In the Poetry Programme on Sunday 18th April, at 7:30 pm on RTÉ Radio 1, a new collection from Martina Evans, and readings by Kate Ennals and Kevin O'Farrell.

Martina Evans is an Irish poet and novelist and the author of eleven books of prose and poetry. Her 2018 poetry collection, Now We Can Talk Openly About Men, was an Observer, Irish Times and TLS Book of the Year. It was also shortlisted for the Roehampton Poetry Prize, the Irish Times Poetry Now Award and the Mark Pigott Poetry Prize.

Martina Evans

Martina joins Olivia O'Leary to talk about her new collection, American Mules (Carcanet), which combines lived and invented experiences. We hear a poem inspired by her experience of working as a radiographer, and extracts from a long poem, Mountainy Men, and from the title sequence.

Kate Ennals was born in England and has lived in Ireland for 25 years. She runs poetry and writing workshops and At The Edge, Cavan, a literary reading evening, funded by the Cavan Arts Office. She has published two collections of poetry, the most recent was Threads, and she is preparing a third for publication.

Kate Ennals

The programme ends with a poem by poet, artist and jazz enthusiast Kevin O’Farrell written in memory of the composer of the programme’s theme tune, Take Five, by the Dave Brubek Quartet. The composer was a member of the Quartet, saxophonist Paul Desmond.

Kevin O'Farrell

A Rockfinch production for RTÉ.