If you log one thing on Thursday, make it Irish verse for National Poetry Day.

Much emphasis is placed on the “golden age” of Irish fiction, but it has never gone away. Our poetry is also always green. Here’s where to find your dose.

Words spoken lightly
Apple, Spotify

When none other than Michael Longley features in its launch episode, you can be sure the native Irishman Words spoken lightly is a quality podcast.

Launched in January 2019, this Rockfinch production amassed 157 episodes before taking what appears to be a hiatus since December 2021 – and is an antidote to anyone claiming to be “too busy” to even open a book. .

Episodes are only a few minutes long, or rather, they’re as long as it takes an author to read his poem (and finish it with an intro and ending), like the melodious Paul Muldoon reciting his work ‘The Birth’ , which was inspired by his daughter (three minutes, 25 seconds), and dynamo Chandrika Narayanan-Mohan (five minutes, 35 seconds) reading ‘An Introduction’, which pours out his “beaten patchwork heart”.

The entire archive is on wordlightlyspoken.libsyn.com.

The poetry program
rte.ie

Video of the day

Inevitably, there is an overlap between Words spoken lightly and Rockfinch’s The poetry program on RTÉ Radio 1, hosted by Olivia O’Leary. And the more the merrier when that means more stars: Doireann Ní Ghríofa de A ghost in the throat celebrity, recently sharing gems from his latest anthology Star the Darkand Jessica Traynor of her own pit lullabiesa darkly comedic collection exploring the early days of new parenthood.

You might even hear some music, too, like Loah’s rendition of Katharine Tynan’s poem “Easter” in last Sunday’s episode, which was featured on her EP praising poets. When I wake up.

Limitless and naked
Apple, Spotify

Finally Yes Limitless and naked looks a bit like a Discovery Channel spin-off Naked and scarednever fear – this is most definitely a literary podcast and absolutely no one is getting rid of their gear in perilous situations.

It is the audio offering of the eponymous Irish spoken word agency co-founded by Melissa Ridge and Melanie O’Donovan which promotes poets, events, produces BND magazine and a blog.

There’s been very little activity released lately – however, the in-depth episodes are worth dusting off to hear established wordsmiths (like Phil Lynch) and whippersnappers (like Hazel Hogan) make their mark at the microphone and discuss the differences between performance poetry and the spoken word.