Patrick Kavanagh talks about the notion that Dublin was a "literary metropolis" when he came to live in the city in 1939. Kavanagh himself admits to admiring many writers at the time, but on reflection is dismissive of the literary scene in a city "where they thought so much of the poetry that they didn't believe in the poet 'atin'."

"...When I came to Dublin in 1939, the Irish literary affair was still booming. It was the notion that Dublin was a literary metropolis and that Ireland was invented and patented by Yeats, Lady Gregory and Synge, the spiritual entity..."

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.

Copyright RTÉ. This material may not be replicated in any form or manner without the prior express permission of RTÉ. Any form of reproduction in print, television, video, multimedia, web site or other electronic media or any form of dissemination for commercial or non-commercial use must be licensed by the RTÉ Archives.

If you wish to licence video or audio clips, still images or text, or would like further guidance please contact us.

RTÉ Archives are committed to respecting the copyright of others and have attempted to source and credit the copyright owners of all material used here. RTÉ would like to hear from any copyright owners who are not properly identified here so that the necessary corrections can be made. If you feel your copyright has not been respected please contact us.