Anseo Review

Words by Casey Hynes.

When I first encountered Úna-Minh Kavanagh, it was through one of her many great Irish language TikToks appearing on my For You Page. I was considerably late to the game, given her known presence online on Twitter, YouTube and Twitch for years beforehand, but better to discover something late than to never find it at all. Úna-Minh’s video content is bold and beautiful, offering many viewers a way to engage with the Irish language and different parts of Irish culture in a contemporary fashion, while also addressing some of the major issues many face within Irish society. When I found out she had a book (published in 2019 - did I mention I was late to the game?), I had to grab it.

Her first book, ‘Anseo’ (title taken from the Irish word for ‘here’) tackles similar topics to her online content while delving further into the personal side of things. Filled to the brim with the author’s wit and humour, while beautifully featuring moments of sadness, happiness and importance in equal measure, Úna-Minh’s book is a pleasure to read - and very hard to put down once you start, so plan your day accordingly!

Without spoiling too much, ‘Anseo’ offers us a detailed and warm account of the author’s life, first starting with her childhood in Kerry alongside her mother and grandfather, moving on to her studies in Dublin and to her life now as a journalist and Gaeilgeoir.

Credit: Irish Times review ‘Anseo’ - Úna-Minh Kavanagh — *Credit:* *Irish Times review ‘Anseo’ - Úna-Minh Kavanagh*

A part of the book’s appeal, of course, is the fact that Úna-Minh is a very entertaining and charming person, who has (so far) lived a very fulfilling and adventurous life, filled with its ups and downs. But a large part of what makes the book great is her writing style and story-telling skills, as she demonstrates a clear affinity for the weaving of a scéal. The author leads us strongly throughout the threads and patterns of her life, skillfully making us laugh one moment and weep the next. Her earnestness and passion for Irish are evident throughout, demonstrated by the book being speckled with several relevant and often funny Frasaí an Lae (Phrases of the Day) - my personal favourites were ‘Is namhaid an bás don óige agus cara don sean / Death is the enemy of youth and the friend of old age’ (p.59) and ‘Slíomadóir suarach atá ann / He’s a snide little gobshite’ (p.138).

Some of the most prominent topics that the author brings to the forefront are the importance of the Irish language, the definition of Irish identity and racism within Irish society. These are addressed clearly throughout the book, Kavanagh is unafraid to discuss these very clear issues head-on, as she does in the real world every day online and elsewhere. Úna-Minh’s account of the racial abuse she experienced in Dublin in 2013 is equal parts harrowing and infuriating, given not much has changed in the 7 or so years since the incident. Alongside the horror exists hope - as she also recounts the positive support she received online afterwards. What is made clear is that this hope must be used and built upon - we must remain inspired to fight against racism, in order to overcome it.

Alongside this, the author’s own Irish identity comes up often in the book. Úna-Minh Kavanagh is a proud Irish woman, hailing from the Kingdom, and there won’t be any arguments around that - rightly so. If you disagree, for whatever (clearly racist) reason, ‘Bailigh leat / Piss off’ (p. 141).

Credit: Culture Night 2020 - Úna-Minh Kavanagh — *Credit:* *Culture Night 2020 - Úna-Minh Kavanagh*

Whether you’re deeply aware of her work, or you’re just hearing of her now, I would sincerely recommend you read this, ASAP. ‘Anseo’ can be truly enjoyed by anyone - whether you’re in it for the author, the humour or just a good read. Following on from all of her work in the promotion of the Irish language and tackling racism, in the last year, Úna-Minh Kavanagh has joined the new independent Anti-Racism Committee, announced by the Department of Justice and tasked with creating an ‘Action Plan Against Racism for Ireland’, while also continuing her travel blogging, Twitch streaming and TikTok videos, the latter two through Irish and English - so there’s really no better time to come along for the ride.

For Úna-Minh, ‘níl anseo ach an tús / this is only the start’ (p. 175).