Brendan Kennelly talks about his great love for Patrick Kavanagh as a person and as a poet. In conversation with Theo Dorgan, Kennelly describes Kavanagh as ‘disgruntled, hard to talk to, and yet totally genuine’. He further comments ‘I am very attracted to the kind of person who can write so beautifully and yet be inarticulate’.

Kennelly reminisces about handwriting ‘The Great Hunger’ in order to get to know the work better. Kennelly says of Kavanagh ‘He believes in poetry even though it cost him his life in many ways”.

This programme was produced by Loopline Productions for RTÉ.

‘Imprint Later’ was a series of interviews with writers. In this episode, broadcast on 15 July 1999, Theo Dorgan interviews writer Brendan Kennelly.

This programme was produced by Bob Collins and Martina Durac.

© Loopline Productions Ltd. for RTÉ.

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