Listen back to Among the Heather Rocks, – the first of two programmes broadcast on RTE lyric FM during Seachtain Na Gaeilge with bilingual Irish poets – the poet Annemarie Ní Churreáin took the radio producer Claire Cunningham back to the Donegal Gaeltacht, where she grew up. Among The Heather Rocks was first broadcast on The Lyric Feature on Sunday March 9th 2025.
Annemarie Ní Churreáin goes back to the Donegal Gaeltacht, where she grew up, and explores the folklore and history, landscape, language and personal experiences that influence her poetry.
“When radio producer Claire Cunningham suggested that we record some interviews to help unpack the landscapes of the poems, I knew that our first port of call should be my neighbour Lucy Ní hAodhagáin, founder of Wild Awake Ireland, whose work as a facilitator aims to rekindle ecological and cultural resilience through the restoration of ancestral life ways in Ireland. Drinking hawthorn tea at Lucy’s kitchen table, we reflected on our shared love of folklore, ritual and ceremony. Claire & I later rambled on to meet Dr Brian Lacey, historian and keeper of the Balor lore, who now lives in The Poisoned Glen. We also had a beautiful chat with Niamh Brennan of @donegalcountyarchives about the stories and records of the Stranorlar Mother & Baby Home. Finally, we spoke with my pal Pól Penrose about his work as founder of the annual Bród Pride Festival.” — Annemarie Ní Churreáin
Music by Gallen Music.
Listen back on RTE Player
Episode One
Episode Two
