On this week's Poetry Programme presenter Olivia O'Leary talks with Ailbhe Ní Ghearbhuigh about the major new anthology of Irish language poetry Bone and Marrow/Cnámh agus Smior.

Bone and Marrow/Cnámh agus Smior: An Anthology of Irish Poetry from Medieval to Modern is edited by Samuel K. Fisher & Brian Ó Conchubhair, published by Wake Forest University Press, and available in Europe via Eurospan.

To get a flavour of the anthology, throughout the programme we hear readings of a number of poems.

An extract of Messe ocus Pangur Bán is read in Old Irish by Liam Ó Murchú, former member of staff of the Department of Early and Medieval Irish in University College Cork. Andrew Bennett reads the English translation. Andrew also reads Dáibhí Ó Bruadair's poem D’aithle na bhFileadh/After the Noble Poets and an extract from Brian Merriman’s The Midnight Court/Cúirt an Mheán Oíche.

We have an archive recording of Michael Davitt reading his poem Luimneach, and Ailbhe reads Slán Chugat Thoir/I Bid you Farewell in the East’ by Áine Ní Fhoghlú and her own poem Manach Eile agus a Chat/Another Monk and his Cat.

The programme ends with a clip from a musical setting by Danú of the anonymous poem Idir Aird Mhór is Eochaill/Between Ardmore and Youghal.

The Poetry Programme is a Rockfinch production for RTÉ.

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Ailbhe Ní Ghearbhuigh Credit Máire Uí Mhaicín