Idir Dhá Thír: Sceitsí ó Cheanada (2005)
Pádraig Ó Siadhail, based in Halifax, Nova Scotia
Idir Dhá Thír (Between Two Lands) is a collections of essays exploring the experience of Canada for an Irish immigrant, Pádraig Ó Siadhail (Saint Mary's University, Nova Scotia).
Through his introspective and personal exploration, Ó Siadhail offers a unique perspective on Canada. Ó Siadhail’s often very personal insights reveal how the immigrant gaze serves as a filter through which identity and understanding are refracted, not just for of the country and people to which the immigrant arrives but of the immigrant themselves. The essays reflect on many varied topics, from Ó Siadhail’s experiences raising an Irish-speaking family without a surrounding language community, to the shared experiences in Canadian and Irish history, and the challenges inherent with having two official languages.
Idir Dhá Thír invites readers on a journey to understand the complexities of being caught between two worlds, offering insights into the immigrant experience and the shared humanity that connects us all.