Eiléan Ní Chuilleanáin has been praised for her 'striking consistency of theme and technique' (TLS). Again and again, poems register tremors of genuine surprise. The Magdalene Sermon, her first collection of poems since 1981, marks a new departure. The subjects are now more personal and more directly confronted. Many deal with women, both family members and the women of history and tradition, and with their strange responsibilities. There are encounters, dialogues, near-dialogues and missed connections between women and men.

The Magdalene Sermon confirms and reminds that Eiléan Ní Chuilleanáin's poetry ranks with the outstanding achievements of her generation.