Irena Birsa: An Australian poet and scholar of Slovene descent

Abstract

The article analyzes the academic and artistic work of Irena Birsa, who was born in Australia to Slovene parents. Her premature death in 1991 meant that her research on the Slovene emigrant community in Australia, particularly in the state of Victoria, was not completed. In 1994, however, a book of her articles, essays and papers, entitled Slovenians in Australia appeared posthumously. This book represents a valuable source of data for researchers into this area. The second half of the article discusses some of Irena Birsa’s rare poems which though in manuscript form are subtly perfected and practically unknown to the general public.