Poet Eavan Boland Reads 'Quarantine'

The poem chosen as "The Poem for Ireland" will be announced by President Michael D. Higgins in a special edition of The Works next Friday at 8.30 on RTE. Voting has now ended! The above poem is one of the finalists. My own favourite though would probably be "Dublin" by Louis MacNeice or failing that 1916 by William Butler Yeats but give the above a listen and see what you think. 

"A Poem For Ireland"

"A Poem For Ireland"

A Lone Bush

So what did you make of the poem for Ireland and the public have until March the 8th to get their votes in, or at least I think it's about then. Hard to argue with most of the choices but maybe one or two you wouldn't be familiar with. I mentioned Davis but since it was over the past hundred years that's him out. Of the poems selected "1916" by William Butler Yeats would seem to be the obvious choice but then "Dublin" by Louis MacNeice is just as likely and there is a great version of that on youtube recorded in Galway and borrowed it myself once a upon a time. Yeats was a really brave writer but when you're that good I suppose it's easier to be brave. Evan Boland's "Quarantine" is a good one as well but so are the ones by Patrick Kavanagh and Seamus Heaney. I suppose it all depends on what you measure them by. Maybe there should be a poem for every county and who would get in or be left out. It would certainly make for some reading.  A poem for Meath, who do you think?