This is the first collection of essays solely dedicated to the achievement of this remarkable Irish poet. The book contains eleven essays by internationally known scholars, a new interview with McGuckian herself, and a detailed bibliography. McGuckian's critical reputation has grown dramatically over the last decade and she is now a poet with an international reputation. This collection provides a timely and relevant appraisal of her work. Author of twelve collections of poetry, Medbh McGuckian is one of Northern Ireland's foremost poets. Medbh McGuckian's poetry now appears as standard reading on courses on Irish literature and culture both in Europe and in the US. Alongside this, her work is also often featured in composition and poetics courses especially in the US. As this suggests, her work is not confined to the Irish Studies constituency. Because one of the major themes of her work is female consciousness and creativity she is also frequently studied on women's studies programmes and courses on feminism. As the first book to concentrate solely on McGuckian's achievement, this book will become the standard work for anyone interested in her work.