Creative Writing Eileen Casey
Celebrating the talents of asylum seekers
Some of the contributors to Correspondences pictured with Stephen Rea and Jessica Traynor.
In January, 2019, award winning Poet Jessica Traynor and actor Stephen Rea (one of the foremost actors of his generation) called for expressions of interest from writers, for inclusion in a once-off anthology. Spurred to action by the plight of asylum seekers living in direct provision, Traynor and Rea wanted to do something concrete to bring this situation into the public eye. Their idea was to pair asylum seeking emerging writers who have experienced or are currently undergoing daily life in direct provision with established writers. Almost a year later, this mentoring undertaking has borne abundant fruit. ‘Correspondences’ was launched during 2019 Dublin Book Festival (November) in Smock Alley. It was a night of celebration, asylum seekers and mentors alike coming together to read their work to an appreciative and very supportive audience. Both Jessica Traynor and Stephen Rea spoke with deep conviction, clearly delighted with the huge turn-out from all corners of the country.
years. Batur Nadir (his pen name under which he wrote his piece) came to Ireland from Afghanistan in 2004 and spent over three years in direct provision (Dublin, Carlow, New Ross). He was only ten years old when civil war, a product of the Russian-American war, broke out in Kabul. For four years his life was a ‘’living hell’, filled with constant fear, hunger, no education, and the sounds of war ever present. He saw bloodshed, killing, corpses, ethnic cleansing. He suffered emotional, physical and mental abuses which he carries with him today.
It was my privilege to mentor an emerging writer who lived in direct provision for three
Fleeing political repression, and searching for a better life, Batur embarked on a perilous
Aged 14, he fled Kabul’s war and drought, took shelter in a refugee camp (built by UNHCR) in Peshawar that had no electricity. Like many refugees, he lived nine to a room in a mud house, roofed with timber and bamboo. He slept on an uneven floor that had jagged plastic rugs. To make pillows, like other refugees, he stuffed cuts of fabric with plastic and paper bags.
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journey, travelling through many countries, encountering life-threatening situations and imprisonment for trespassing borders illegally. Eventually, he landed in Ireland. However, his application for asylum was refused, but later he was granted permission to remain. After all he had been through prior to Direct Provision, Batur feels guilty to say, in hindsight, that food, accommodation and sleeping conditions were not good. Batur learnt to speak English while in Ireland, and after permission to stay, he attended I.T Carlow, graduating with BSc (Hons) in Physical Therapy. He specialises in lower back pain. He currently lives in Kilkenny with his Irish wife and daughter, she is eleven years old. He writes about war in Afghanistan from his direct experiences and cross-cultural communications. He is currently writing his memoir and a book on Biomechanical Management of Lower Back Pain. What follows is a short extract from his memoir, published in ‘Correspondences’. Under the title Songs of Innocence, Songs of Experience, Batur gives a powerful sense
