Michael Longley's Life Of Poetry

Title

First
Broadcast

Repeated

Comments

Poems Of Love And Ageing

20240712

20250214 (R3)

In recent years, Michael has been writing more than ever. He is recognised as a very fine love poet and in this episode he reads poems that address the gift of a decades-long love and marriage and the inevitability of ageing. After a lifetime dedicated to poetry, he says, 'I can't imagine that I would be alive now if I hadn't had poetry propelling me forward.

He reads his poems The Pattern, The Linen Industry and Age from his collection Ash Keys: New Selected Poems (Cape Poetry), published to mark his 85th birthday on 27th July 2024, and Foam from his collection The Slain Birds.

Belfast poet Michael Longley talks about his love poems and sixty years of poetry.

Belfast poet Michael Longley talks with Olivia O'Leary about his love poems and looks back on 60 years of poetry.

Irish poet Michael Longley, who died on 22nd January 2025, was described by Seamus Heaney as 'a keeper of the artistic estate, a custodian of griefs and wonders.' He devoted a lifetime to the art of poetry and won numerous poetry prizes.

He is recognised as a very fine love poet and in this episode of Michael Longley's Life of Poetry, first broadcast in 2024, he reads poems that address the gift of a decades-long love and marriage and the inevitability of ageing. After a lifetime dedicated to poetry, he says, 'I can't imagine that I would be alive now if I hadn't had poetry propelling me forward.

In a 2024 interview, Michael Longley talks about his love poems and 60 years of poetry.

In a 2024 interview, Belfast poet Michael Longley talks with Olivia O'Leary about his love poems and looks back on sixty years of poetry.

[LISTEN NOW]

Poems Of Mayo

20240711

20250213 (R3)

His refuge from the city streets of Belfast is in County Mayo, in one of the most remote and beautiful parts of the west of Ireland. He has been writing about its nature and landscape for over 50 years and it has provided endless inspiration for poems. In more recent years he has recognised the threat of climate change and he expresses the hope that younger generations will take greater care of the world.

He reads his poems The Leveret, Remembering Carrigskeewaun, Stonechat and The Comber from his collection Ash Keys: New Selected Poems (Cape Poetry), published to mark his 85th birthday on 27th July 2024, and Merlin from his collection The Slain Birds.

Belfast poet Michael Longley talks about nature poems inspired by the west of Ireland.

Belfast poet Michael Longley talks with Olivia O'Leary about his nature poems, inspired by a remote area in Mayo in the west of Ireland that he has been visiting for decades.

The Irish poet Michael Longley, who died on 22nd January 2025, was described by Seamus Heaney as 'a keeper of the artistic estate, a custodian of griefs and wonders.' He devoted a lifetime to the art of poetry and won numerous poetry prizes.

In this episode of The Essay, first broadcast in 2024, he described his refuge from the city streets of Belfast in County Mayo, in one of the most remote and beautiful parts of the west of Ireland. He had been writing about its nature and landscape for over 50 years and it provided endless inspiration for poems. In more recent years he recognised the threat of climate change and he expresses the hope that younger generations will take greater care of the world.

In a 2024 interview, the late poet Michael Longley talks about his nature poems.

In a 2024 interview, the late poet Michael Longley talks with Olivia O'Leary about his nature poems, inspired by a remote area in the west of Ireland that he visited for decades.

[LISTEN NOW]

Poems Of The Troubles

20240710

20250212 (R3)

In 1968, violence erupted in Northern Ireland, the beginning of 30 years of the Troubles. In the third episode of this series of The Essay, he talks about writing poems that remembered some of those who were victims of the violence and his most famous poem, Ceasefire, which looks to Homer's great epic poem The Iliad as it reflects on the cost of peace.

As well as Ceasefire, he reads his poems The Troubles, The Ice-Cream Man, and All of these People from the collection Ash Keys: New Selected Poems (Cape Poetry), published to mark his 85th birthday on 27th July 2024.

Belfast poet Michael Longley on writing about the Troubles.

Belfast poet Michael Longley talks with Olivia O'Leary about poems he has written about the Troubles in Northern Ireland.

