Coole Park Poetry Series 2021

A second edition of the Coole Park Poetry Series, celebrating some of the greatest Irish poets of the past century.

Collaborating again with the Adrian Brinkerhoff Poetry Foundation, these ten new short films, performed by a cast of 11 actors, have been curated by Colm Tóibín in order of the poets’ birth dates.

From 19 May for 10 weeks, the films will premiere online every Wednesday at 7pm, free to view on our YouTube channel. Each video will be added to this page following their premiere.

The films will also be screened as a free exhibition in The Mick Lally Theatre, 14-25 July 2021.

Tommy Tiernan reads ‘The Echo at Coole’ by Austin Clarke (b. 1896)

Aaron Monaghan reads ‘The Hospital’ by Patrick Kavanagh (b. 1904)

Seán McGinley reads ‘Another September’ by Thomas Kinsella (b. 1928)

Marty Rea reads ‘Station Island VII’ by Seamus Heaney (b. 1939)

Brian Doherty reads ‘A Disused Shed in County Wexford’ by Derek Mahon (b. 1941)

Venetia Bowe reads ‘The Architectural Metaphor’ by Eiléan Ní Chuilleanáin (b. 1942)

Jade Jordan reads ‘The Lost Art of Letter Writing’ by Eavan Boland (b. 1944)

Andrew Bennett and Rory Nolan read ‘Tullynoe: Tête-à-Tête in the Parish Priest’s Parlour’ by Paul Durcan (b. 1944)

Marie Mullen reads ‘Caitlín’ by Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill (b. 1952)

Clare Dunne reads ‘This is not a confessional poem’ by Paula Meehan (b. 1955)

As with the first Coole Park poetry series in 2020, these ten new poetry films were shot by Matthew Thompson on location at Coole Park in County Galway, the home of Lady Gregory.

With thanks to our friends at the National Parks and Wildlife Service and Coole Park Nature Reserve.