Walking On The Pastures Of Wonder

A new five part RTÉ Radio 1 series, Walking on the Pastures of Wonder, beginning at 10pm next Tuesday will remember poet and philosopher John O'Donohue who died suddenly in January at the age of 52.

The series is based on conversations which former radio producer John Quinn had with John O'Donohue over a period of four years.  These conversations ranged over topics as varied as wonder, landscape and death. 

"John O'Donohue loved the concepts of wonder and possibility. The what -might - be of things" says John Quinn, "to use his own lovely phrase he loved 'walking on the pastures of wonder' hence the title of the series."

Programmes one and two deal with landscape and were recorded on Maiméan Mountain in Connemara.  For John O'Donohue, mountains had life and memory and it was the artist's duty to quarry those memories.  Programme three deals with one of John's greatest influences the thirteenth century theologian Meister Eckhart. 

Programmes four and five deal with ageing and death.  Old age is a time for gathering, for reaping the rewards of forgotten experiences. 

As John O'Donohoe says in the programme;

"Nothing is ever lost or forgotten. old age is still a time of great possibility.. The passionate heart never ages"."one of the greatest sins is the unlived life"."There is nothing to fear - you would want to be preparing for a great fiesta time, up ahead". 

These five RTÉ Radio 1 conversations sparkle with John O'Donohue's imagery, wit and challenging philosophy, and form a worthy tribute to a much-loved person and noble mind. 

Click here for the programme podcast page.

Programme Archive

Audio Links to all the programmes in the series.