Seamus Heaney describes how he first came to read Kavanagh and how Kavanagh's work taught him "that nothing is trivial", and that the ordinary or common place is as important as the largest theme. Heaney also discusses Kavanagh's first book of published poetry 'Ploughman and Other Poems' and the progression to his next work, the epic poem, 'The Great Hunger'.

"In the introduction to his 'Collected Poems', Patrick Kavanagh wrote something which I think is very relevant both for himself and for all poets, 'A man innocently dabbles in words and rhymes and finds that it is his life'. I didn't in fact meet Patrick Kavanagh until about three months ago, but I knew his poems from the moment that I myself began 'innocently to dabble in words'..."

'Topic' was a programme of reports, interviews and opinions.

This episode of 'Topic', which was a tribute to Patrick Kavanagh, featured Seamus Heaney, John Ryan, Liam Miller, Christine Longford and Tomas MacAnna.

The exact broadcast date of this edition of 'Topic' is not clear but was probably in December 1967 after Kavanagh's death.

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