A reflection on events from a year that marked the 150th anniversary of the birth of WB Yeats.
It was a year of celebrations to mark the150th birthday of poet William Butler Yeats. Many of the events marking the year took place in Sligo, the place that inspired much of his work.
Senator Susan O'Keeffe, Chairperson of Yeats 2015, says the aim was to demonstrate to the world what a great poet W.B. Yeats was.
The Yeats Harp Moon Festival saw a special harp event take place at every full moon throughout the year. Prannie Rhatigan explains the association between Yeats and the harp. The poet was chair of the coinage committee who voted to retain the harp as the symbol on Irish coins. The first Harp Moon event was held in Sandymount in Dublin, where W.B. Yeats was born. The last was held at his final resting place in Drumcliff, County Sligo.
The year long celebration of the life of W.B. Yeats saw over a thousand events take place around the world, featuring contributions from an array of personalities, from academic and activist David Norris to actor Joanna Lumley.
Susan O'Keeffe's message to people is:
Come and find the place that inspired Yeats.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 29 December 2015. The reporter is Eileen Magnier.
