'On Raglan Road' was written by Patrick Kavanagh in 1946. The poem was originally published as 'Dark Haired Miriam Ran Away' and was written about his unrequited love for Hilda Moriarty. The poem has been recorded in song by many artists including Luke Kelly, Van Morrison and Sinéad O'Connor.
Benedict Kiely recalls Patrick Kavanagh first showing him the words of 'On Raglan Road' and trying out how it would sound sung to the air of 'The Dawning of the Day'.
Production Year
1974
Contributor
Tom McGurk (Writer/Presenter)
Kieran Sheedy (Producer)
ON RAGLAN ROAD
On Raglan Road Benedict Kiely
Writer Benedict Kiely tells Ciarán Mac Mathúna how he thinks he was the first person to see the words of 'Raglan Road' written out.
Production Year
1979
Contributor
Ciarán Mac Mathúna (Presenter)
Peter Canning (Producer)
Benedict Kiely
ON RAGLAN ROAD
Luke Kelly Sings ‘On Raglan Road’
Luke Kelly explains how he met Patrick Kavanagh in The Bailey pub in Dublin. During this encounter Kavanagh told him he had a song for him.
Production Year
1979
Contributor
Ciarán Mac Mathúna (Presenter)
Peter Canning (Producer)
Luke Kelly (Performer)
Al O'Donnell (Performer)
ON RAGLAN ROAD
Hilda Moriarty the Inspiration for ‘On Raglan Road’
Patrick Kavanagh met Hilda Moriarty in 1944. She was a 22-year-old medical student at University College Dublin. Kavanagh, who was 20 years older, became obsessed with Hilda Moriarty. His love was unrequited and she later married Donogh O'Malley (who became a Fianna Fáil Minister for Education).
