On today's pod, we celebrate the release of the second album from For Those I Love, as well as hearing Olivia Rodgrido’s advice about poetry being the foundation for all songwriting, which we’d be on board with.

We also dive into the work of Nikita Gill the hidden-in-Instagram-captions genius poetry from Teyindhi Ramsewak and talk about Alice Kinsella’s new collection ‘The Ethics of Cats’

We also share a powerful and completely unique poem about Joan Of Arc by Pip McGough that’ll get your blood pumping before we help a listener problem with our agony aunt section all about feeling misunderstood.

Great to be back and thanks to everyone who listened to last week’s return of the podcast.

In the words of David, go enjoy that good drying

Ryan and Leon

Poems from the show

Alice Kinsella - The Walkout

https://www.rte.ie/culture/2025/0704/1521257-the-ethics-of-cats-alice-kinsellas-new-poems/

Nikita Gill - If You Asked Me How To Live Forever

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7757886.Nikita_Gill

Pip McGough - Joan Delux

Instagram - @manifest_gothic

Tenidhi Ramsewak - If I Leave The House

Instagram - @syllabic_nomad

David Balfe - Of The Sorrows

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mp-f6cG6rco

Support the show

Original music by Matthew Keating
Artwork by Paddy Downey
Introduction and co-produced by Lisa Downey

Difficult third series? F*** that!

We missed you guys and are delighted to return to your moistened ears as you go on your jog around the park that you hate to help you through another 5k.

Or whatever you're up to listening to us, we're very bloody grateful.

We have had a lovely few months off, so lots to fill you in on. From poems in English village pubs to bopping to The Fleadh.

As for poems, we've both been writing a ton so have some poems to share, as well as poems from the competition winners for our prompts. A huge congrats again to Joe and Hayley for winning a place in our second anthology that will be out this Christmas, absolutely deserved.

Our agony aunt is back, helping someone who needs a little career advice.

We'll be back until December, so get used to us keeping you company for a while :)

Ryan and Leon

Poems from the show:

Andy Porter - Unsuitable Activity For Poets

Neighbour's Got a New Hot Tub: Amazon.co.uk: Porter, Andy: 9798280992061: Books

Passage from The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath | Goodreads

Ryan Duggins - Men In Group Chats After Diogo Jota Died

Ryan Duggins (@ryanduggins) • Instagram photos and videos

Leon Dunne - lámh

Leon Dunne (@nomanticz) • Instagram photos and videos

Hayley Louise McDonnell - All Roads Lead To The Quiet

https://www.instagram.com/hayleylouisepoetry?igsh=MWxld2k1NHVrajJtOA==

Joe Spivey - The Step

Joe Spivey | Substack

Barbagianni - Out Of My Head feat. Katie Ryan

https://open.spotify.com/track/0KZ71kIJcZtESD032yU3iT?si=1f5b80c3eedc47f0

Support the show

Original music by Matthew Keating
Artwork by Paddy Downey
Introduction and co-produced by Lisa Downey

Our last podcast was our 50th show lads. 50! Mad.

On Monday, we have a load of poems and stories for, starting with some info about our live podcast at Swords Castle next Saturday with Wavin Words where there’s also a young poets slam for anyone between 14-18 years of age. If you know of a future world champion slam poet, bring them.

Speaking of being inspired by young people, thanks to Katriona O'Sullivan sharing a post a few weeks back, we have poetry from Reece, who penned a powerful poem about the pre-conceptions he faces from the reputation of where he’s from.

We were incredibly moved and got in touch with his teacher Nadine who sent us the story of the poem's creation and what it’s like to teach poetry in schools. She also pushed Reece to recite the poem for us, incredible.

We have poems from Clonakilty’s own James Harpur, Dara Clear from @theclearoutpodcast and music from Derry’s own ‘James-Arthur-but-better’ Conor McLain @cmclainmusic

Congrats Conor on killing it at Whelans last night and best of luck on the rest of your tour

Hope to see you at Swords Castle for our live podcast!

Poems from the show

Dara Clear - Time

https://shows.acast.com/theclearout

Reece - Labelled

James Harpur - Poem

https://eblanapress.com/

Fritz Von Ostini - We Snort And We Inject

https://www.newstatesman.com/culture/2016/11/nazis-drugs-how-kick-crystal-meth-powered-blitzkrieg

Music from Conor McLain - Adored By You

https://open.spotify.com/track/1DHTO5w62FnC6jx1zirAwC

Support the show

Original music by Matthew Keating
Artwork by Paddy Downey
Introduction and co-produced by Lisa Downey

We’re back not with a bang lads, but a SLAM!

We were at the International Literature Festival Dublin this week as Leon hosted this year’s Slamovision with @rising.tide.events

The place was packed, and the performances on the night were insane. A night where artists stepped up one-after-another to tell stories that need to be told from voices that needed to be heard.

We were able to grab a chat with the winner Cat Brogan @cat.brogan who shivered with us and had a chin wag about poetry and life on the border.

We chat to Daragh Fleming, Sheila Ryder, Matteo from Arts Bubbles, Julie from the team at @dublins.finest Nicola Clare and Jenny Fagan too in a dash for the chats before we all were kicked out.

Someone we hadn’t heard poetry from before was Megan Atkinson who has kindly given us the poem she made the final with to share with you lot on the podcast.

