ThetitlepoemfromthiscollectionissetonanislandthathasbeenasiteofpilgrimageinIrelandforoverathousandyears.Anarrativesequence,itisanautobiographicalquestconcernedwith'thegrowthofapoet'smind'.Thelongpoemisprecededbyasectionofshorterlyricsandleadsintoathirdgroupofpoemsinwhichthepoet'svoiceisatonewiththevoiceofthelegendarymadKingSweeney.'Surpassesevenwhatonemightreasonablyexpectfromthismagnificentlygiftedpoet.'JohnCarey,SundayTimes