Back on air with ‘Finnegan’, Edward Delaney’s one-hour programme (Fridays 9.00-10.00pm on Digital Hub FM 94.3) of discussion, music and poetry. At the moment one can only listen to it live on the website, but we are working to set up the archive.

Edward, Micheal Mac Aonghusa and myself are looking forward to another few weeks of enjoyable broadcasting. Last Friday I read out a poem called ‘OHM’ which has just this week been published in ‘Shop’ magazine (I will set it up in the ‘My Poetry’ section as soon as possible) and all three of us had something to say about Thierry Henry, somethings he mightn’t like to hear!

Our last bi-lingual programme yesterday evening (31st July) for this session until we return in the Autumn. This week’s programme a bit heavy with discussions between me and Edward about NAMA and the new traffic arrangements in Dublin (yawn) but we do our best to inform the nation. The programme was saved by the input from Sarah Williams and her friend Natasha who talked about the best tourist attractions in Dublin. You can see from the photo how much they brightened up the show. Edward did his usual trawl and commentary through the TV films on show this week , with special reference to Joe Lynch, the much beloved Irish actor (and singer) who died not so long ago. I read a poem of mine about St.Mary’s Church in Mary Street which you can find in the Acorn Magazine Website at     www.dublinwriters.org/eacorn/EA10/lynskeypoem.html

Anyway, it’s time to say slan libh go leir go dti an Deireadh Fomhair seo chugainn nuair a bheimid ag ple ceisteanna agus ag cur danta and ceoil ar fail aris. Arrivederci!

Another session with Edward Delaney and Micheal Mac Aonghusa. I read out a poem called ‘Little Boy and Tricycle’ which provoked some discussion on the horrors of war, ‘ultimate war’ that is, in the shape of atom bombs. My poem just lays out one example of those horrors and it hopes that it has some effect on the listener or reader. One-sided ‘polemical’ poems are tedious. We also had some diospoireacht maidir leis na ‘freagrai’ a thainig as ‘Bord Snip’. Sea, ta’s agam go raibh an argoint ceanna againn an tseachtain seo chaite, ach nil aon ealu on t-abhar. Gach einne ag caint faoi. Ach tada deanta fos! Edward did his usual review of TV films coming up during the week but couldn’t find much to please him, and yes it did seem like very lean fare. Maybe the cuts are already in action and we don’t know it? Stay tuned.

Highlight of this week’s show (Fri, 17th July) was our guest Sarah Williams, musician and composer, interviweing her American friend Emer on her (Emer’s) experience of campaigning for Barak Obama. Turns out that what we’ve heard and seen of his charisma is even stronger up close. Also Micheal Mac Aonghusa ag ple an ceist maidir leis an tuarascail sin on ‘Bord Snip Nua’ and me talking about how we all must face up to these cuts sooner or later. (It seems to me that most people now share this view. But it also seems to me to be a case of St. Augustine’s prayer: “Oh Lord, make me good. But not just yet”!). Our host, Edward Delaney had things to say about the anniversary of the moon landing, and some reflections on the Mars project. There’s only two more shows left, so don’t miss next Friday and the following Friday at 9.00pm for some unparallelled entertainment.

Another ‘Finnegan’ programme yesterday (Fri.10th) with Edward Delaney and Michael Mac Aonghusa. Cursai reatha, ceol and some poetry from me. Also some waffle from me about this (my) new website. I am pleased so far with the results but have so much else to learn. However, as I said on the show, if you put your mind to it and persist, you can eventually master the balck arts of blogging and websiting. At least I hope you can. I have a long way to go yet. As regards poetry, I read out a poem (‘Early Dispatches’, see the ‘My Poetry’ page) that harks back to the time my wife and I moved into our new house in suburbia 30 years ago. The poem was written at that time and reflects the scene around us just then: roads unfinished and houses just built yesterday and not yet occupied.

Did my usual Friday spot on the ‘Finnegan’ programme (Fridays 9.00-10.00pm), hosted by Edward Delaney. Read out 2 poems, one of which was ‘When I Am Become Again’. Amazing to think it is so many years ago that the late lamented David Marcus published it in the Irish Press. It seems like, well, only a year or two ago. He gave a lot of people their first published poem, did David, and thereby he gave them a great confidence to continue on with their stuff. I am also always amazed at the amount of people I meet to whom he gave this start-up. He must be the single most influential editor ever from the point of view of encouraging young writers. I have included the poem in the ‘My Poetry’ page.