Author Archives: Mary Montague

I was delighted, if that’s the right word, to see Carol Rumen’s analysis of Strange Meeting in today’s Guardian. Like one of the commentators below the article, I too grew up during the Troubles and was educated in a convent … Continue reading →

I’m a busy bunny at the minute, but the impending filing date for my April (!) Country Diary jolted me to the awareness that I haven’t yet linked to my February one. So here it is with a pretty poor … Continue reading →

With all the excitement of Christmas and seeing folks over the hols, I entirely neglected to showcase my last Guardian Country Diary which came out on eve of New Year’s Eve. (I’m sleeping grand now, thanks). And with the new … Continue reading →

Today’s Country Diary in The Guardian. The whooper swans are among the many things that make Lough Beg special. Many thanks to all the folks who helped me track down or provided detailed info about the breeding behaviour and movements … Continue reading →

My contribution to today’s Country Diary in The Guardian. A little allegory on climate change. Thanks, as ever, to Paul Fleckney, Country Diary editor.

Here is today’s Country Diary in the Guardian. A little piece about reed buntings. I discovered the marvels of Donnybrewer while I was doing my PhD some years back. It was one of my favourite fieldwork sites, thanks to these … Continue reading →

What a joy this has been. The chicks were due to hatch by yesterday, but as I write they haven’t quite made a clear appearance, although their cheeps have been constant, and I’ve seen a wee head, I’m pretty sure, … Continue reading →

I shouldn’t be writing this. I have better things to do. I am enduring another bout of RSI so I am typing very slowly and gently and trying to keep my left thumb away the spacebar entirely. My left thumb … Continue reading →

Cyphers 91 was launched online as part of the Strokestown Poetry Festival on May 2nd. I am honoured to have had my poem “I Sing Me To More Myself” (poem 2 of my Reed Bunting sequence, where the form of … Continue reading →