In 1968, violence erupted in Northern Ireland, the beginning of 30 years of the Troubles. In the third episode of this series of The Essay, first broadcast in 2024, he talked about writing poems that remembered some of those who were victims of the the violence and his most famous poem, Ceasefire, which looks to Homer's great epic poem The Iliad as it reflects on the cost of peace.

Belfast poet Michael Longley speaking in 2024 on writing about the Troubles.

Belfast poet Michael Longley speaking in 2024 with Olivia O'Leary about poems he had written about the Troubles in Northern Ireland.

[LISTEN NOW]

Poems Of World War 1

20240709

20250211 (R3)

In the second episode of this series of The Essay, first broadcast in 2024, he talked with presenter Olivia O'Leary about his World War 1 poems, many of which were inspired by his own father's experience of having fought in the war, although he rarely talked about it. Michael's poems link the Great War and the Northern Ireland Troubles.

He reads his poems Citation, Harmonica, The Sonnets and Wounds from the collection Ash Keys: New Selected Poems (Cape Poetry), published to mark his 85th birthday on 27th July 2024.

In a 2024 interview, the late poet Michael Longley talks about his World War 1 poetry.

In a 2024 interview, the late Belfast poet Michael Longley talks with Olivia O'Leary about his World War 1 poetry, which was inspired by his father's experience.

[LISTEN NOW]

Poems Of World War I

20240709

In the second episode of this series of The Essay, he talks with Olivia O'Leary about his World War I poems, many of which were inspired by his own father's experience of having fought in the war, although he rarely talked about it. Michael's poems link the Great War and the Northern Ireland Troubles.

He reads his poems Citation, Harmonica, The Sonnets and Wounds from the collection Ash Keys: New Selected Poems (Cape Poetry), published to mark his 85th birthday on 27th July 2024.

Belfast poet Michael Longley talks with Olivia O'Leary about his World War I poetry.

Belfast poet Michael Longley talks with Olivia O'Leary about his World War I poetry, which was inspired by his father's experience.

The Early Years

20240708

20250210 (R3)

In the first episode of this series of The Essay, he talks about his home town of Belfast and his love of jazz, saying that, 'Good poetry for me combines two things: meaning and melody.' He also loves the classics, which he studied at Trinity College Dublin, where he met his wife, Edna, a distinguished literary critic. He was one of a group of young poets that emerged from Northern Ireland in the 1960s and he describes the mutual support, rivalry and excitement of that time.

He reads his poems Elegy for Fats Waller and an extract from his poem River and Fountain from a new collection, Ash Keys: New Selected Poems (Cape Poetry), published to mark his 85th birthday on 27th July 2024. He also reads Bookshops from his collection Angel Hill and Poem from The Slain Birds.

Belfast poet Michael Longley talks about his home town and love of jazz and the classics.

Belfast poet Michael Longley talks with Olivia O'Leary about his home town, love of jazz and the classics, and the group of poets that emerged from Northern Ireland in the 1960s.

The poet Michael Longley, who died on 22nd January 2025 at the age of 85, was described by Seamus Heaney as 'a keeper of the artistic estate, a custodian of griefs and wonders.' He devoted a lifetime to the art of poetry and won numerous poetry prizes.

In Episode 1 of this series of The Essay, first broadcast in 2024 and recorded to mark his 85th birthday, he talked with presenter Olivia O'Leary about his home town of Belfast and his love of jazz, saying that, 'Good poetry for me combines two things: meaning and melody.' He also loved the classics, which he studied at Trinity College Dublin, where he met his wife, Edna, a distinguished literary critic. He was one of a group of young poets that emerged from Northern Ireland in the 1960s and he describes the mutual support, rivalry and excitement of that time.

In a 2024 interview, the late poet Michael Longley talks about Belfast and the classics.

In a 2024 interview, the late poet Michael Longley talks with Olivia O'Leary about Belfast, jazz, the classics, and the poets that emerged from Northern Ireland in the 1960s.

