Click here for podcast (allow 10 mins or so for download). Apologies for the length of time it has taken me to put up a podcast of the Liffey Sound FM programme featuring that great Limerick magazine The Revival Literary Journal. Permissions had to be sought and various technicals overcome. Next time will be quicker! A great time was had by all at the Locke Bar, with Tom Muldowney officiating as genial MC and Ciaran O’Driscoll doing the launch speech. Featured in the podcast are Seamus Harrington, Sarah Clancy, Richard Halperin, Ray Hitchings, Mary Hodgins-Fean, John Pinschmidt, John Carew, Sheila Fitzpatrick-O’Donnell, Mary Melvin Geoghegan, Frank Farrelly, Jean Kavanagh, Brian Blaney and Barry Finegan, with guests Tim Evans and PJ Taylor. Unfortunately, the last line of Mary Melvin  Geoghegan’s great poem about Leonard Cohen got lost through a technical accident, so I include it below:

LEONARD COHEN AT LISSADELL HOUSE

Sunday 1st August 2010

We stopped at Drumcliffe

to pay our respects.

And notice how close

he requested his resting place

to the door of the church.

Then out to Lissadell

bumper to bumper

to the big field, parking

alongside the Atlantic.

A walk through the evening lit trees

brought us to the front door and

all the fans sunbathing outside.

Up in our seats

we surveyed all that was hours

between Ben Bulben and the shore.

Ten he appeared as thin as a stripe

on his well made suit.

I was back in the attic at home

with my father roaring

turn the damn thing down –

At twilight he welcomed us home

and told us he loved each one.

I believed him

and went home

silently weeping

‘Glory Hallelujha’

Mary Melvin Geoghegan