We also have a banger of a poem from Colm Keegan @colm_keegan as he sets out on tour with Erin Fornoff next week. Dates and venues below:

Thursday, 29th May – Droichead Arts Centre, Drogheda Drogheda EBT
Guest poet: Tom French Guest musician: Farah Elle

• Friday, 30th May – Riverbank Arts Centre, Newbridge, Kildare Kildare EBT
  Guest poet: Liz Quirke | Guest musician: Fiach Moriarty
  
  
  
• Thursday, 5th June – Ramor Arts Centre, Virginia, Cavan Cavan EBT
  Guest poet: Noel Monaghan | Guest musician: Jinx Lennon
  
  
  
• Friday, 6th June – Backstage Theatre, Longford Longford EBT
  Guest poet: Darragh Coady | Guest musician: Dion Mercury
  
  
  
• Saturday, 7th June – Roscommon Arts Centre, Roscommon Roscommon EBT
  Guest poet: Louise G Cole | Guest musician: Bianca Fachel

The song on the post is from Aaron Rowe with his new release Hey Ma. An inspiring artist who has worked his balls off gigging around the country and now has this incredible tune which we are delighted to share.

Yup poetry
Ryan and Leon

Support the show

Original music by Matthew Keating
Artwork by Paddy Downey
Introduction and co-produced by Lisa Downey

Support the show

Original music by Matthew Keating
Artwork by Paddy Downey
Introduction and co-produced by Lisa Downey

Understanding Masculinity Through Poetry

Well, we give it a go anyway and thank the fecking lord we have poetry to help us. We’re share a piece from ourselves as well as work from Simon Armitage, Ursula Walshe and Hayley Gordon

Want to say a massive thank you to everyone we met in Liverpool this weekend. Everyone was so sound, what a night the Giz A Word girls Hayley and Rachel run.

Enjoy the podcast and have a whopper Bank Holiday!

Poems from the pod:

Simon Armitage - I Am Very Bothered

https://www.poetrynook.com/poem/i-am-very-bothered

Hayley Gordon - Home

https://www.instagram.com/twistedtales.hlg19/

Ursula Walshe - The Forgotten Graffiti Of Adolescent Masculinity

Ryan Duggins - Do Not Judge The Man Reading Jordan Peterson On A Bus

https://www.instagram.com/ryanduggins/reels/

Leon Dunne - Let’s Talk About Masculinity

https://www.poetryireland.ie/education/writers-directory/leon-dunne

Music from Lisa Knapp And Gerry Diver

https://www.lisaknapp.co.uk/

Support the show

Original music by Matthew Keating
Artwork by Paddy Downey
Introduction and co-produced by Lisa Downey

We have pretty much everything covered this week.

We read a note from Albert Camus, a poem written by Easter Rising leader Padraig Pearse about his mother and we have issues pronouncing Hercule Poirot

Lots of beautiful poems are snuck between those bits, but a special highlight is hearing from Jameson Newell.

An American trans man living in Ireland, Jameson opens up on what it’s like living and existing since the trans rights of Americans were revoked this year. Thank you Jameson for sharing your story and poetry

We have belters about a coat pocket, the Irish abortion vote in 2018 and we hear from Agatha Christie who is helping us fill in for the agony aunt this week

Poems from the podcast

Albert Camus - Poem from his notebook (1951-1959)

https://www.easons.com/personal-writings-albert-camus-9780241400272?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw5azABhD1ARIsAA0WFUH7T2RwXic2ESxlHRvJnWdMbenygRwhMNXQb8gj5BlNOoGVHeWGo2EaAlioEALw_wcB

Padraig Pearse - The Mother

https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/rising-poems-the-mother-by-patrick-pearse/34382053.html

Robbie Hood - Catholic City

https://www.instagram.com/robbie_hood_poetry?igsh=MXRyd2NienRtbHVzYw==

Jameson Newell - Dandelions

https://www.instagram.com/fuckingaguys?igsh=MTZhZXc0YTk0OTRiZA==

Faye Elizabeth Marshall - St Patricks Day Parade 2019

https://www.instagram.com/fayeelizabethmarshall?igsh=em42Y3M5dWx6bHhh

Agatha Christie - untitled

https://www.agathachristie.com/en/stories/poems

Music from Craig Gallagher - Lonely Eyes

https://open.spotify.com/track/3QjrNYKDMQmPrY5O4QLkO9?si=1W2QdqHuR-usgj4Q3824ow

Support the show

Original music by Matthew Keating
Artwork by Paddy Downey
Introduction and co-produced by Lisa Downey

A very special podcast this week as we invite Luain Press's Lee Sheridan to discuss his brand new anthology collection Luaina!

We were delighted ourselves to be involved in the collection, not just because being published is good craic, but we are alongside some of Ireland's most talented spoken word performers and artists.

After Lee attended the book launch of Sean Watmore's debut poetry book, he was inspired by the Dublin poetry scene and the collection of minds and artists in the room supporting Watmore. He took that energy and brought it to print, with a new book available now that is heaving with talent from the Island.

You can grab your copy here - https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0F13JJJ7G

Poets from the podcast:

Daragh Fleming - Barry’s Tea From France

https://thoughtstoobig.ie/daraghfleming/

Anna D - State Of The Nation

https://www.poetryireland.ie/education/writers-directory/anna-doran

Annie Peter - Fairy Tales

https://www.poetryireland.ie/education/writers-directory/annie-peter

Christina Hennemann - Acorn

https://www.christinahennemann.com/

David Hynes - Other Kin

https://www.instagram.com/hynestein1/

Mikey Cullen - Plato’s Rave

https://www.instagram.com/mikey___cullen/?hl=en

Jess Flood - Storm 27

https://www.instagram.com/jflooders/?hl=en

Support the show

Original music by Matthew Keating
Artwork by Paddy Downey
Introduction and co-produced by Lisa Downey