In 'Self Portrait: Patrick Kavanagh', the poet made his debut on television. In this extract, Kavanagh tells the audience of his dislike of talking about himself and comments on the growth of interest among the media in "personal data".

"...I dislike talking about myself in a direct way: the self is only interesting as an illustration. For some strange reason, whenever we talk about our personal lives, it turns out to be both irrelevant and untrue. Even when the facts are right, the mood is wrong..."

Kavanagh's script for the documentary 'Self Portrait' was later published in print.

This episode of 'Self Portrait' featuring Patrick Kavanagh was broadcast on 30 October 1962.

The 'Self Portrait' series profiled writers, poets, actors and dramatists. Portraits in the series included Sylvia Beach, John B. Keane, Kate O'Brien, Louise Gavan Duffy, Sir Tyrone Guthrie, Harry O'Donovan and Sam Thompson.

'Self-Portrait' was a series of intimate studio monologues with distinguished Irish men and women. It provided a unique opportunity to hear and see significant individuals presenting themselves in their own words and voices enriching their presentations with personal stories and examples of their work.

Kavanagh's script for this 'Self-Portrait' programme was later published by The Dolmen Press in 1964 © Patrick Kavanagh.

In 2004 to honour the centenary of Patrick Kavanagh's birth, RTE Libraries and Archives remastered this Self-Portrait programme. Later that year the programme was repackaged and rebroadcast  'The View Presents...' Tx 29 November 2004.

Extracts of Patrick Kavanagh's writings are published by kind permission of the Patrick and Katherine Kavanagh Trust.

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