’s one of the things about Ireland, is it’s everywhere. Ireland isn’t just that little island in the middle of the Atlantic or off Western Europe. It’s actually a diaspora of people that are just all over the world. I love that. That’s my Ireland. Joanna: Which is fantastic. We’re going to come back to the idea of home in a bit. But, obviously, you’re Irish. So, just want to point out your accent to everyone. And I did want to ask about this because a lot of people write about places that they are not from. What are the differences in writing about a country that you’re from versus writing as an outsider? Orna: I’ve only ever written about other countries and places in non-fiction. So, as a journalist for a while before I had my children, I traveled a lot, and I wrote a lot about places that I had visited. And I think it’s a completely different thing for me. It was all about the surfaces, as you would expect. It’s like when you meet a person for the first time. And it’s also all about the positives, generally speaking. You notice the things that are different from where you’re from yourself, and you notice the things that you love, and it’s very sensual. It’s about tastes and sounds and smells. When I write about Ireland, it begins in a completely different place. It begins on the inside, and it’s very much an internal sort of relationship. And it’s coloured by childhood. So, always, when I’m writing about Ireland, I feel small looking out. Whereas, when I write about other places, I feel kind of big, and I’m looking into a funnel that narrows. So, that would be the difference, for me. Joanna: That makes sense. But it’s interesting because, of course, you live in London, and you are part of the diaspora, as such. You left Ireland. So, your Irish trilogy, beginning with After the Rising set across four gener...