On Sunday, 6 November, the Poetry as Commemoration initiative featured on RTE Radio 1’s The Poetry Programme. In the episode presenter, Olivia O’Leary, met students from St. Fiacc’s National School, Graiguecullen, Co. Carlow, as they took part in a poetry workshop with children’s author, Caroline Busher. Using letters and photographs from 100 years ago, Caroline transported the children back to an Ireland marked by war. She was joined by teachers Mandy Minnock and Justin Kelly who brought history to life with his very own ballad ‘Neath the Flag’.
In studio Olivia caught up with organisers, Evelyn Flanagan and Catherine Wilsdon, to hear more about the background of the project. The episode concludes with a reading, by Martina Evans, of a brand new poem which was inspired by the memoirs of Máire Comerford whose papers are held in UCD Archives. It is one of ten new poems commissioned as part of the Project.
