Cronin

In a series of four hour long interviews with Tom McGurk, which spans Anthony Cronin's life and writing, Cronin recalls the colourful characters he knew and discusses the ideas and beliefs that drove him to become one of the main architects of some of the most innovative and influential artistic and cultural policies and institutions in the modern Irish state. The programmes are illustrated with archive recordings of some of the many voices that are part of the fascinating world which Anthony Cronin inhabits and enriches.

Programme 1: The Writer in the Making

Cronin talks about growing up in Wexford, moving to Dublin and how he began to write. The programme is illustrated with selected readings from the poetry, fiction and prose of Anthony Cronin.
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Programme 2: Dead as Doornails

Cronin recalls post-war literary Dublin and its colourful characters with archive recordings of some of its more famous voices including Patrick Kavanagh, Brendan Behan and Brian O'Nolan.
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Programme 3: A Stain upon the Silence

Cronin discusses the writers who have had a lifelong influence on him, including Samuel Beckett, about whom Cronin wrote what has been hailed as the greatest biography.
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Programme 4: Doing the State Some Service

Anthony Cronin talks exclusively about his close friendship with Charles Haughey, for whom he served as Cultural and Artistic Advisor. He paints a fascinating picture of the Irish State that emerged from the dark days of fear and censorship to the more enlightened Ireland of tax free exemption for writers and artists and the establishment of Aosdána, in which Cronin played a vital role.
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The series producer is Seamus Hosey.