[LISTEN NOW]

Episodes

Title	First Broadcast	Repeated	Comments
Poems Of Love And Ageing	20240712	20250214 (R3)	In recent years, Michael has been writing more than ever. He is recognised as a very fine love poet and in this episode he reads poems that address the gift of a decades-long love and marriage and the inevitability of ageing. After a lifetime dedicated to poetry, he says, 'I can't imagine that I would be alive now if I hadn't had poetry propelling me forward. He reads his poems The Pattern, The Linen Industry and Age from his collection Ash Keys: New Selected Poems (Cape Poetry), published to mark his 85th birthday on 27th July 2024, and Foam from his collection The Slain Birds. Belfast poet Michael Longley talks about his love poems and sixty years of poetry. Belfast poet Michael Longley talks with Olivia O'Leary about his love poems and looks back on 60 years of poetry. Irish poet Michael Longley, who died on 22nd January 2025, was described by Seamus Heaney as 'a keeper of the artistic estate, a custodian of griefs and wonders.' He devoted a lifetime to the art of poetry and won numerous poetry prizes. He is recognised as a very fine love poet and in this episode of Michael Longley's Life of Poetry, first broadcast in 2024, he reads poems that address the gift of a decades-long love and marriage and the inevitability of ageing. After a lifetime dedicated to poetry, he says, 'I can't imagine that I would be alive now if I hadn't had poetry propelling me forward. In a 2024 interview, Michael Longley talks about his love poems and 60 years of poetry. In a 2024 interview, Belfast poet Michael Longley talks with Olivia O'Leary about his love poems and looks back on sixty years of poetry. [LISTEN NOW]
Poems Of Mayo	20240711	20250213 (R3)	His refuge from the city streets of Belfast is in County Mayo, in one of the most remote and beautiful parts of the west of Ireland. He has been writing about its nature and landscape for over 50 years and it has provided endless inspiration for poems. In more recent years he has recognised the threat of climate change and he expresses the hope that younger generations will take greater care of the world. He reads his poems The Leveret, Remembering Carrigskeewaun, Stonechat and The Comber from his collection Ash Keys: New Selected Poems (Cape Poetry), published to mark his 85th birthday on 27th July 2024, and Merlin from his collection The Slain Birds. Belfast poet Michael Longley talks about nature poems inspired by the west of Ireland. Belfast poet Michael Longley talks with Olivia O'Leary about his nature poems, inspired by a remote area in Mayo in the west of Ireland that he has been visiting for decades. The Irish poet Michael Longley, who died on 22nd January 2025, was described by Seamus Heaney as 'a keeper of the artistic estate, a custodian of griefs and wonders.' He devoted a lifetime to the art of poetry and won numerous poetry prizes. In this episode of The Essay, first broadcast in 2024, he described his refuge from the city streets of Belfast in County Mayo, in one of the most remote and beautiful parts of the west of Ireland. He had been writing about its nature and landscape for over 50 years and it provided endless inspiration for poems. In more recent years he recognised the threat of climate change and he expresses the hope that younger generations will take greater care of the world. In a 2024 interview, the late poet Michael Longley talks about his nature poems. In a 2024 interview, the late poet Michael Longley talks with Olivia O'Leary about his nature poems, inspired by a remote area in the west of Ireland that he visited for decades. [LISTEN NOW]
Poems Of The Troubles	20240710	20250212 (R3)	In 1968, violence erupted in Northern Ireland, the beginning of 30 years of the Troubles. In the third episode of this series of The Essay, he talks about writing poems that remembered some of those who were victims of the violence and his most famous poem, Ceasefire, which looks to Homer's great epic poem The Iliad as it reflects on the cost of peace. As well as Ceasefire, he reads his poems The Troubles, The Ice-Cream Man, and All of these People from the collection Ash Keys: New Selected Poems (Cape Poetry), published to mark his 85th birthday on 27th July 2024. Belfast poet Michael Longley on writing about the Troubles. Belfast poet Michael Longley talks with Olivia O'Leary about poems he has written about the Troubles in Northern Ireland. The Irish poet Michael Longley, who died on 22nd January 2025, was described by Seamus Heaney as 'a keeper of the artistic estate, a custodian of griefs and wonders.' He devoted a lifetime to the art of poetry and won numerous poetry prizes. In 1968, violence erupted in Northern Ireland, the beginning of 30 years of the Troubles. In the third episode of this series of The Essay, first broadcast in 2024, he talked about writing poems that remembered some of those who were victims of the the violence and his most famous poem, Ceasefire, which looks to Homer's great epic poem The Iliad as it reflects on the cost of peace. Belfast poet Michael Longley speaking in 2024 on writing about the Troubles. Belfast poet Michael Longley speaking in 2024 with Olivia O'Leary about poems he had written about the Troubles in Northern Ireland. [LISTEN NOW]
Poems Of World War 1	20240709	20250211 (R3)	The Irish poet Michael Longley, who died on 22nd January 2025, was described by Seamus Heaney as 'a keeper of the artistic estate, a custodian of griefs and wonders.' He devoted a lifetime to the art of poetry and won numerous poetry prizes. In the second episode of this series of The Essay, first broadcast in 2024, he talked with presenter Olivia O'Leary about his World War 1 poems, many of which were inspired by his own father's experience of having fought in the war, although he rarely talked about it. Michael's poems link the Great War and the Northern Ireland Troubles. He reads his poems Citation, Harmonica, The Sonnets and Wounds from the collection Ash Keys: New Selected Poems (Cape Poetry), published to mark his 85th birthday on 27th July 2024. In a 2024 interview, the late poet Michael Longley talks about his World War 1 poetry. In a 2024 interview, the late Belfast poet Michael Longley talks with Olivia O'Leary about his World War 1 poetry, which was inspired by his father's experience. [LISTEN NOW]
Poems Of World War I	20240709		In the second episode of this series of The Essay, he talks with Olivia O'Leary about his World War I poems, many of which were inspired by his own father's experience of having fought in the war, although he rarely talked about it. Michael's poems link the Great War and the Northern Ireland Troubles. He reads his poems Citation, Harmonica, The Sonnets and Wounds from the collection Ash Keys: New Selected Poems (Cape Poetry), published to mark his 85th birthday on 27th July 2024. Belfast poet Michael Longley talks with Olivia O'Leary about his World War I poetry. Belfast poet Michael Longley talks with Olivia O'Leary about his World War I poetry, which was inspired by his father's experience.
The Early Years	20240708	20250210 (R3)	In the first episode of this series of The Essay, he talks about his home town of Belfast and his love of jazz, saying that, 'Good poetry for me combines two things: meaning and melody.' He also loves the classics, which he studied at Trinity College Dublin, where he met his wife, Edna, a distinguished literary critic. He was one of a group of young poets that emerged from Northern Ireland in the 1960s and he describes the mutual support, rivalry and excitement of that time. He reads his poems Elegy for Fats Waller and an extract from his poem River and Fountain from a new collection, Ash Keys: New Selected Poems (Cape Poetry), published to mark his 85th birthday on 27th July 2024. He also reads Bookshops from his collection Angel Hill and Poem from The Slain Birds. Belfast poet Michael Longley talks about his home town and love of jazz and the classics. Belfast poet Michael Longley talks with Olivia O'Leary about his home town, love of jazz and the classics, and the group of poets that emerged from Northern Ireland in the 1960s. The poet Michael Longley, who died on 22nd January 2025 at the age of 85, was described by Seamus Heaney as 'a keeper of the artistic estate, a custodian of griefs and wonders.' He devoted a lifetime to the art of poetry and won numerous poetry prizes. In Episode 1 of this series of The Essay, first broadcast in 2024 and recorded to mark his 85th birthday, he talked with presenter Olivia O'Leary about his home town of Belfast and his love of jazz, saying that, 'Good poetry for me combines two things: meaning and melody.' He also loved the classics, which he studied at Trinity College Dublin, where he met his wife, Edna, a distinguished literary critic. He was one of a group of young poets that emerged from Northern Ireland in the 1960s and he describes the mutual support, rivalry and excitement of that time. In a 2024 interview, the late poet Michael Longley talks about Belfast and the classics. In a 2024 interview, the late poet Michael Longley talks with Olivia O'Leary about Belfast, jazz, the classics, and the poets that emerged from Northern Ireland in the 1960s. [LISTEN NOW]